The streets of London witnessed protests where supporters of Hamas were openly voicing their opinions. This is a criminal offense under UK law, as Hamas is a proscribed terrorist organization. The Prime Minister and the Home Secretary had to explicitly urge the police to take action. This is not an isolated incident; India has been pleading with Western authorities to take similar action against supporters of Khalistani groups like Babar Khalsa as they ripped Indian flags outside the Indian High Commission. (Flag burning is a common trait of extremists who support terrorist organisations).
The question that arises is: why is the West so slow to react? A Surrey University student was arrested for supporting Hamas, which is a step in the right direction. However, it's well-documented that universities can be breeding grounds for extremist ideologies. India has been pointing this out, citing the presence of Khalistani societies in educational institutions, yet the universities and the authorities seem to turn a blind eye, calling it freedom of thought and expression. This isn’t the wisdom of Galileo or the enlightenment! Or an argument over particle physics.
The West's sluggishness in responding to these threats is puzzling and dangerous. It's as if there's a reluctance to acknowledge the gravity of the situation until it's too late. This raises a controversial but important question: does the West, by its inaction, almost invite the menace it later decries?
India-Israel Alignment: A Stand Against Barbarism
India's support for Israel in its fight against terrorism signifies a broader alignment that transcends the usual West/Islam dichotomy. It's a stand against barbaric acts that threaten the very fabric of civilized society. India, which has its own history of battling terrorism, recognizes the importance of a unified front against such threats. The country which speaks for the second largest muslim population in the world, stands with Israel. India unifies and shows it is not about religion. It is indeed one family – the children of Isaac and Ishmael literally prove that it is one family.
This is not just about geopolitics; it's about the values that form the bedrock of any civilized society: respect for human life, the rule of law, and a commitment to peace and stability. India's support for Israel is a strong statement that terrorism, in any form and against any nation, is unacceptable.
Conclusion
The West's hesitancy in tackling extremist ideologies head-on is not just a legal or political failing; it's a moral one. When countries like India are willing to take a stand, it highlights the shortcomings of Western policies that seem to perpetually be in a state of reactive inertia rather than proactive engagement.
The fight against terrorism is a global one. It's high time the West took a leaf out of India's book and acted swiftly and decisively. Otherwise, the question will linger: are we doing enough to protect our societies, or are we, through our inaction, leaving the door ajar for the very threats we later condemn?
