TERRORISM: Was it really a terrorist act?

It was not surprising at all that the Indian officials, even after the bomb blasts in Delhi on Oct. 29, continued their talks in Islamabad and reached an agreement on opening the Line of Control at five points for Kashmiri earthquake victims.
The real surprise was that most commentators and analysts in Pakistan and India, as well as in international media, were not aware that there was no longer any question of India behaving as it did in the past.
On October 4, the Indian Foreign Minister met his counterpart in Islamabad. Their joint statement included these words: “The ministers reaffirmed their determination not to allow terrorism to impede the peace process. They resolved to carry forward the peace process and to maintain its momentum.” That was the end of the perennial excuse that India would use for stalling talks whenever there was such a terrorist act.
Now the Indian media and politicians—and their sympathizers abroad—should also stop blaming jihadis for terrorist acts in India. In Pakistan, the government, army, media, politicians, people, all are for the peace process. Even the jihadis, after failing to change President Musharraf’s mind after two strong assassination attempts, are resigned to it.
The real sponsors of the Delhi terrorist acts are in India itself. Consider two major suspects, who will lose a lot if the Kashmir issue is resolved. First, there have been up to 700,000 military and paramilitary personnel and a very large intelligence force in Jammu and Kashmir for almost two decades. The senior officers have been getting extra benefits, funds, promotions and powers that they would hate to lose. Then there are huge bribes extorted with threats to Kashmiris of arrests and demolition of houses. Secondly, there are politicians, contractors and bureaucrats who have been helping themselves to billions that India spends every year in Kashmir in a vain attempt to pacify the state. Never underestimate the ability of powerful vested interests to prolong a war. The Vietnam war was dragged on for years until the fall of Saigon, despite a decision by the U.S. government to have a peace agreement. Now, the withdrawal from Iraq is being prolonged even after achieving the stated objectives, while one billion dollars are being spent every day. The so-called insurgency is being financed and sponsored to help delay it. (Will real insurgents kill only Iraqis, not U.S. soldiers, to force the American withdrawal?)
Also note some relevant facts. The bombs were simply placed in crowded places, something any unemployed poor man from outside Delhi could be persuaded to do for a few thousand rupees and then return home safely. It is a typical intelligence operation. Recently, several terrorists arrested in Balochistan disclosed that the Indian intelligence had paid them Rs 10,000 for every bomb placed in the same way. By contrast, the real jihadis carry out well-planned attacks against security forces or government officials in Kashmir, often at grave risk to their own lives.
Secondly, a previously unknown and untraceable outfit, Inquilabi, claimed responsibility. It is again an intelligence tactic to make any independent inquiry impossible. Ten years ago, a similar faceless dummy body, al-Faran, claimed responsibility for abducting six Westerners. The hostages were later killed. We never heard from that group again.
What should India do? After President Gen. Charles de Gaulle decided to give freedom to Algeria, the strongest resistance came from the colonialists and the army there. They claimed that Algeria was a part of their country. There were many terrorist acts, besides assassination attempts on de Gaulle. When Algeria did become free, there was peace all over France. There is a lesson in there.