Kabul terror attack

The terror attack on a gurdwara in Kabul on Saturday took place barely two weeks after an Indian delegation visited Afghanistan to reach out to the Taliban regime, which had taken control of the war-hit country in August last year. The Islamic State (IS) terrorist group, which has been a thorn in the flesh for the Taliban rulers, claimed responsibility for the attack and for killing two persons, including a member of the minority Sikh community. The IS has called it ‘an act of support’ for the Prophet, a thinly veiled reference to the blasphemous remarks made by two BJP leaders that recently sparked an outrage in the Islamic world.

The Kabul incident makes it clear that the controversy over the remarks is yet to die down despite the damage control exercise carried out by the BJP-led NDA government. Afghanistan was among the countries that had condemned the use of derogatory words against the Prophet. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid had urged the Indian government ‘not to allow such fanatics to insult the holy religion of Islam and provoke the feelings of Muslims.’ This came as an embarrassment for the government at a time when it was trying to build bridges with the Taliban.

India’s Ministry of Home Affairs has been quick to issue e-visas ‘on priority’ to more than 100 Afghan Sikhs and Hindus soon after the gurdwara attack. Such confidence-building measures are a must in view of New Delhi’s high stakes in Afghanistan. Close coordination with the Taliban is vital as more terror attacks targeting the minorities in that country are not ruled out. This engagement is even more important in the light of reports that Afghan territory is being used by Pakistan-based terror groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba. India should press the Taliban to crack the whip on these groups which have a history of carrying out terror attacks on Indian soil and pose a constant threat to peace and stability in the subcontinent. The Taliban regime needs to get its act together quickly as its failure to protect the minorities will adversely impact its chances of gaining international legitimacy.

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