A 2006 cable talks about the Muslims of north India being nervous and fearful after the serial train blasts in Mumbai

Chennai: In a cable sent after the 2006 Mumbai attacks, the United States Embassy reported that its contacts had little faith in the ability of Islamic leaders, political parties, security agencies or the Indian government to prevent a terrorist attack and the anti-Muslim backlash that could follow. “Extremists in Uttar Pradesh barely conceal their activities and seem to operate with impunity,” Charge d’Affaires Geoffrey Pyatt quoted the Embassy contacts as saying in a report on the situation of north Indian Muslims after the serial train blasts in Mumbai.

Mr. Pyatt, in the cable sent on July 13, 2006 ( 71263: confidential) said the Mumbai attacks had focussed attention on the fragile communal situation in the North Indian Hindi belt, most particularly in Uttar Pradesh. “While Indians are grateful that the Mumbai attacks have not yet set off a communal conflagration, North Indian Muslims remain nervous and fearful.”

Noting that Uttar Pradesh, with a 17 per cent Muslim population and a large concentration of Shias, has endured a string of terrorist attacks since 2001, including multiple bombings on moving trains similar to the Mumbai blasts, he pointed out that the Students Islamic Movement of India and Lashkar-e-Taiba, the two principal suspects in the Mumbai attacks, are both active in the State.

Maulana Arshad Madani, the president of the Jamiat-ul-Ulema-e-Hind, which is the political wing of the Deobandi sect, decried the Mumbai bombings as “barbaric acts calculated to disturb communal harmony.” But there were no similar statements from other prominent Muslim organisations or leaders, especially Wahhabi organisations such as the Jamaat-e-Islami.

“Less prominent Muslim organizations came forward, with generally anodyne statements, including the Muslim Political Council of India, whose President, Tasleem Rehmani rhetorically urged the Government of India to declare all victims of the bombings as martyrs to national integrity,” he said.

Embassy’s Survey

The Embassy conducted an informal survey of Muslim contacts from Lucknow and other cities. “Respondents included several Maulvis (both Sunni and Shia), Urdu language journalists, political and community leaders, scholars and academics. Their responses revealed a remarkable unanimity on ‘Islamic terrorism.’ All expressed disdain for what they characterized as the ‘weak response’ of India’s Muslim leadership to the Mumbai attacks, accusing such leaders of taking a ‘head in the sand’ approach and denying stark realities. They pointed out that after a string of terrorist assaults by Muslim extremists throughout India, it is now common knowledge within the Muslim community that the terrorists have established a support system and sympathizers’ network among Indian Muslims to help carry out attacks conceived and orchestrated by foreign Muslims.”

In his analysis, Pyatt wrote: “The Mumbai attacks cannot help but increase unease amongst North Indian Muslims, who have witnessed politically-engineered communal riots in several UP cities over the past six months. Muslim fears are compounded by the lack of governance in UP and Bihar.”

The police force in Uttar Pradesh, the Charge said, had been suborned and corrupted by the Samajwadi Party [the ruling party]: “We doubt that it would be able to maintain security if communal rioting gets out of hand.”

The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), on the other hand, had begun to stage “anti-terrorism” rallies at various locations in the Hindi belt, including communal flashpoints with large Muslim populations. “In the Hindutva lexicon, ‘terrorism’ is synonymous with Islam and most Muslims will see the BJP rallies and statements for a war against terrorism as provocative calls for a war against Islam,” the diplomat wrote.

“North India, and particularly UP remain stressful and the Mumbai attacks have exacerbated an already fragile communal situation. Our Muslim contacts have reported over the past six months that Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and other Islamic extremists, including mysterious individuals they claim are “members of Al-Qaeda,” have been active in the Muslim community, recruiting disaffected young men with offers of physical training, study of the Qu’ran, job opportunities and easy money. They are worried that these are nascent terrorist cells that could be activated to carry out attacks at the behest of foreign-based organizations,” he added in the cable.

A community besieged

Painting a picture of a community besieged by both Muslim and Hindu extremists, he said: “Muslims see signs that militant Hindutva organizations are also reviving and could use a terrorist attack as an excuse to mount reprisals. The silence of most North Indian Muslims is most telling, as it indicates a community scared of both Muslim and Hindu extremists and determined to keep a low profile at all costs.”

(This article is first published in The Hindu and is a part of the series “The India Cables” based on the US diplomatic cables accessed by The Hindu via Wikileaks.)

New Delhi:  Hindu nationalism will always remain a “talking point” for the main opposition Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP). However, this is just an “opportunistic issue.”

According to the latest WikiLeaks cable, accessed by The Hindu, Arun Jaitley, leader of opposition in the upper house of Parliament, told Robert Blake, the charge at the US Embassy, on May 6, 2005: “Hindu nationalism will always be a talking point for the BJP.” However, Jaitley characterized this as an “opportunistic issue” for the party, according to the cable.

(Courtesy: Outlook

He also warned the US Embassy that the “Modi controversy continues to fester among the party rank and file, who see the chief minister’s visa revocation as a personal attack on a leader of the party that began the transformation of US-India relations.”

The Modi issue aside, the BJP leader was upbeat on U.S.-India relations, “emphasizing that ties with the U.S. were no longer a point of controversy in the Indian politics.”

According to the cable, which describes him as “one of several aspirants to direct the next generation of the BJP leadership” on succeeding the rein of the party, Jaitley said: “LK Advani would lead for another two to three years, after which one of five next generation leaders (Jaitley among them) would take the reins.”

Jaitley, who is also a senior Supreme Court lawyer, has issued a statement clarifying: “The Cable reflects my views on cross-border terrorism, illegal infiltration from Bangladesh and the unfair denial of US Visa to the Gujarat chief minister. However, the use of the word “opportunistic” in reference to nationalism or Hindu nationalism is neither my view nor my language. It could be the diplomat’s own usage.”

New Delhi: The government is clearly on the back foot in both the houses on cash-for-votes scam as a united opposition slammed it.

Sushma Swaraj, leader of opposition in the lower house, hold the prime minister responsible who was the “biggest beneficiary” even if he was not aware.

“It is the habit of the prime minister to blame others. If it is price rise, the then Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar is responsible; if it is 2G, the then Telecom Minister A. Raja is responsible; and if it is the Commonwealth Games, (Suresh) Kalmadi is to blame,” she said, adding that people have had enough of such excuses of “coalition compulsions” or that he is unaware.

(Courtesy: www.ibnlive.com)

Arun Jaitley, leader of opposition in the upper house, also came heavily on the prime minister. However, he became defensive when Jaynati Natrajan interrupted about the latest Tehelka expose that writes: “Disturbingly, this sting operation appears to have had the sanction and collusion of respected BJP leaders like Sudheendra Kulkarni, Arun Jaitley and even LK Advani.”

Jaitlye blamed the “Congress friendly investigators” and said that the act itself needs to be looked into and not that some BJP leaders informed the media or their leaders.

CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta, who initiated the discussion in the Lok Sabha, blamed Dr Manmohan Singh of “parliamentary piracy” for the Trust Vote in 2008.

Both Dasgupta (in the Lok Sabha) and Arun jaitley (in the Rajya Sabha) accused the PM of misleading the house on the report of committee, which had clearly suggested some corroboration, requesting “investigation by an appropriate agency.”

“Strong is the language of the weak and persuasive is the language of the strong,” the CPI leader said.

The prime minister had earlier blamed the opposition for relying on “unverified communication.”

Home Minister P Chidmabaram defended the government reading excerpts from the report and conducting that “this committee did not come to a definitive conclusion on the case of bribery giving or bribery taking.”

However, Jaitley interrupted Chidmabaram from reading out the report by saying, “Amar Singh indeed appears to be the principal player in the entire cash for votes episode.”

Amar Singh defended himself by saying that he did not speak to the person accused of buying votes (Nachiketa Kapoor) during the period.

The home minister also accused the opposition for distorting the prime minister’s remark on enjoying people’s confidence and said that “the cash for vote sting operation is not an independent journalistic exercise” and that there was a deliberate attempt to destabilize the government.

Kapil Sibal too made the same point in the lower house quoting Julian Assange from a recent interview, “the cables are authentic.. The content, of course, varies on a cable by cable basis.”

In an interview with NDTV, Assange has added: “It is wrong to suggest that these are just opinions, these are official reports made by US Ambassadors, sometime it is opinion…sometimes not. It is done in a serious capacity.”

Arun Jaitley accused him of cover ups and “relying on newspapers.”

Sitaram Yechury of Communist Party of India(Marxist) (CPI-M) suspected that “majority was crucial” not only to save the government but for continuing the same policy with the United States and that the foreign government was so interested in what was happening here.

All the while listening patiently, Dr Singh once stood up to say that he was only asked if he was involved and so he had made a stand on that. He later reiterated that the “veracity” of cables cannot be established reciting Urdu couplet, “Mana ki tere deed ke qaabil nahin hoon main//Tu mera shauq dekh, mera intezar dekh.”

A rather aggressive prime minister said that he is used to such vitriol from the time of the finance minister and laughed that LK Advani considered “prime minstership his birthright.”

New Delhi: Some of the observations of the US ambassador on Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi may seem praises of Modi, but the overall tone of the nuanced diplomatic language used in the cables released by the WikiLeaks emphasises that the US doesn’t want to let the pro-business charishma of Modi make them forget his riot-taint.

Julian Assange’s WikiLeaks on Tuesday brought out a lot of strong comments and view-points on Modi by successive US envoys as depicted in the cables they sent to their bosses of state department of the US.

The Americans seem clear that they don’t want to forget Modi’s human rights violation taint. Former US envoy Michael S Owen has made one comment in para 16(c) of cable dated 27/11/2006 classified as confidential, “Modi is clearly not going to apologize or back down on the violence of 2002, but we think it is vital for him to hear that we are not going to let the passage of time erase the memory of these events.”

The cables quoted US Consul General saying Modi that they, “readily acknowledge the many positive accomplishments of his Government, including economic growth and education.These are to be applauded, but do not diminish in any way the importance of holding accountable those persons who are guilty of inciting or carrying out communal violence.Consul General reiterated that failure to do so will create an atmosphere of impunity in which radical elements would feel emboldened in the future. He concluded by underlining that the US government considers human rights and religious freedom to be extremely important, and we will continue to monitor developments and engage his Government in these areas.”

However, what will upset Modi most is the comment that says, “In public appearances, Modi can be charming and likeable. By all accounts, however, he is an insular, distrustful person who rules with a small group of advisors. This inner circle acts as a buffer between the chief minister and his cabinet and party. He reigns more by fear and intimidation than by inclusiveness and consensus, and is rude, condescending and often derogatory to even high level party officials. He hoards power and often leaves his ministers in the cold when making decisions that affect their portfolios.”

While criticizing Modi the US was very clear that it cant afford to let its influence on BJP and India get diluted.”Since the riots of 2002, we have declined to engage Modi at the Ambassadorial level, but Mumbai Consul Generals have routinely sought meetings with Modi whenever they visited Ahmedabad. We will continue to seek such meetings at the level of the CG to emphasize that the USG does not have a formal no-contact and to demonstrate to the BJP that we are interested in cultivating relationships with the party while it is in the opposition. Direct encounters with Modi will also enable us to deliver a clear message regarding USG concerns for the state of human rights and religious freedom in Gujarat.

Noted human rights activist Father Cedric Prakash said, “one doesnt know the veracity of the wikileaks cables, but if it is to be believed, It seems the US is very clear that nothing will happen (about Modi’s rejected diplomatic visa) till there is clarity on human rights and religious freedom in Gujarat. If it is considered as interference, then the US business interests in Gujarat that Modi is so keen to promote, should also be seen as an intrusion as US companies do not come here out of any love for Gujarat or Gujaratis but for their profits.”

Congress leader Shaktisinh Gohil said, “Modi has very conveniently interpreted the cables. If they say that corruption is lesser at lower levels, it is also said that it is very high at top levels. It clearly says that money collected from corporates goes to the BJP. The cables also say that Modi has used caste and religion to divide people for political gains.”

“When they were discussing human rights violation with me, I looked into their eyes and said that America should not advise us on humanity. The whole world knows what they have done,” Modi said on Tuesday.

The Government of India (GOI) requests an urgent US response to the pending request, last taken up March 23, 2005, for assistance required by the Indian side from US authorities in connection with the IC-814 hijacking case.

32567, 5/13/2005 13:08,05 NEWDELHI 3647, Embassy New Delhi, CONFIDENTIAL, 02 STATE 139001 | 03 NEWDELHI 3904 | 04 NEWDELHI 5387 | 04 NEWDELHI 5630 | 05 NEWDELHI 2266,”This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.”,”C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 003647

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/11/2015 TAGS: PREL, PTER, IN, PK, AF, Counter-Terrorism, GOI

SUBJECT: GOI RENEWS CALL FOR IC-814 INFO AS TRIAL NEARS END

REF: A. NEW DELHI 2266 B. 04 NEW DELHI 5630 C. 04 NEW DELHI 5387 D. 03 NEW DELHI 3904 E. 02 STATE 139001

Classified By: Charge Robert O. Blake, Jr., for Reasons 1.4 (B, D)

1. (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraph 6.

2. (C) During a May 9 meeting with PolCouns and Poloff, MEA Director (Americas) Renu Pall delivered the following non-paper requesting USG assistance with the GOI investigation into the December 1999 IC-814 hijacking. The non-paper is identical to the one that MEA Joint Secretary (Americas) S Jaishankar delivered on March 23 (Ref A), but this version added that the trial of 10 accused (including seven being tried in absentia) is entering its final stage and that the matter is “”sensitive and important.”"

Begin Text:

The Government of India requests an urgent US response to the pending request, last taken up March 23, 2005, for assistance required by the Indian side from US authorities in connection with the IC-814 hijacking case.

US response is awaited on the following:

– To liaise with the concerned American authorities relating to the reported seizure of documents relating to the hijacking of IC-814 by US forces operating in Afghanistan.

– To collect evidence relating to the landing of the flight at Kandahar and the roles played by Afghan Taliban authorities.

– To get the responses from Mr. Mansoor Akhtar, ex-Civil Aviation Minister in the Taliban Government of Afghanistan, and Mr. Akhtar Usmani, the Taliban corps commander in Kandahar (reportedly in the custody of the American authorities) during the hijacking crisis.

– Examine the possibilities of getting statements from some important Taliban functionaries, now reportedly under the custody of American authorities.

– Any additional information available regarding the whereabouts/location/hideouts of the seven Pakistani nationals involved in the hijacking of IC-814.

– Any information available in the United States on the conduct of these aforesaid seven accused terrorists prior to, during, and after the hijacking of IC-814.

– Any photographs that may be available in the United States of accused Abdul Rauf, a key conspirator.

– Any additional evidence available in the United States relating to the landing of the hijacked aircraft at Lahore Airport, its subsequent refueling, take-off, etc.

An early response is requested since the trial of the case is at the final stage in India and the matter is sensitive and important.

End text.

FBI Cooperating

—————

3. (C) Legatt recently confirmed with FBI/Washington that FBI — and the US military — have shared all information relevant to the hijacking of IC-814 with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), India’s lead federal law enforcement agency, and that CBI has been informed to that effect. Legatt also reports that FBI will not agree to requests it deems “”fishing expeditions,”" but that he has not conveyed this sentiment to CBI. In January-February 2005, CBI handed to visiting FBI Special Agents hundreds of documents for the US prosecution of IC-814 principals that had not been previously shared (Ref A), adding that they were only sharing “”what we think you need to know.”"

4. (C) Separately, in April, the Indian IC-814 prosecutor told Assistant US Attorney Steven Pelak, who is prosecuting the American IC-814 case, that the Indian trial has passed the phase of presenting evidence.

Comment

——-

5. (C) The successful prosecution in India of the IC-814 hijackers would further our own CT agenda, and USG cooperation to the fullest extent possible would advance our bilateral relations as well, given the strong symbolism this case has with New Delhi. Legatt New Delhi reports that the FBI has already cooperated extensively on this matter, and it is not clear from our non-expert perspective that the GOI’s recent requests for information will further its prosecution. In any case, this formal MEA request reflects senior level attention to the IC-814 matter, and a perception at that level that the USG has been less than fully forthcoming.

6. (C) Action Request: We need to bring an end this ongoing cycle of requests (Refs A-E), and a clear negative response would be preferable to perpetuating a fruitless dialogue. The FBI has reportedly exhausted its ability to cooperate, and we should directly inform both CBI and MEA to that effect, with specific confirmation on what evidence is or is not in US possession.

7. (U) Minimize considered.

BLAKE

Curtsey: The Hindu

New Delhi:  The storm over WikiLeaks cables on cash-for-votes scandal is likely to dominate House proceeding again today with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh expected to respond to the Opposition’s charges against him.

Yesterday, uproar over the issue virtually paralysed Parliament with the BJP staging a walkout. The party alleged that the Prime Minister “misled” the House by claiming that MPs were not bribed during the July 2008 trust vote even though the Parliamentary probe committee said that money was paid.

Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh

The WikiLeaks cable states that the Congress bought MPs ahead of its vote of confidence in 2008 over the nuclear deal with the US. But the PM told Parliament last week that there was no reason to believe that the cable was authentic, and that the Indian players mentioned in them have challenged the facts stated within.

“The Government rejects that allegation absolutely hands down. The allegations of bribery were investigated by the 14th Lok Sabha. The committee concluded that there was insufficient evidence to draw any conclusion of bribery,” he had said.

In Lok Sabha yesterday, the BJP-led NDA boycotted the debate on the Finance Bill in following differences with the government over the timing of taking up a discussion over the Prime Minister’s statement on the scam.

The main Opposition staged a walkout as soon as the Bill was moved by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee as it wanted the discussion on the Prime Minister’s statement to be taken up before the legislative business.

But the government insisted on taking up the Finance Bill first, saying it had been scheduled earlier.

“We agreed to short duration debate after the Finance Bill is passed. We have no problem to discussion under Rule 192, which does not entail voting. But please allow the Finance Bill to be passed first,” Finance Minister and Leader of the House Pranab Mukherjee said addressing the Opposition which was demanding the debate on the PM’s statement first.

“The Finance Bill has its own sanctity,” Mukherjee said, appealing for cooperation from the Opposition.

Leader of the Opposition, Sushma Swaraj, said the Opposition also wants passage of the Finance Bill but it should be taken up only after a two-and-a-half hour debate on the PM’s statement.

“It is a question of two-and-a-half hours…You allow debate, then we can have both… It is just a matter of earlier and later,” she said.

Swaraj said if the debate is allowed on the PM’s statement, “We are ready to sit here till 12 (to pass the Finance Bill).”

Countering Swaraj, Mukherjee said a precedent like this should not be created.

“You have given the notice for a Short Duration discussion today. Allow 24 hours. The discussion can take place tomorrow… The Finance Bill has been decided long ago. We should stick to the schedule,” he said.

PC Chacko, who was in the Chair, also ruled that the Finance Bill should be taken up first and Mukherjee started moving the Bill.

Unhappy over this, Swaraj led a walkout, asking the government to pass the Finance Bill without the main Opposition if it was so adamant.

(With NDTV inputs)

New Delhi:  Slamming the Centre for refusing to discuss WikiLeaks’ expose on the cash-for-votes scam, Arun Jaitley, leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha (upper house), today told NDTV that the Manmohan Singh-led UPA government had lost the confidence to govern the nation.

Jaitley also said that the discussion on the leaked cables was as important as the Finance Bill.  He further said that he did not understand why the government deferred the discussion on the issue.

Sounding out a warning to the government, he said, “Echoes of what is happening inside Parliament will soon be heard outside.”

His remarks came after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today staged a walkout from the Lok Sabha after the Chair disallowed a discussion on WikiLeaks ahead of the discussion on the Finance Bill.

“I do not think heaven is going to fall if we take up the Finance Bill first. I assure you that we will have the discussion after the Finance Bill is passed. I am not making it a prestige issue,” Leader of the Lok Sabha Pranab Mukherjee had said.

New Delhi: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the U.S. need not preach to India on human rights in the wake of its concerns on this issue in his State as reflected in leaked diplomatic cables from an American Consul, accessed by The Hindu through WikiLeaks.

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi (Photo: The Hindu)

Modi at the same time noted that the cables had also spoken of him being “incorruptible” and Gujarat being a “progressive” State.

He also said that the Central government should address the issue of U.S. “interference” in the internal affairs of India.

“(Michael) Owen had discussed Gujarat..I looked into his eyes and said America should not give us advice on human rights,” Modi recalled. Michael. S. Owen was US Consul General in Mumbai when he had a meeting with Modi in 2006.

“This America should not give us advice on human rights. I am son of India and I know what human rights violations you have done. Good that dialogue is faithfully reproduced,” he told the media today.

New Delhi: Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj today sent a breach of privilege notice to Lok Sabha Speaker against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

“I have just received the notice of the leader of Opposition. The notice is under my consideration. I will give my ruling on the matter,” said Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar.

Sushma Swaraj speaking in the house

The opposition is accusing the prime minister has mislead the house in his statement made last week on the WikiLeaks cables on the 2008 trust motion. WikiLeaks cables have alluded that money changed hands to save the government after the Left withdrew support to the government on the Indo-US nuclear deal.

“BJP is trying to mislead the country. There is nothing inaccurate in PM’s statement,” said Pawan Kumar BAnsal, Parliamentary Affairs minister on Tuesday.

The two other Opposition leaders Yashwant Sinha and JDU president Sharad Yadav may also demand a discussion on the issue under rule 193 which does not entail voting.

As a counter move, Congress is also planning to give a notice of breach of privilege against Sushma Swaraj for allegedly defying Speaker Meira Kumar last week by trying to seek clarifications from the Prime Minister after his statement on the revelations made by WikiLeaks in the cash-for-vote scam.

New Delhi: In its bid to further corner the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has sent a breach of privilege notice to the Lok Sabha (lower house) speaker against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for misleading the house during the 2008 trust vote.

Leader of opposition Sushma Swaraj today sent a breach of privilege notice to the speaker against the prime minister for his WikiLeaks statement. Swaraj also sent a notice demanding a discussion on the cash-for-votes issue under rule 193, which entails a discussion without voting.

Opposition Leader Sushma Swaraj speaking in Parliament (Photo: The Hindu)

The opposition is accusing the prime minister of misleading the house – in his statement on the WikiLeaks cables on the trust motion- in 2008. WikiLeaks cables have alluded that money changed hands to save the government after the Left withdrew support to the Government – on the Indo-US nuclear deal.

The two other Opposition leaders Yashwant Sinha and JDU president Sharad Yadav may also demand a discussion on the issue under rule 193 which does not entail voting.

As a counter move, Congress is also planning to give a notice of breach of privilege against Sushma Swaraj for allegedly defying Speaker Meira Kumar last week by trying to seek clarifications from the Prime Minister after his statement on the revelations made by WikiLeaks in the cash-for-vote scam.

Meanwhile, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has hit out at Prime minister Manmohan Singh for his remarks on the leaked India cables.

In an interview to NDTV, Assange said,” The comment I have been hearing from Prime Minister Singh, these, to me, seem like a deliberate attempt to mislead the public by suggesting that governments around the world do not accept the material and it is not verified, absolutely false.”