There is an attractive argument that is gaining currency. Reportedly it may become the BJP's poll argument to draw mileage from the alleged involvement of Hindu outfits in terrorism. The argument goes something like this: Yes, terrorism is bad. But for how long can people remain passive when the government refuses to take effective measures to curb it? It is human to react and that is what the alleged Hindu terrorists did to counter the continuing jihaadi terrorist assaults. 

That terrorism is irrational and undesirable on both sides is not denied. The argument being advanced is that Hindus cannot remain supine against jihaadi terror indefinitely. Inevitably, some Hindus eventually had to retaliate against the jihaadis. If the police leaks conform to the truth ' and that is always a doubtful proposition ' then this argument is blown sky high. If the police are to be believed, the accused pro-Hindutva army officer has confessed to providing the RDX that blew up the Samjhauta Express to kill 70 passengers. The source of RDX has still to be established. As Intelligence officer the accused had served in Kashmir. 

If police reports are correct the act of terror was not necessarily aimed against the jihaadis because in fact it assisted them. The Samjhauta Express was the outcome of former Prime Minister Vajpayee's initiative to further peace with Pakistan. It was a popular confidence building measure to increase people to people contacts between India and Pakistan. Both Vajpayee and Advani were strong supporters of the move. The one element opposed to the Samjhauta Express was the jihaadi element both within and outside the Pakistani establishment. This element was bitterly opposed to any rapprochement between both nations. 

So even if one were to make allowance for Hindu passion that went out of control, the choice of the terror target makes things very suspect. Why select a target that the jihaadis themselves would have chosen? Unless of course there is a much deeper conspiracy behind terror acts by Hindus. All politicians would be well advised to keep their counsel until the probe is complete. It has been known in the past that even one effective foreign agent can manipulate and subvert many hotheads unaware about whose interests they actually serve. The roots of all terrorism could well be global.