Panaji: The real ideological answer to terrorism is nationalism, and this is true everywhere, said Union Minister of State for External Affairs M. J. Akbar on Friday.
Mr. Akbar was speaking at the inauguration of the India Ideas conclave organised by India Foundation in South Goa.
“I have always argued that if you think that there is no intellectual answer to terrorism, that there is no ideological answer to terrorism, then you are wrong. The real ideological answer to terrorism is nationalism. And this is true everywhere. It is only the forces and power of nationalism which will recognise the danger and push and drive and repel these elements away,” said Mr. Akbar.
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Holding forth on the issue of terrorism, Mr. Akbar said that the second danger of terrorism was that “it threatens the most important element of modernity, that is plurality.”
“The most important element, not only of modernity, but of any philosophy going back to the beginning of humanity and that is the co-existence of all human beings as equals. The living together, plural societies, in which we all live together as one. Irrespective of what our personal differences might have been,” said Mr. Akbar, adding, “Terrorists do not believe in a fundamental aspect of our Indian philosophy, Sarva Dharma Samabhav which essentially would be described as ‘Faith Equality’. What they believe is ‘Faith Supremacy’. The Supremacy of one faith at the cost of another.”
He further said that terrorism is just not a law and order problem.
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“There are two things that make terrorism or faith based terrorism into an existential challenge. One, because terrorism challenges the whole concept of the nation state. It doesn’t believe in the nation state,” said Mr. Akbar.
“What they believe in is faith based space, not in the nation state. And this challenge to nation and this challenge to nationalism is really the most dangerous act,” warned the Minister.