It may be stated for the democrats that faith in liberalism or human rights or democracy is important but much more necessary for them is to have a plan of action to deal with fundamentalism of the Islamic world.
Democracies should have the ability to encounter all brands of non-democratic ideologies. But it is not clear how would they like to deal with them.
As far as terrorism is concerned, for their own survival they may have to prepare themselves in advance of its lethal attacks.
In a democracy, there is the rule of majority, which has to uphold fundamental rights of citizens given in a particular constitution. Minorities are to be given proper respect and share in governance. Minority of today can become majority tomorrow. But the question arises: What type of minority is to be respected and given a share in power?
ADVERTISEMENTS:
If a minority or a substantial part of it is committed permanently to an ideology, authority, guru, holy book etc. over and above the constitution, law, fundamental rights or basic structure of a polity, it is not a minority or a part of the polity. It is rather a group of anti-polity or anti-society people who cannot claim to be treated at par with other citizens. They cannot be considered as ‘minority’ in the normal sense of the term.
It may be suicidal to keep and treat that anti-social group at par with other citizens. If it is mistakenly done so or under some inside or outside pressure, that polity is likely to lose its unity and integrity. Persons belonging to that group at the most may be called as ‘non-minority organisations’.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
It may be pointed out that even law-abiding minorities, after some time owing to several reasons may go astray and adopt anti-polity identity. Terrorism also relates to poverty, illiteracy and backwardness of the people who are often made into tools for political use by their ruling elites. The ruling elite and the vested interests of these people do not, to make them tool, permit them to learn that there cannot be any covenant of God to particular people or community to kill or abuse.
Such an assumption or belief, in fact, puts limitations on powers of the Almighty and makes Him biased. Even if there were commandments of God, they were addressed to specific people belonging to a particular time and place. In spite of these facts, if some of the followers of a particular religion commit acts of terrorism, they are nothing but criminals of the first order as they pretend to commit them in the name of God and His commandments.
This makes fundamentalism related to religion or some Holy Books more dangerous than other forms of terrorism. A democracy, owing to their fanaticism, cannot deal with democratically. Only an army trained to fight with appropriate mind, means and weapons, against the terrorists, can overpower and eliminate them. Citizens of a vibrant democracy can also prevent and eliminate occurrence of terrorism.