The nearly three-year-old war in Ukraine and the subsequent Israel-Hamas conflict in the Middle East seem to have temporarily eclipsed all news across the world of other kinds of violence, specially those by disparate extremist groups. In the process, the consequences of, and aspects of, newer trends in extremist violence are being lost sight of, and this could have consequences for the future.
A RAND study published a couple of years ago in the United States, under the preferred headline ‘Changing Face of Hate, domestic extremist violence’, had indicated that important changes were constantly taking place in the realm of domestic terrorism and violent extremism. The obiter dicta of this study was that it is imperative for law enforcement officers to properly understand the nature of the changes that were taking place across the spectrum to be able to prepare for future eventualities.
The study, no doubt, had special relevance for the U.S. Yet, in a subliminal fashion, it did contain lessons for other countries as well. While India did not have to contend with the kind of militant organisations that existed in the U.S. in the latter half of the 20th century, the situation post the Second World War in India had not been a peaceful one, even as India gained independence.
Early post-Independence history
As anyone aware of India’s post-Independence history would know, in the initial years, communal violence of varying intensity and a resurgent Communist movement, intent on embarking on a revolutionary path, had caused major problems for India. The ‘Tebhaga Movement’ in Bengal and the Communist uprising in Telangana in the late 1940s, were stark reminders of what the Communists were attempting, but fortunately they could not succeed.
The revolutionary spark, however, had not been completely extinguished. In the late 1960s, and for many years thereafter till the end of the 20th century, Communist extremism did prove to be a major bane for the Indian state. The Naxalite Movement (as it came to be known) did have enough ideological appeal left to spur a left-wing renaissance. For a time, it attracted the best and the brightest of youth in the country, though in course of time, the movement descended into mindless violence. During its heyday, left-wing extremists or Naxalites could establish sizeable pockets of influence across West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala.
Ideological appeal may not be enough to sustain a movement, but it is an important magnet, specially for ideologies such as left-wing extremism. It would, hence, be a mistake to believe that countries are easily insulated from the infiltration of pernicious doctrines. The takeaway from ideologies such as Naxalism is that they continue to lurk not too far below the surface. Strict vigil is, hence, called for.
The right wing’s spread
The world has moved on since, and practitioners of revolutionary ideas have changed tack. Left-wing ideas seem to have given way to right-wing philosophies, and the second seems to have many new adherents. This may seem a relatively recent phenomenon, but has been gaining ground for some time, specially across Europe. In the recent period, for instance, Germany has turned increasingly xenophobic. Domestic politics in that country today is highly polarised. France faces an uncertain future, unsure whether further concessions would have to be made to the right wing, damaging France’s image as a ‘middle-of-the-road nation’. This is also accompanied by a steady erosion of trust in liberal values. As of now, the right-wing in Europe is no longer a fringe element. This has implications not only for Europe but also for much of the world.
Europe, already traumatised by the Ukraine conflict, seems to be losing most of its earlier bearings, and at times appears rudderless. Most European leaders appear unable to recognise the reality, or deal with a situation that it is not ready or prepared for. For much of the world, the change is unprecedented and will require many an adjustment. In retrospect, it is even possible to view the Brexit verdict of 2016 (in the United Kingdom) as an early pointer to the shifting of the political centre rightwards in Europe.
All of this has implications for much of the world, India included. ‘Radicalization of mainstream right ideas’ and ‘mainstreaming of far right ideas’ across Europe will have an impact for countries across the globe. It would entail effecting a shift from dealing with left-wing extremist ideas and threats to many newer kinds of threats of the right extremist variety. This may not be easy and will entail a reconfiguration of all that needs to be done by those in-charge. It is bound to have many consequences for democracy and national sovereignty.
The world also cannot overlook, or ignore, its ‘date with destiny’, viz., the year 2001 unleashing of the largest mobilisation of right wing (Jihadist sympathisers) in the West in recent times. It upended an unprecedented fractured threat landscape in the West, apart from certain other regions of the globe, causing governments to come under immense pressure. Misinformation and disinformation aggravated problems and helped feed right-wing extremist ideologies and movements. The COVID-19 pandemic, in turn, helped to exacerbate a situation already in the making, with social isolation, unproven grievances, and little known factors acting as drivers for a radicalisation of ideas and mobilisation. Today, a cross pollination of right-wing extremist ideologies is helping exacerbate situations of violent extremism of the right-wing variety.
The rise of the Islamic State coincided with this, and, in course of time, was to cast a shadow over vast swathes of territory across the entire West Asia and extend its tentacles to many other regions as well. It was a different kind of catalyst for change in so far as extremist right-wing militancy was concerned and led to rising levels of insecurity in multiple regions. A definitive assertion that pro-Jihadist criminal activities, alongside individual home grown supporters backed by small cells (each comprising few operatives) were responsible for much of the disruption and violence in several regions of the globe, may have to wait. But that there is a threat cannot be ignored. In a milieu of this kind, law enforcement agencies are often required to take a ‘leap of faith’ so that situations do not become critical; agencies are left unprepared to deal with the consequences.
The focus
It is in the fitness of things that law and order agencies across the globe are taking a closer look at the rising dimensions and implications of right-wing terror and the role of right-wing terror modules. A few years ago, there was an avalanche of protests in India, specially in the south of the country, against action taken by the government in cracking down on organisations such as the Popular Front of India (PFI) and the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), both of which were termed as pro-right-wing extremist Muslim bodies. It was not unusual that there should be protests of this kind for what is seldom apparent to many are the underside of these agencies, which are little known to most, but over time do have sinister connotations.
Undoubtedly, this was precipitated by concerns over the growing dimensions in India and across the globe of right-wing terror modules and the increase in right-wing militancy. To establish a connection has not been easy, but, over time, it has been possible to reach an understanding about the spread of right-wing tendencies among sections of the Muslim community, including youth, students, women and the working class. It is often said that it is necessary to ‘break an egg to make an omelette’. Growing concerns across the world about right-wing and Islamist militancy did call for the adoption of certain harsh measures, which need to be handled with care. Security is not a ‘zero-sum-game’ and ‘eternal vigilance is the price of liberty’. This is the message that is sought and sent out in the context of both growing right-wing extremist militancy and the yet-to-be extinguished left-wing extremist violent activities.
M.K. Narayanan is a former Director, Intelligence Bureau, a former National Security Adviser, and a former Governor of West Bengal
Published - November 23, 2024 12:16 am IST
