The killing of innocents in Malegaon is a grim reminder that terror has no consideration for faith or penury. From the first class compartments of local trains in Mumbai to a congested mosque in dusty Malegaon, the gruesome pictures have shamed the nation. The story is all the more saddening because it was, like Mumbai, a tragedy that could have been averted.

The home-grown terrorist supported by his counterpart abroad is focused on weakening India’s secular fabric. The targets are carefully selected to create a Godhra-like response, to tear asunder and not merely strain the country’s rich social and religious tapestry. Tectonic events with mass casualties closely linked to religious symbols, sites or activities are tactics used by these terrorists over the past few years, be it in Akshardham, Ayodhya, Sankatmochan Temple in Varanasi and now Malegaon. A subtle shift in the strategy is evident. Having failed to evoke a response at places of worship of the majority community, a mosque was made the target this time, in the hope that it would trigger a violent response from the volatile youth of the town who have been known to demonstrate such a proclivity in the past.

So far the reaction has been muted. Perhaps it is because the community at large, including the Muslim ulema, has understood the larger game plan and is not supportive of a design which strikes at the root of harmonious existence with other communities. How long we can sustain this spirit, though, is a moot question. With Dussehra and Diwali approaching, the key issue is our ability to take proactive and preventive measures to negate the possibilities of another terror attack.

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