Paris attacks: Let a fearless France win

Surrounded by the dance of death in Stade de France, they stood firm and fearless, singing their national anthem. The French deserve every salute for the grit, resolve and solidarity that only they can show.

After the "Battle of Tours", the French seem to be galvanising for another win. In India, the jihadis are often protected and shielded by a class that has christened itself "secular". The propagandists of this class, like Pratap Bhanu Mehta, Girish Karnad  and Anish Kapoor hit out at the victims and speak for the assaulters.

The French are clear about the attacker and the victim. A nation which had inspired us during the freedom struggle with the example of De Gaulle and the ideals of liberté, égalité, fraternité, France has always been at the forefront of preserving human values. The French had defeated the Arabs and stemmed the invading forces of Islam under Charles Martel who defeated the marauding army of Abdul Rahman Al Ghafiqi and killed him.

Indians must feel proud that they are now being called upon by destiny to end Islamic terror and help the West. But this is not how the French or Indians see the scene today.

This is how the Islamic State (ISIS) has described the dastardly attack on Parisians. In a statement, released in French, the ISIS said, “soldiers of Caliphate” targeted “the capital of abomination and perversion”. It further says: “Eight brothers carrying explosive belts and guns targeted areas in the heart of the French capital that were specifically chosen in advance: the Stade de France during a match against Germany which that imbecile François Hollande was attending; the Bataclan where hundreds of idolaters were together in a party of perversity as well as other targets in the 10th, 11th and 18th arrondissements. France and those who follow its path must know that they remain the principal targets of the Islamic State.”

It continues that France is its key target: “...having dared insult our Prophet, having bragged about fighting Islam in France and striking Muslims in the Caliphate with their planes, which have not helped them in any way in the ill-smelling streets of Paris. This attack is just the start of a storm and a warning for those who wish to draw lessons.”

For the uninitiated, let me quote from Wikipedia, which describes the Battle of Tours (or the Battle of Poitiers) thus:

“Historian and humanist Michael Grant lists the Battle of Tours in the macro-historical dates of the Roman era. Historian Norman Cantor who specialised in the medieval period, teaching and writing at Columbia and New York University, says in 1993: "It may be true that the Arabs had now fully extended their resources and they would not have conquered France, but their defeat (at Tours) in 732 put a stop to their advance to the north."

Military historian Robert W Martin considers Tours "one of the most decisive battles in all of history''. Albert Speer, Hitler's armaments minister, described how Hitler expressed approval of Islam, saying that Hitler had been particularly impressed by what he had heard from a delegation of Arabs. When the Muslims tried to penetrate central Europe in the eighth century, they had been driven back at the Battle of Tours; if they had won that battle, the world would have become Muslim. Theirs was a religion, Hitler said, that believed in spreading the faith by the sword and subjugating all nations to that faith. Hitler considered Islam to be perfectly suited to the "Germanic" temperament, and more compatible to Germans than Christianity.

Naturally, Hitler had a special liking for the marauding Arabs. This must clear any doubts we may harbour.

The marauding forces of modern Umayyad must be defeated for humanity.

We Indians have perfected the art of underplaying our pains and sorrows and singing paeans to our assaulters. Let the French learn from us this time. India has been the worst victim of jihad and marauding Islamist forces since the days of Mohammad bin Qasim. Yet, we continued to have talks with the assaulters and harbingers of terror for the consumption of the Western media. The French must stand guard against such infatuations that spell nothing but an abetment to the assaulters who are dehumanised savages.

Forget that we have to worry about a Muslim vote bank. Muslims are as patriotic as any other community in the country and don't need any certification in India. Indian Muslims are different from those in other countries — their Sufi, dargah and qawwali traditions make them distinct.

Let us come together to eliminate the scourge of terrorism together. Let the French learn from us and be firm and harsh in eliminating Islamist terror. India will have to take the lead in helping France and other nations to ensure that it is finally buried in the sea.