Terrorism: India's dual mentality
Few days ago, an outfit which identified itself as Hindu Yuva Sene paid tributes to Queen Victoria at Jantar Mantar. This was a huge insult to the very struggle of independence in India, as if Queen Victoria's administration in the country was somewhat higher than that.
This clearly conveys the betrayal of leaders such as Veer Savarkar and others was not an accidental one. But lakhs of people have laid down their lives so that this country can be free. These hindutva leaders have also humiliated the sacrifices of Bose, Azad, Bhagat Singh, the martyrs of Jallianwala Bagh etc.
Forget arresting them, not even a case has been registered against them. Now these anti-national terrorists have gone a step further. On January 30, the day when Mahatma Gandhi was killed (also known as Martyrs Day) they have shot at the effigy of Mahatma Gandhi to celebrate his killing by Nathuram Godse.
They have declared Godse as a Mahatma and distributed sweets to celebrate this event that was held publicly.
Since this turned into a huge controversy, three people have been held so far. Charges of sedition should have been invoked against them for having carried out this act that is inhuman and ghastly. But none of that happened.
Why is it so difficult for the govt to register a case of sedition against these evident videos and people in them when they can act against fake videos where student leaders Kanhaiya and others are heard calling out anti India slogans which were later proved to be false?
Why is the govt unable to ban these hindutva outfits that enacted Gandhi's assassination and called Godse the first terrorist of independent India, a Mahatma?
Hindu Mahasabha was established to implement the Manu ideologies. This way of thinking had become redundant after Mughals and British entered the country. Even the lower caste people could access education and get into well respected posts in the society. Manuvadis would believe Shudras and Dalits should not get into the mainstream of the society by accessing education, and return to their caste based occupations.
Hence Hindu Mahasabha was established with the hope to bring back caste hierarchy and establish the supremacy of priestly class.
But this vested plan couldn't be fulfilled by Mahatma Gandhi who called himself a “supreme Hindu”. So Gandhi was killed through Godse owing to the frustration of being unable to fulfil the objective of a new India based on Manu's ideology.
When constitution was brought into acceptance, RSS rejected it on its newsletter saying this didn't have any of Manu's ideologies. National flag would unfurl on the RSS office even till recently. Our national anthem wasn't even considered accepted.
The conspiracy of Hindu Mahasabha failed because generations of Nehru family upheld the democratic ideals. But the hindutva terrorists have risen across the country again. Posters of “Hindu Rashtra” are being seen everywhere now. Organisations like Sanatan Sanstha are killing thinkers and rationals on day light. On the same occasion, Hindu Mahasabha has not only recreated Gandhi's killing scene but has also paid tributes to Godse.
The Modi government is talking about eradication of terrorism and silencing the terrorists. It is making failed attempts to keep the civilians under control by deploying army against them in Kashmir. But it is selectively blind to the fact that saffron terror is spreading and growing like a wild climber right under its feet. The most unnerving thing is the leaders of Hindu Mahasabha and religious heads have maintained silence over this whole episode.
Today the religious leaders immediately condemn attacks of terrorism launched by their own people anywhere in the world.
They declare that the religion and faith have nothing to do with people who carry out dastardly acts. Why are religious heads like Pejawar Swamiji and other leaders maintaining a guarded silence over this? Such people wake up only when someone calls the likes of Afzal Guru a martyr or pay respects to extremists in Kashmir. Is there a difference between declaring Godse a martyr and Afzal Guru a martyr too?
There are clear attempts in Punjab to declare Bhindranwale a martyr as well. When the government maintains silence over Godse being called a martyr, it loses the moral right to act against outfits that assign martyrdom to Bhindranwale or Afzal Guru. This will add more names to the fanclub of these particular people.Not only that, a government that does not act against its own terrorism factions loses the moral right to criticise or condemn such acts in its neighbouring countries.
Modi government needs to be aware of the fact that the world, including the United Nations, is taking note of its link with the terrorist outfits.
In this backdrop, the government should not hesitate to act against any organisation or outfit that indulges in or encourages any act that amounts to terrorism.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Iran Shocks World, Hits F-35
America's most advanced fighter jet, the F-35, was never hit in combat — not once, in its entire history. Countries spend over ₹900 crore to buy just one of these aircraft. The whole world believed this plane was untouchable. Then, on March 19, something happened over Iranian skies that shocked military experts across the globe.
Iran hit it. And nobody saw it coming.
America Was Too Confident — That Was the Problem
Before understanding how this happened, you need to understand what America believed going into this. The US had been bombing Iran since February 28. After roughly 20 days of heavy strikes, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that Iran's air defences were completely destroyed — finished, flattened, gone.
US President Donald Trump even said proudly, "We can fly wherever we want, and no one is even firing at us."
Based on this confidence, America flew its prized F-35 deep into the heart of central Iran. That alone tells you how sure they were. You don't send your most expensive jet into enemy territory unless you believe there is zero danger.
But Iran, a country under heavy international sanctions, still had something left. And it used that something extremely well.
So How Did Iran Actually Hit a Stealth Jet?
Here is where it gets interesting for regular people to understand.
We have all heard the word "stealth" — it sounds like the plane is completely invisible. But India Today explained that stealth only means it is hard to detect by radar. Hard — not impossible. It does not mean the aircraft is totally invisible.
Think of it this way. Even if you cannot see someone in a dark room, you can still feel their body heat if they stand close enough. That is almost exactly what happened here.
The F-35's engines produce enormous heat. Iran's weapon likely used an infrared sensor — basically a heat-seeking system — to detect that heat, lock onto it, and follow the jet. No radar needed. The F-35's biggest advantage, its radar-invisibility, simply did not matter.
The weapon Iran likely used was the 358 missile — also called SA-67 — which is a loitering munition. Think of it as a slow, intelligent drone that flies around patiently waiting, scanning the sky for heat signals from aircraft engines. Once it finds one, it chases it down. Iran has used this exact weapon before against American MQ-9 Reaper drones — and since this war started, America has already lost more than 12 of those drones.
This Has Happened Before — In 1999
This is not the first time America's "invisible" aircraft was brought down by a smarter enemy.
In 1999, during NATO's bombing campaign over Serbia, the US flew its F-117 Nighthawk — which was then considered the world's most advanced stealth aircraft. Serbian forces shot it down using an old Soviet missile system from the 1960s. Not with new technology — with clever thinking. They briefly switched on their radar, caught the jet at the right moment when its stealth was less effective, and fired.
The lesson both then and now is the same — no aircraft is completely invincible. Smart tactics can beat expensive technology.
Why This Changes Everything in the Iran War
Here is the bigger picture that really matters.
America and Israel had told the world that Iran's air defences were basically dead. Based on that, they sent massive B-1 and B-2 bombers — aircraft that are normally used only when a country is 100% sure it controls the enemy's sky. That is a huge military risk to take.
But if an F-35 — the most advanced aircraft in the sky — can still be hit, then Iran's defences are clearly not dead. Some pieces are still very much alive and working.
This means the US and Israel may now be forced to completely rethink their war plan. Their jets may need to fly higher, use longer-range weapons, and spend far more time and money finding where Iran's remaining defence systems are hiding underground.
Around 15 countries use the F-35 today. Even India was offered this jet by Trump during PM Modi's White House visit — though India has not shown interest so far.
Geopolitical expert Adam summed it up simply — a heavily sanctioned country just tracked, chased, and hit the world's most expensive stealth jet. That is not a small thing.
Sometimes, one moment changes everything.
(Girish Linganna is an award-winning science communicator and a Defence, Aerospace & Geopolitical Analyst. He is the Managing Director of ADD Engineering Components India Pvt. Ltd., a subsidiary of ADD Engineering GmbH, Germany.)
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views, policies, or position of the publication, its editors, or its management. The publication is not responsible for the accuracy of any information, statements, or opinions presented in this piece.
_vb_55.jpeg)
