Owaisi Condemns ‘Martyrdom’ Justification: Suicide Bombing is Terrorism

Paromita Das

New Delhi, 20th  November: The story of Al Falah University, with its headquarters in Faridabad, became ominous when probes into the November 10 Delhi blast revealed a thick intermesh between strands of terror, academic fraud, and financial deception. What started as an investigation into a deadly terror attack has grown into an exposé that reveals the university as nothing less than a hotbed of illegality-thriving on falsely drawing crores of rupees by way of indirectly supporting terrorism. But this scandal represents compelling reasons why regulation of, and vigil over, educational institutions must be more stringent in Bharat.

Terror Nexus at Al Falah University

Central to the Delhi blast was Dr. Umar Mohammad, who had deep connections with Al Falah University. A recent video surfacing shows him disturbingly justifying his suicide bombing as a “martyrdom operation,” which is a word often misused to give terror a religious cloak. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has categorically condemned these remarks, drawing attention to the fact that it is suicide, which too is forbidden in Islam, and murder of innocents is a serious crime. Owaisi emphasized that such acts are terrorism plain and simple, against religious precepts as well as Bharatiya law. He further demanded accountability from the government for failure to detect the terror network that operated around and within these academic corridors.

Financial and Academic Fraud

The Enforcement Directorate’s probe soon unearthed financial misfeasance at the varsity. The institution has been collecting full fees without proper accreditation, thereby garnering revenue upwards of Rs 415 crore on the strength of forged credentials supported by forged documents. The university records bear evidence of suspiciously centralized financial control, all funneled through a single PAN card at the command of chairman Jawad Ahmed Siddiqui. Investigators found unexplained large donations followed by soaring academic revenues that were often siphoned off for private gains. The extent of deception was astounding since thousands of students had been promised genuine education in return for hefty fees.

The Intersection of Fraud and Terror

What sets the Al Falah case apart, however, is not just academic fraud but the nexus with terrorism. Several individuals linked to the university, including doctors who were part of the staff, were actively involved in the terror plot. Chemicals stolen from university labs were reportedly used to assemble explosives for the attack at Delhi’s Red Fort metro station, where the blast killed 15 people and injured many more. This is a crossroads of white-collar crime and terror activities that certainly tests conventional security paradigms and brings into sharp relief a complex threat matrix demanding a multi-agency approach to unravel and prevent.

The Demand for Accountability

Owaisi’s incisive questions over government assurances raise fundamental questions about the intelligence lapse. While the government had claimed that no local Kashmiri had joined terror outfits of late, the Red Fort blast perpetrators were traced back to local networks anchored by Al Falah University. In the face of such breaches, the urgency for the government to explain systemic oversights becomes all the more vital. These events signify a grim warning about how educational crime, if unchecked, can degrade national security and public trust alike.

Regulating private education must be a priority.

Bharat’s private education sector, which is mushrooming to meet growing demand, is without strong checks highly prone to exploitation. The Al Falah incident shows how criminal elements can manipulate academia, siphon off funds, and foment violence due to inadequate oversight mechanisms. Accreditation must be done in a more transparent manner, while regulatory bodies should be invested with real teeth, such as financial audits and swift punitive powers. Closing the gaps that have been allowing Al Falah’s malpractices to flourish is essential to safeguard public safety and uphold educational integrity.

The Al Falah University saga is a grim reminder that the fight against terrorism and corruption goes way beyond battlefield confrontations. It involves dismantling financial frauds and ideological networks that exploit institutions meant to empower society. As investigations continue, bringing justice to the victims of the Delhi blast and saving education in Bharat will require unwavering commitments from all stakeholders, be it government, academia, or civil society. Only through relentless vigilance and reform can Bharat prevent such betrayals of trust from happening again.