These are not “isolated” events

The latest killings indicate that the killers have expanded their target. Can it get any worse than this? Will it be fear mongering to suggest that the next targets might be those who sell their books and even those who buy them?  

Just as we have been disappointed by the lack of progress of the police in netting the culprits in the past, so we are dumbfounded by the home minister's comment that yesterday's tragedy was an "isolated incident". What will it take to prove to him that it is the same groups, or their off-shoots, who are doing all this? Whatever different name they may adopt from time to time, the same poison of extremism drive all their actions. 

We find the minister's stance humiliating. There are others in the ruling party who, like before, have already started politicising the tragedy. We would like to strongly refute the minister and assert that these are not isolated incidents but part of a bigger scheme to promote extremism in this country. 

We want concrete action by the police. The killers must be identified and nabbed and brought to justice as soon as possible. 

The nation's soul is under threat.  And unless we sink our differences and stand up to the peril, the only alternative is capitulation of the majority of the people to a miniscule number of misguided dogmatists. Is that what we want to see happen?