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The flaring of tensions along the Line of Control, and the killing and mutilation of Indian soldiers, have angered many in this country. They have also caused sections of the commentariat and the political establishment to seemingly lose their sense of proportion. Television anchors and opinion-makers have egged each other on to make more sweeping, increasingly jingoistic proclamations, calling into question the very foundation of India’s Pakistan policy that recognises both countries’ mutual stakes in peace. Almost ten years of the ceasefire along the LoC (despite the recent strains on it) has allowed the bilateral relationship to focus attention on issues of trade and travel rather than the old contentions of Kashmir, Siachen and Sir Creek, and obviated a case for external mediation. This dialogue with Pakistan’s civilian leadership is one of the big achievements of the UPA and therefore it is more the pity that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Zardari have failed to sustain the momentum in the last couple of relatively eventless years. The resulting drift has brought on a situation where noise is able to lead policy, or give an appearance of doing so. On Tuesday, Manmohan Singh, who, in his years as prime minister, has been personally invested in calm conversation between the two countries, declared that it “cannot be business as usual” with Pakistan. On the same day, the planned visa-on-arrival for elderly Pakistani citizens was put on hold.
The BJP has evidently decided this is the moment to look tough, and fallen over the line separating strength from vengefulness. Sushma Swaraj demanded “ten heads” from Pakistan for the killing of Hemraj. Meanwhile, the Shiv Sena has stayed true to its patented tradition of petty vindictiveness, making sure that Pakistani hockey players are unable to play in Mumbai; they have been asked to return to Pakistan.
For all the building hysteria and agitprop in India, it has scarcely been noticed here that Pakistan is paying little attention. It has other worries to attend to, including its supreme court ordering its prime minister’s arrest on corruption charges on Tuesday, the recent massacre of Shias, drone attacks on its western front, the complexity of counter-terrorism efforts and the uneasy balance between its power centres. In this moment, India needs to step up engagement, rather than invite confrontation.
A stupid person is one who keeps repeating same actions and expects different results. By this logic, our Pakistan policy has clearly been stupid. We keep offering incentives and negotations in the naive belief that hope will triumph over experience. We need to recognise that we are dealing with savages who need to be tamed rahter than cajoled. Can you imagine a circus ring master getting the wild animals to perform without the use of the whip ? Right policy for the savages of Pakistan is periodic whipping. wild animals must be treated like wild animals.
I know that those who wrote this piece wouldn't be reading this, but to express my view i dont have any other option. Those who preach peace mantra should understand that peace cannot be a single-side affair. One cannot be at peace with someone bully like pakistan unless he is weak. And India is not a weak country at least for people like me, the so called 'war-mongers'. We are not saying that there should be a war now. We are saying that we should assert our-self so that this should stop. If war the only option then let it be. But peace at any cost is something which we are not ready to accept.There is no use with advices if someone is not ready to listen.He should be brought to the way by force if required. had prime mister taken the stand earlier much of these so called 'noises' can be reduced.
Everything you said about India and Pakistan is correct. In Pakistan, the public is confused, Army in disarray (facing conflicts in Western, Eastern, North-West, South borders apart from civilian militancy). The political class is so divided, the Judiciary in conflict with Civil, Political and Security establishments. Internationally the country is isolated, with no friends - not even Saudi Arabia or China. IT IS TIME TO HIT THE ENEMY. YOU EDITORIAL SHOULD HAVE ADVISED THE INDIAN GOVERNMENT TO TAKE THE ARMS AND FINISH Pakistan ONCE AND FOR ALL.
What a fine editorial ignoring the National interests and the sentiments ? Why does not the newspaper change its name as "The Pakistan Express" ?
Underlying message of this article is Indians are fools and trouble makers who are into mindless agression with their neighbours. To take this argument further our spending on defense is useless and misguided. Instead we should tell our forcess to pack up and get inviolved in money dedicating their life for making all of us safe. This editor must be forced to stay in the border area to experience first hand what is going on. Only then he will be able to empathize with the sense of hurt his countrymen are experiencing.
This article is the proof that Indian media is controlled by mulla missionary forces. Whenever India tries to take some action, its resolve is weakened by the likes of such articles from NGO's, pseudo secularists and anti national forces.
To a lay observer, it is unclear how deeply the Pakistani army has been supportive of the enlightened effort made by the civilian government to extend a hand of peace, almost of friendship, to India, which many of us, none more than the PM, would be happy to clasp. The act of dishonouring a fallen soldier was designed to provoke a sense of outrage far beyond what is occasioned by the loss of a brave human being, which it has. Pakistan's cup of woes runneth over. If the army thinks deeply about the national interest, it should prevent more damage being done.
As an avid reader of Indian Express since 1970s, I am appalled at the current editorial policies. Please think of the common man and his sensitivities once in a while and stop being elitist.
Common man's sensitivities are artificially made here by media propaganda and adding more fuel to fire.when army was under pressure ,this incident suddenly increased its budget three fold and AFSPA got laid! stop being chauvinist and be a nationalist my friend.
Dear Shekhar. You seem to have totally lost your sense you proportion by writing such non sense .You have to dig deep and ask if this what you would write if it was your son's head that was severed brutally that fateful night. I am sad to say but standard of your editorials has fallen far beyond what one would expect from a responsible newsprovider.
The ruling classes of India who are intent on increasing the GDP as the sole aim of the country by selling the country to Wal-Mart etc do not care for anything that disturbs their profits. They claim that anything that distracts them from their profits is wrong. If the tribal people in Dandakaranya agitate over destruction of their forests or pollution caused by mining, it is against development. If the small traders complain of the mega corporations who will destroy ancient petty trading communities, it is against progress. If the environmentalists complain of excessive looting of natural resources, it is extremism. If the people complain of price hikes, lack of electricity, good roads, jobs or fair government officials, it is also in the way of progress and must be stamped down. And now if the border soldiers are beheaded, then it cannot be taken too seriously to get into a war that could hurt profits. Dear sir, when do you think it is good to revolt?
Enough chances have been given to this peace brigrade at the cost of our brother, sister and soldier's blood and every time we have disappoinment. Time for now them to take rest, no more chance can be given to them at cost of our blood. It is shameful & painful that the so called "peaceful" relation are called UPA's achievement.
