Vale of Kashmir has been festering with manipulated mischief-monger from across the frontier who have been shedding innocent blood of the dwellers of that peace haven. A couple of weeks ago, the latest perfidy of the ISI, Pakistan’s nefarious military intelligence wing, came to light: Indian officials despatched to mount their guard on the agreed posts on the Line-of-Control (LoC), after the meltdown of heavy snows, in the remote, mountainous salients of Kargil and Dracs discovered that some well-armed and well-supplied Mujahideen-types had occupied the posts.
Well, this time those perpetual seekers of international sweetness and popularity, the do-nothing-so nothing-will go-wrong Congressites were not in power in Delhi. And Atal Behari Vajpeyi-led BJP government decided to expose the two-faced peace-posture of Pakistan. They, instead of bombarding Pakistan with protest notes, and instead of pouring our hearts in the assembly halls of the UN, decided to take the marauders on. They sent in the Indian Air Force and have mounted full assault on these sneak seekers of martyrdom in the name of Islam.
Strangely enough, Pakistan, for the first time in the history of past fifty-two years, finds itself all alone and in a mess: The West [in the shape of NATO] is too preoccupied with Kosovo crisis and has no time for getting involved in shuttle diplomacy on behalf of a known mischief-maker, i.e. Pakistan. The US and the European intelligence agencies have made open claims to the effect that Pakistan is behind the so called ‘Kashmiri rebels’ operating in the Valley and behind the occupation of border-posts. The US has categorically stated that it does not believe the Pakistani claims of the LoC, in upper regions of Kashmir, having been ‘vague’.
Even the customary diplomatic noises — urging both sides to use restraint, settle their difference by mutual talks — have become muted. In other words, the West has dumped its Cold War ally and decided to wait and let the ‘better side win’.
Having discovered that NATO [which includes Powerful European nations as well as the joker in the pack, Bill Clinton’s US] powers are preoccupied and that India has abandoned the meek, UN-oriented for-ever-conciliation-seeking-posture, Mr Nawaz(-not-so-)Shareef has been continuously asking for his foreign minister Sartaj Aziz to be allowed to ‘go to Delhi and sort out the problem’. But this time, Delhi has stuck to its guns and put its for down: "There’s nothing to talk about except for Pakistan to come forward with concrete and verifiable proposals for pulling back her surrogate fighters." For the first time, India has realised that there are no gentlemen in power in Islamabad and that the only language they understand is that of the merciless whip.
Right now, should Pakistan fail to take stock of the situation and completely rein in their ISI goon squads, India will be in her right to take the fight across the LoC and across the international frontiers as well under the universally recognised law of hot pursuit. Israel has been doing that for fifty years and no ‘law abiding’ power in the west has raised an eyebrow. If India, in the face of continued provocation heaped on her by the fundamentalist marauders from across the border, takes a justifiable position and gives chase to these phoney ‘rebels’ , just to make sure that they are deposited in their homes in Islamabad, or Jalalabad, no power in the West would blame her. And in my view, she should do so now.
If the West can bombard Yugoslavia in her bid to ‘return the Kosovo refugees to their homes’ India has a right to seek the return of half a million Kashmiri Hindus who have been driven out of their homes and villages by so called ‘militants’ over the past ten years. In view of hundreds of civilians [off the buses, and gathered in wedding parties] mercilessly mowed down, it is the only lawful and righteous course left open for India to follow. It is about time, she abandoned taking part in the ludicrous charade of UN resolutions which only filed and put away in freezers.
Loss of life, whether civilian or military, whether Indian or Pakistani, is absolutely regrettable and no sane person [whether in the name religion or nationalism] must not be recommended lightly. But as the people in the West have often been known to say, you can’t make an omelette without cracking a few eggs. One must not engage in war for the sake of scoring points; but one has no business laying one’s own life [or that of one’s innocent civilian compatriots’ life] simply to win some brownie points in the corridors of the UN—a mistake which late Pandit Nehru made in 1948 and lumbered the country with the festering problem that has led to three wars between our two nations, and a mistake which successive Congress governments have had to carry along in their bid to preserve their leaders’ legacy.
It so happens that BJP government is free of that burden. If they keep stout hearts and their grip on the situations, and determinedly pursue the national goal of ridding ourselves of the so-called ‘Kashmir problem’, coming generations of India will thank them profusely. Not only, India, but people of Pakistan will too see their government paying a little more attention to their well-being, instead of pouring billions into the coffers of the ISI......and for what? Not in pursuit of any legitimate national security goals, but mere mischief-making next door !
[I am a Hindu and a proud Indian. I am also the native of what is now called Pakistan. Considering the state of that country, nick-named as Khuda ki Basti, I would not wish my worst enemy to be a citizen of that God-forsaken land which has found no purpose in its existence or in its brief history, except to proclaim Islam and then go on spilling the blood of fellow Muslims on the streets of Karachi as much as in Kashmir Valley. However misguided and poorly led as they are, they have got to rise above their petty sectarian squabbles, appreciate the great humanitarian values brought to fore by their great prophet and make an effort to live peaceably with their neighbours, with their erstwhile brothers and sisters.]
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