Editor,
Over forty Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans were killed and many others injured in an IED blast that targeted their convoy on the Jammu-Srinagar highway. The death toll could rise. It is necessary to make certain whether the involved terrorists led by Adil Mohammad Dar are locals or foreigners by a full-fledged combing operation by the Indian army. It is high time for the Government of India to take immediate stringent and deterrent military action and eliminate terrorists from this land by teaching them a befitting lesson. All political parties should refrain from indulging in mean politics on this grave issue and should not take advantage of this tragic massacre for the forth coming General Election. They should fight together in this hour of grave crisis that threatens the integrity of the country and the nation. It is despicable that Partition of India was done at the behest and initiative of the Congress party at the cost of Bengal &Punjab (partly) and full of Sindh provinces. Kashmir issue was also created by making a cease-fire giving birth to a Line-Of-Control concept which accepts/recognises a part of Kashmir, being an integral part of India, as “Pak Occupied Kashmir” and making an issue out of a non-issue and then taking it to the United Nations General Assembly platform by the then ruling Congress party. This was a historic blunder. During nearly seven decades of Congress rule including ten years of UPA rule the government in the Centre pursued a soft policy towards Kashmir just to keep its vote bank intact.
All mainstream politicians and former Chief Ministers of J&K who are advocates of talks with Pakistan and often make provocative speeches in support of terrorists sponsored by Pakistan army & ISI combined and stone-pelters under the veil of human rights activists like Mehbooba Mufti, Omar Abdullah & Farukh Abdullah should be put under surveillance. These leaders with pro-Pakistan emotional attachment should clearly understand that talks and terrorism cannot go together.
All the separatist leaders like Lone who consistently encourage the people of Kashmir to resort to terrorist activities need to be kept in detention and charged for treason under ESMA.
It is also necessary to probe into the dubious activities of a general secretary of a major political party stationed in Mumbai who virtually operated a remote control as dictated by Dawood Ibrahim during the proxy-war conducted by Pakistan in 2008. Three top-most police officers were dictated by him to move together in one jeep to face the encounter by infiltrated Pakistani terrorists, sponsored by Pakistan army & ISI combine, only to meet their doom during Congress rule in Maharashtra.
Finally why such a long convoy of 2500 jawans was moving without being led by an opening convoy despite advance alert by IB is not clear. Could the CRPF jawans not be provided with bullet-proof jackets? The ruling dispensation at the Centre should realize that lives of our jawans are more precious than the protection and lives of cows in the country.
Yours etc.,
Samares Bandyopadhyay
Advocate, Kolkata High Court
Kashmir the flashpoint of India
Editor,
It was indeed horrific to learn of the death of 44 CRPF men were killed by a suicide bomber – the 22 year old Adil Mohammad Dar the agent of JeM of Pakistan. I offer my condolences to the bereaved families of the CRPF personnel and may their souls rest in peace. Kashmir has been the bone of contention between India and Pakistan for a very long time. Kashmir has also been the killing field for far too long with no lasting solution forthcoming even to date. Nearly every day there are attacks on Indian security forces and these acts are sponsored by terror outfits nurtured on Pakistani soil such as the Jaish-e Mohammed (JEM), Lashkar-e-toiba etc., who do not want peace to rule in J & K. India has been spending over a quarter of its national budget to meet security arrangements and to ensure law and order in J & K. Yes, the daily expenditure on keeping the borders there safe from intrusion and invasion from Pakistan and on keeping security forces in policing and in other security arrangements is huge. But despite all these arrangements, Pakistan continues to bleed India day in and day out. For how long will India keep on bleeding and should the tax payers’ money continue to be spent in J & K. Why is India not able to crush the ultra elements coming from Pakistan? Are there fault-lines in the internal policing and in defence of Kashmir? What is the strength of the terrorists from Pakistan that the Indian forces cannot match and in which aspect? Why can’t India win the hearts and minds and the goodwill of the Kashmiri citizens to combat the terrorists from across the borders?
Is India too tolerant towards the hardliners and sympathisers in Kashmir who are known to be hand in gloves with the evil designs of Pakistan and because of which India has to pay a heavy price? Is India running out of strategies and might to contain the law and order in Kashmir? India cannot allow Pakistan to bleed it perpetually. Strong measures are needed at this point but without the political chest-thumping.
Yours etc.,
Philip Marwein,
Via email
Countering Terrorism
Editor,
Yesterday’s IED attack on CRPF in Pulwama District by terrorists, where 44 Jawans were martyred is highly condemnable. India just can’t watch such attacks anymore and must hunt the masters who perpetually attack our soldiers. India faces threat, uncertainty, violence and fear of terrorism from Islamist terror groups and now must vow revenge. The path of terror delivers no glory, although the barbaric choose it. We need to talk tough language now. Love, justice and sufferings are not just coming together. General Bipin Rawat realises that the Army is facing a dirty war in Kashmir valley which has to be fought in innovative ways. Every other day our brave hearts sacrifice their lives at the border. Soviet secret police, KGB, reportedly gave Arab terrorists a taste of brutality to free Russian diplomats. That is the way the Soviets operate. They do things–they don’t talk. We cry foul at the Army’s act, seeing it as a violation of human rights. Should India go for another surgical attack?
Yours etc.,
Kamal Baruah,
Vie email