This is a response to Sagarika Ghose’s article: Why Indo-Pak peacemongers are true patriots
Of course Sagarika Ghose ji, there is a war like spirit in the air and we quite like it. India appears to be responding appropriately across the border and hence your plush chair appears to be shaking. Yes it is war, just that we do not want em nuked or want them flattened, we want them at their right place and that is the place where they think twice before indulging in cross border terrorism. Rational actions with Pakistan have always been fruitful? Or have they? And what exactly is rational? Well spare us your bigotry.
It is quite interesting to note Sagarika Ghose ji, that you do know that the idea of peace between India and Pakistan is utopian yet you pat yourself on your back and declare yourself more important than “other” patriots. This was particularly interesting as you kept yourself on top of the league of patriots as well. And of course patting your own back is a deftly learnt skill by your kindred quite like self awarding of Bharat Ratna.
I especially agree with your idea that the warmongers know their children are in Ivy League colleges and they live in air conditioned comforts, well that is important to point out to the misguided youth of Kashmir who are turning to stone pelting instead of studies as their leaders are pushing their own children out of Kashmir. Quite remarkably notable point, but a self goal nevertheless as I’m quite sure it was not how you intended. Your aim seems to be to bring the morale down of the families who have lost their children in battle and cause further agony to them by pointificating that “blood of jawans an elixir of their cocktail party”. I as an Indian am not sure about the kind of things imagined by a “noted” journalist like yourself but you sure made my blood boil.
While you Sagarika Ghose ji, would have us believe the government is escaping responsibility, I think quite the opposite. The army has made videos for the likes of you and a handful of political leaders who quite openly view Indian victories as dubious information and were quite appalled when army decided to give an award to a real life hero: Major Gogoi.
I can understand your desperate call for a resounding end to confrontation as the lies of Pakistan are now in open as they are cowering under the deft response of Indian army. As the hawala nexus continues to be crushed I am expecting more intolerance in time to come as Mani Shankar Aiyar makes way to console separatists.
Sagarika Ghose ji, I agree we must reach out to higher values and look for peace. But had peace been the way, the issue has had quite a few good years of Congress regime but there was war. Now, as you eulogise the role of Indira Gandhi in 71 war I would want to remind you also of the post war clumsy handling of Kashmir and the exchange of PoW which left India short changed. It was and is indeed a great saga of a failed gullible leadership as seen by failure to recognise the lack in sincerity on Pakistan’s part.
“Satyagraha” is an unlikely option in Kashmir as their stones are directed at army personnel carrying out operations to neutralise terror threats. Or maybe you can try preaching that to Kashmiris. And Gandhi was not a “peacemonger” as he failed to protect noted revolutionaries Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru. Also, do read about Mahatma Gandhi’s role in 1899 Anglo Boer War.
Assuming that values win and weapons don’t, the history of the World wars’ proves to be opposite. The need for people to people contact is neither important nor significant as our armies frequently have a good contact and that is quite enough.
While you Sagarika Ghose call the professional army of India as “an armed militia, a mirror image of the terrorist” I would rather call the stone pelters of Kashmir as a “monkey militia, the real image of the terrorist”.
The dialogue table desperation is also felt on the part of Pakistan as they are being hammered at their posts. Negotiations at this point seem both pointless and unlikely till there is an obvious position of advantage. The role you have chalked out for “peacemoger *fake* patriots” like yourself is interesting: acting like a bridge between government and the people (I assume of Kashmir).
How about I remind you Sagarika Ghose ji of your own words “What would the Mahatma have done? He would have sat on a fast at Lal Chowk in Srinagar until stone-pelters stopped their endless confrontation.” We have Congress leaders right here and we have people like you among us, I would like to see the leaders of Congress with you by their side lead the movement of non violence for the Kashmiris by the Kashmiris.
India’s patriotism in not just war, it is the true art of war.