November - Panun Kashmir

Kashmir Sentinel November 2002killing of thousands of their comrades and countrymen - only to discover at the end of the day that theywere in the words of Maj. Gen. (Retd.) Afsir Karim, "mere pawans in the hands of politicians intent onpursuing their own agenda".It is an agenda in which national self-respect and interests take a back seat to self-aggrandisement andparty interests. Even in these last ten eventful months, our worthy politicians have been busy with theirpetty politicking, holding rallies, horse-trading, lusting for or clinging to power, celebrating imaginarysuccesses. And amidst all this, see how the architects of Operation Parakram are projecting its wilfulabortion. Without so much as batting an eyelid, they now say that there was no intention of any militaryaction and that the whole operation was simply a diplomatic tactic and "as coercive diplomacy". GeorgeFernandes said in a Doordarshan interview last week, "we have achieved a magnificent Victory".What victory, Mr Defence Minister? with Pakistan continuing with its bloody mischief, with Indiansoldiers and civilians continuing to get killed, with the global warrior against terrorism "anywhere andeverywhere" continuing to hoodwink your government, what victory are you talking about? And what isthe "firm message" that your brand new counterpart in the Foreign Ministry says India has conveyed toPakistan through Operation Parakram? Surely, it should not be difficult for even an IQ-challengedgovernment to realise that the only message in fact conveyed to the military-mullah machine there is thatIndia may bark occasionally but it will never bite, and so they can go on with their diabolical games.I am not a war monger. Far from it. But like millions of other Indians I cannot countenance this countryand its honour and interests being mauled endlessly. Nor, like my countrymen again, am I prepared to betaken in by the government's rhetorical bravado. The ruling establishment may persuade some committedcommentators to echo and endorse the pretence of victory, but the people at large can no longer be fooled.They now clearly see this government for what it is - timid, ever fumbling and bungling, out-smarted byPakistan and cheated by the US (and still clinging to it!)' in short, a complete travesty of what peopleexpected a BJP-led government to be when they voted for this party and its ragtag allies.14-28 Panun Kashmir PublicationPDF created with FinePrint pdfFactory Pro trial version www.pdffactory.com