STATE TIMES NEWS
Prof Nutan K Resutra
There is uneasiness in the country. We are in a strange situation at the moment. The Armed Forces-Army, Navy and Air Force- are all busy in war drills as an aftermath of the tragic Pahalgam attack. Almost daily meetings are taking place between the top brass of forces and the Leader of the Country.
Government of India has taken various diplomatic steps right from keeping the Indus Water Treaty in abeyance to approaching the IMF for putting Pakistan on grey list, with the sole intention to corner Pakistan both locally and globally. I will not bother readers by repeating them, as each and every Channel is crying hoarse about them. Consultations, meetings and behind the scene moves are taking place even when we are penning down this write up. Besides the Defence Minister and the Prime Minister, S. Jaishankar is too having sleepless nights, evaluating and making various moves and manoeuvres on the world politics chess board. As an academician, my worry is: Now What? There was heartening news a few days back when the official statement of the Indian National Congress came where the oldest party of the country had pledged support to the Government at the Centre in all its actions against the rogue country Pakistan. And now we also find their leaders “suggesting” that the policy of the Narender Modi Government to deal with Pakistan is ambiguous. One of their senior leaders also raised the issue of surgical strikes launched years ago, questioning it today: I do not understand the timing of the statement. Although he has reportedly backtracked from his statement, but the chinks in the armour of solidarity stand exposed. There is clear effort on their part to corner Modi and make him feel uneasy. Will he succumb to their pressure tactics? So, the question rises; Now What?
Right from day one of the tragic incident, hype has been created in social, print and above all, electronic media shouting war cries. I am astonished to see that some of the channels have even formed their own so called “War Rooms” where from anything and everything is being aired. We had been hearing statements like “Yeh naya Bharat hai; yeh ghar mein ghus kar marta hai!” The hawks on both sides are rattling their sabres and sharpening teeth. Restlessness is becoming visible on various fronts. Interestingly, we do not find such restlessness among our brave soldiers. For, they know war is not a game but an end game for many including Pakistan.
We daily come across statements from the Home Minister and more so, from the Prime Minister himself that the terrorists and their perpetrators will not be spared. They will be given such punishment which will be beyond their imagination. All this has put the latter’s reputation at stake as well. I am not supposed to make any supposition as to when and what the action will take place; what is going to happen now; will India buckle under pressure from some countries and let Pakistan go scot free? How our Prime Minister, who had stood up to many difficult situations in the past, also acts and reacts now? No friends; I am not a television anchor or a specialist in the war games. I am an academician and I only think: Now What?
(The author is former Principal GGM Science College and former Chairman, J&K BOSE)
