India stuck to its stand on retaliating on its chosen place and time. The post Uri-militant attack on Army Base, the surgical operations carried out by Indian Army against militants’ launching pads across the Line of Control (LoC) in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) though totally taken everyone by surprise were the need of the hour. What is unique of this stealth operation is it comes only a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi challenged Pakistan rulers for an open fight against poverty, development which have been the bane of Asian countries and to some extent has helped in spurting of militancy in the region. People across India were furious and termed it as another political diatribe and meek surrender to Pakistan by Modi. But after the first of its kind stealth operation by Indian Army targeting Pak-trained militants with no civilian or collateral damages took everyone by surprise. The reactions were happiness and dismay mixed. The timing and methodology of Uri Army Base Camp had no provocation except Pakistan’s Army Chief General Raheel Sharif’s pre-retirement misadventure a la Gen Pervez Musharraf style when he ventured into Kargil in 1999 and caught Indian Army by surprise. Both these incidents took place during the tenure of Nawaz Sharif headed civilian government. Uri attack was on the similar lines by using militants to target the base camp and cause large scale destruction and panic. Somehow the victims 18 army jawans did not get a chance to fight but were burnt in sleep. It was a barbaric death for the Indian jawans. Pakistan as usual remained in denial mode. It is its domestic compulsion and if it deviates India stands vindicated on terror exports by Pakistan. Caught in mid, Pakistan will sing different tunes as per the occasion and time. Indian Army paid them well with elements of surprise and precision. The retaliation should send right message in Kashmir too. What is to be seen is will Kashmir still behave as a stooge of Pakistan or will it stand with India?
