Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s tough talk on ceasefire violations by Pakistan has failed to bring peace on the borders. The neighbour has shifted its target from International Border to Line of Control and continues with its designs of provocations. The national broadcaster, Doordarshan and All India Radio have gone silent on the situation on the borders. The logic behind such silence is as deafening as the booms of guns on the borders. Is it that the official media has taken Prime Minister’s statement, “Today, when bullets are being fired on the border, it is the enemy that is screaming,” adding “the enemy has realised that times have changed and their old habits will not be tolerated,” seriously? Prime Minister has said this to keep the nation’s confidence in him and nothing else. Before the Lok Sabha elections BJP spearheaded a full thrust campaign against former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh-led UPA-Government’s silence and inaction on the ceasefire violations by Pakistan. In his first comments on the heavy fighting that began last week, Modi had said “Everything will be fine soon”. But overnight, Indian forces retaliated to gunfire and mortar bombs on about 50 border security posts. And after 24 hours lull the intermittent firing again began killing the short-lived celebrations. The recurring intermittent firing can be summed up on the only logic that Pakistan wants to push in as many terrorists before the winter sets in. And if Pakistan’s aggression is based on the need to shift attention from its politically volatile landscape – Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has confronted huge opposition.
With winters setting in incidence of infiltration is going to see a rise with Pakistan army opening more fronts to push in militants, which they are finding it difficult with enhanced vigil and border fencing on the borders. This knee-jerk Dhokla diplomacy the government has been indulging in shows they have no policy towards Pak. On the Sino-Indian borders it is the old story with Chinese making intrusions. What is needed is a proactive policy to tackle the border menace rather than rhetoric to keep the voters happy.
