Letter to the Readers, Mainstream, May 10, 2025

Letter to the Readers

After the April 2025 terror attack killing tourists in Pahalgam in Kashmir, Prime Minister Modi had signalled action against terrorists at a political rally in Bihar —that translated into orders for Military action against neighbouring Pakistan; On May 7, 2025 the Indian military launched military strikes at targets in Pakistan, and naturally these then drew retaliatory action from Pakistani military and a tit for tat cycle of confrontation rose in intensity with targets beyond border areas in the the two countries The two sides eventually claiming attacks on military bases. Several nights of missile attacks, cross border fire, drone attacks, air combat & bombings, caused much damage, with casualties and displacement of people etc. It wasn’t just the border villages this time it was some cities that took artillery fire. Schools were shut in border states, some 32 airports across India were shut, civilian air traffic over Pakistani airspace was diverted; the internet platforms were ordered by India to block 8000 accounts on X and some media sites were blocked and these have included BBC urdu, Outlook India. (earlier IT rules and digital media rules have already been used several times to act against websites and magazines. Caravan, The Wire, Vikatan) The 10 May announcement of a ceasefire between the warring militaries of India and Pakistan is a huge relief even though the ceasefire has seen violations. The ceasefire must hold and all efforts should be made towards that. The government should provide relief to the people affected in border areas and wherever who had their homes & belongings damaged. All social accounts that were blocked on orders of the Govt. should be restored. The social temperature was made to rise war drills were being held across India, with blackouts in umpteen cities created a near war, hawkish TV studios bayed for blood and spread fake news everyday causing immense damage. It is time to look back and evaluate the price of this military option that the Modi Govt took as if this was going to solve our terrorism problem. All parliamentary political parties went along in supporting this route rather than call for restraint. It is time to recall how the sober UPA govt led by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh chose not to take the military route in response to the 26/11 attacks on Mumbai, to much international acclaim. It is time for the Congress Party and India’s Left parties to look back and reassess their going along with BJP’s Gung-ho military stance. India’s opposition parties need to reflect as to who gained in this confrontation —clearly Pakistan’s military gets a boost in public opinion in Pakistan and so does our chest thumping Prime Minister whose party men want to play ’Israel, Israel’. Independent experts are already pointing at one clear outcome of the post-Pahalgam military showdown in the crossing of a certain threshold by Indian and Pakistani militaries, with use of missiles, ballistic missiles and drones to inflict heavy damage. This kind of new normal should concern all interested in our collective safety. We must ask economists to estimate the costs of economic disruption from this near war over Pahalgam. The opposition must call for a special Parliament session for scrutiny and over the security failure in Pahalgam, and the consequences of decisions such as suspension of the Indus Water Treaty in its aftermath ….and hero worshipping the gods of militarism. Prime Minister who is probably all set to make political capital and harvest votes from this military spat, should be plainly told by the leader of the opposition not to seek votes over Pahalgam response; Hoping the Prime Minister will show accountability in such a parliament session and not be absent like he was from the ‘all party meetings’ in the post-pahalgam situation. It was surprising to hear of the ceasefire in India-Pakistan military stand off from the social account of US president Trump before India’s officials announced it, are we conclude that the cease-fire was agreed to as a result of international pressure. We are also hearing from foreign sources of imminent talks by India and Pakistan at neutral venue over the future of Kashmir. The government must come clean & explain and the opposition parliamentarians must show responsibility & wisdom to chart a future for long term peace between India and Pakistan.

11 May 2025 —HK