Ever since the Pahalgam carnage took place in J&K on the fateful day of April 22, 2025, certain important questions have been discussed and debated on public platforms. While some raise the question of security failure, the others ask about the actual identity of the terrorists who committed these crimes against humanity. While there are sections that embark on the issue of the Pakistan army’s direct involvement in the genocide of Hindu tourists in Pahalgam, an overwhelming majority are debating the issue of locals in the planning and execution of the massacre. The heinous act of religious cleansing on 22 April 2025 by the Islamic terrorists, followed by their utterances after the killings to the kith and kin of the butchered ones, has manufactured peculiar, hard and typical questions among the thinking minds which require appropriate analysis and answers.
The Pahalgam terrorists, after committing their butchery against Hindus in Baisaran, told their (Hindu tourists’) kith and kin to tell their story of tragedies happening to them in Kashmir to PM Modi. They made sure that this message is carried forward by the media, social media and the other communication channels to all concerned quarters, including the government of India and the world at large. It is for the first time in the last four decades of Islamic terrorism in Kashmir valley that such a situation has been given birth to, which has a direct message for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. No Prime Minister was ever given such a message by the terror merchants active in Kashmir, J&K or elsewhere, even in Pakistan. It was surely done with a definite purpose, as were the targeted killings of Hindus done in Pahalgam.
The gruesome massacre of Hindus was aimed at making it clear that terrorism based on religious extremism in J&K was wedded to its most cherished goal of ethnic cleansing in the valley and that there was no aim other than this to achieve in the ongoing four-decade-old terrorism in the valley. All other issues, including killings here or there, today or tomorrow, sooner or later, and sympathising with or handshaking with Pakistan even are peripheral to the main cause of ethnic cleansing. The statements of Asim Munir -Chief of Pakistan army just a few days before the genocide in regard to the ‘two-nation theory’, Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi -National Conference Lok Sabha MP about the highly controversial ‘cultural invasion’ theory because of tourism and PDP’s Mehbooba Mufti’s statement regarding ‘Muslim majoritarian character of J&K’ are all inter-related and inter-connected messaging to the extremist elements active in Kashmir.
The government of India, over the last three decades, responded to terrorism, supported and sponsored by Pakistan, in many different ways. Response was always somewhat identical up to 2013, when a condemnation would occur, followed by sending dossiers to different nations and their governments and the United Nations and its sister concerns. However, the nature of responses changed with effect from 2014 when Narendra Modi took over as the Prime Minister of India. We saw the Indian nation-state moving away from its conventional position and postures. The government of India took certain stringent measures against Pakistan, beyond strong condemnation, that led to its (Pakistan’s) political and diplomatic isolation. Thereafter, the statements of condemnation were converted by the government into solid and effective responses like surgical strike in PoJK and air strike in Balakote terrorist camp after Pathankot, Uri and Pulwama terror strikes. In addition to this, some other major steps were taken by the Modi government that took away gas from the global ‘stature and position’ of Pakistan at the geopolitical level.
India redeveloped its relationship with the powerful and influential nations of the world over the last decade or more. Proximity with the US, Russia, Arab world and Europe and emergence as a leading and strong leader of the Global South, put India in a very formidable position; and unfortunately for Pakistan, to its dislike. India, as of this date, is friends with both Israel and Palestine and has a definite say among the Muslim nations of the world, which has put Pakistan on international and regional sidelines. Pakistan has lost its position and role even in OIC, and its membership in SAARC is completely null because the SAARC has become dysfunctional for the last more than a decade, courtesy: India’s policy in this regard. The growth of the Indian economy has made India number four among the powerful economies of the world. The powerful leadership of India in various fields globally has been a story of success, growth, compassion and friendship.
Prime Minister Modi has been recognised as the pioneer of transformation in India’s stature and future. The attention he receives globally is incomparable and unparalleled. In addition to this, his leading role in the domestic socio-political scenario has been overwhelming and inspiring, and that is why he continues as the Prime Minister of India for the third consecutive term. His emergence as a strong, capable and visionary leader of India among the comity of nations is surely encouraging, reassuring and motivating. All this and the issues incidental thereto potentially disturb and frustrate India’s enemies, detractors, Pakistan, extremist elements, including the Islamic terrorists active in Pakistan and the Indian state of J&K.
This time, unlike in the past, the Islamic terrorists in Pahalgam exposed their inner frustration by their ‘utterances’ before the kith and kin of the killed and asked them to narrate their horrific tales to PM Modi. They went to the extent of telling them that they were being spared only to do the same. It was a way to attack the established image of PM Narendra Modi as a strong, capable, and influential leader and tell the world that the worst was made to happen despite and in spite of PM Modi. They also conveyed that whatever was done by them was done at their place of choice and time, irrespective of the security network in the valley. They have, in their scheme of things, inflicted a personal attack on the image of PM Modi and have been successful in hiding themselves after committing crimes against humanity only with the support of their local accomplices.
The main question to answer remains as to what the response of the government of India, headed by PM Narendra Modi, would be in relation to the carnage that clearly involved Pakistan, Islamic terrorists who are responsible for the heinous crimes and the local support that nourishes and thrives terrorism in Kashmir. The response this time had to be multi-pronged, multi-dimensional, long-term based and both visible and invisible. India’s defence preparedness is an open secret and needs no explanation. It is now time to declare various areas in the Kashmir valley as militarised and demilitarised zones in order to wipe out terrorism from the valley effectively. Every precaution will be taken to ensure that nothing is done to achieve the short-term gains only.
India will not be guided by the ‘suggestions and advice’ of any international key player, and the EAM S Jaishankar has made things very clear in this regard while referring to some statements of European nations. He candidly said that India would love to have friends on its side and may not need any sort of ‘preachers’. In the background of the Russia-Ukraine war and the Israel-Hamas conflict, India has many options and experiences in the current context. The lines stand drawn also in connection with the Indus Water Treaty suspension issue. The options for stopping water and flooding are easily available in India. It is expected that the Indian state might revisit the doctrine of ‘no-first-use’ in regard to the nuclear option. Directives to the state governments regarding issues concerning areas related to information and broadcasting, information technology, and electronics were a clear hint of the events to come.
PM Modi and his government manufactured a scenario and conveyed well to the public that the government had decided to go for the mock drills, civil defence initiatives and public gear-up on May 7, 2025. And through the night between May 6 and May 7, it attacked terrorist headquarters and training camps across the line of control and also the international border. It created a great impact in favour of India, and Pakistan was taken by a huge surprise. Pakistan continues to be at the receiving end, though it tried its best to retaliate a number of times, but in vain. The retaliation on 8th May evening and night was highly destructive in nature, but the Indian defence system failed all efforts of Pakistan in this regard, which should be a great cause of concern for the Pakistani establishment and military. The battle of wits, arsenal and ammunition remains unabated and will surely continue for a longer time, surely as per the choice of the Indian government.
The Prime Minister of India is in complete control of the situation and is responding appropriately to the emerging scenario in tune with the emotions and patriotic sentiments of the public at large. It is time to stand behind and along with the government of India, headed by Narendra Modi, in its initiative to respond to the situation to establish peace on a permanent basis. No peace is available free at any point of time, it requires a high price, and we all need to be prepared for that……always and ever…!
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