A large number of Indian citizens are calling for peace and love with Pakistan now that WC Abhinandan is back on the home turf safe and sound. These people don’t want India to escalate this war with Pakistan. What! Wait. What did I say?
Which War?
India must continue its war against terrorists who have taken homage in Pakistan with the solemn pledge to denigrate, decimate and annihilate them all. War against Pakistan though is something India never initiated. Never. So, how can it pursue that?
Apparently, a good lot of Indian people are asking Indian Government and Armed Forces to not pursue a war which it has never really begun.
Let’s take a recap, its important.
In 2004, it was Pakistan which had given an absolute assurance to India that it would ensure no anti-India terror hubs would prosper or breed on its soil. But it chose to never live up to its promise.
A number of bomb blasts happened thereafter, and we did nothing. Neither did they.
Then, Mumbai 26/11 attacks happened, hundreds of Indian and foreign national were mercilessly murdered, and again we did nothing substantial and of material. Neither did they. Numerous terror attacks and bombings followed over several years, and we kept doing nothing of substance. Neither did they.
Then not any terrorists, but their own Border Action Team commandoes one day crossed the borders in 2013, beheaded two of our Lance Naiks, took away their heads, shot a video of the Pakistani commandos playing football with them, and circulated it as much as possible.
Notwithstanding however painful and disdainful it was, yet again, we did nothing. Neither did they.
Then Pathankot attacks happened.
This time though, we didn’t wait for Pakistan to do anything. We took up the mantle and carried out specific surgical strikes against the perpetrators of Pathankot Attacks.
Let me be clear, we didn’t attack the Pakistanis, but the terrorists breeding on their soil which they had not been acting on. No civilians or military personnel were targeted.
Then Pulwama attacks happened recently. You all know how 44 of our serving CRPF Jawans were brutally murdered on that heart-wrenching suicide bombing. And, this time again, we chose to take up the mantle on our own hands knowing well what Pakistan would say and never do. And, that was when we carried out precision and specific air strikes against terror hubs at 3 locations in Pakistan.
Yet again, no civilians were targeted. No military outposts were attacked. No public places or infrastructure of importance were damaged.
We didn’t commit any act of war.
Next morning though, Pakistan got angry, that India invaded their borders to attack the terrorists who they had been dearly shielding from the world (despite claiming that no damage was caused but a few trees which came down).
The fighter jets of this mendacious nation therefore crossed the LoC, attacked Indian military facilities, failed miserably to cause any dmamage, and returned upon being engaged by IAF formations, losing an F-16 jet in the course, while destroying one of ours, and capturing WC Abhinandan Varthaman out of luck as the wind currents favoured them, drifting the parachute of WC to their end.
Now, what they did was an act of war.
Thus, how is India supposed to pursue a war against Pakistan, when it didn’t start it? Pakistan did. India can only retaliate. The question is, whether India is going to respond to their act of war or not? And, that is for the Political Leadership and Armed Forces to decide, whether it is okay being mollified with WC’s return, or if it also wants to teach Pakistan a lesson for having tried to strike our military installations with AMRAAM missiles.
Meanwhile, India’s voluntary war against terrorism must be pursued, with more vivacity and vigour than ever. That’s a war we started post Pulwama attacks, and the enemy continues to be active across the border. Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar continue to run their camps and movements under different names, year after another whenever their Government bans the existing names.
Pakistan continues to do nothing against them, like they have been doing since 2004, and the onus to act on them is therefore all on us.
Will be pursue that war?
The Vice Chief of Army Staff had answered in positively.
Period.