I remember it vividly.During hijack of IC 814, the Vajpayee govt could not exercise any option but to release the terrorist, primarily because of chest beating (literally and figuratively) of friends and relatives of the passengers in front of every forum including PM house. I grant it to them that emotional response is expected but such massive public demonstration of such emotions brought the govt to one single option.
The other spectrum is every (armchair) expert is talking about surgical strike, as if that is very easy and simple option. Some others talk of this nation learning from Israel, really? Do we as citizens are anywhere near Israeli citizens? Do we have that kind of emotional response, control and will to sacrifice. Israel has had "No negotiation with terrorists" policy. Their countless citizens have died but the nation stood with their government.
We have seen the spectacle many times in the past and recent past where the government is hauled on coals for something where perpetrators should actually be kicked hard. Remember JNU? "Bharat Tere Tukade Honge" was not anti national for a select class for whom it was freedom of expression.
Pallet guns were a effective method of control of unruly crowd. Yes it is true that some innocent did suffer but most were not innocent. But for the pallet Guns, many would have died by bullets of normal guns. More importantly these guns are used by police and CMPF whose charter is crowd control. Not only they were castigated even pretensions were made that it is army that uses it and AFSPA should be removed. That is when most people saying so were doing so under the shelter of the lap of same police. And of course, the usual suspects across India were always there to support that section. Today then say they are with army and revenge must be taken. Massive change of heart looks like.
Some people say they will live without onions or every thing else but we must fight a war. Let onion price reach Rs 50 per kg when it is off season( when new crops are yet to mature to reach market) and see the fun. Within no time there will demonstrations and "hi - hi" all over the country, this does not matter that this seasonal phenomenon is every year occurrence.
Many are talking of Army action as if it is game of "Chor - Sipahi" that we used to play in the childhood. Army action is a action by a nation, supposedly taken when all else fails. If that is done, most will stand by the government but some (read my blog Vultures and the Blank Cheque) would still demonstrate, even if very few cities are bombed by the other nation in retaliation.
We are a sheer emotional nation and while dams on the Indian rivers may hold lot of water, our emotional dams burst at the smallest opportunity. Sometimes in favour of the government and most times against it.
Does that mean I recommend usual restraints which have been hallmark of the nation and a very beloved virtue of Mahatama Gandhi who stretched Amhinsa to a unrealistic level. May be a Saint like him could follow those ideals but it is not expected to be followed in state craft..
I do not recommend restrains. All I recommend is leave the government on its own. They have many options other than military (remember, it is said that military is the last option). They may be soft options, diplomatic options, direct actions or many more other options. They are also thinking like all of us but the difference is they are well informed about situation and options (and the consequences of them) unlike us who are expert in everything without adequate inputs and resource.
Haven't we routinely advised Tendulkar or Sehwag or Nadal, sitting opposite TV screens, how to take a shot or play a ball, etc. It is alright to do so there but this is a different matter. Leave it to government. Stay calm. If one is too keen to know what is being done (impossible to know everything) watch news space,, Indian and the neighbour's, for few months to come.We would never know even partially though but there may be some "crumbs" of information or dots which may or may not connect into a big picture. But that is the statecraft I guess. Remember the Big Stick policy also called U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt’s foreign policy of "speak softly, and carry a big stick". We have been talking softly thus far and as big stick, I guess we have many of them of all kinds..
Wait and watch. One thing we can surely do. Pray for our Brave Soldiers, (who have lost their lives in this attack) families and second thing is wait and watch please.
The other spectrum is every (armchair) expert is talking about surgical strike, as if that is very easy and simple option. Some others talk of this nation learning from Israel, really? Do we as citizens are anywhere near Israeli citizens? Do we have that kind of emotional response, control and will to sacrifice. Israel has had "No negotiation with terrorists" policy. Their countless citizens have died but the nation stood with their government.
We have seen the spectacle many times in the past and recent past where the government is hauled on coals for something where perpetrators should actually be kicked hard. Remember JNU? "Bharat Tere Tukade Honge" was not anti national for a select class for whom it was freedom of expression.
Pallet guns were a effective method of control of unruly crowd. Yes it is true that some innocent did suffer but most were not innocent. But for the pallet Guns, many would have died by bullets of normal guns. More importantly these guns are used by police and CMPF whose charter is crowd control. Not only they were castigated even pretensions were made that it is army that uses it and AFSPA should be removed. That is when most people saying so were doing so under the shelter of the lap of same police. And of course, the usual suspects across India were always there to support that section. Today then say they are with army and revenge must be taken. Massive change of heart looks like.
Some people say they will live without onions or every thing else but we must fight a war. Let onion price reach Rs 50 per kg when it is off season( when new crops are yet to mature to reach market) and see the fun. Within no time there will demonstrations and "hi - hi" all over the country, this does not matter that this seasonal phenomenon is every year occurrence.
Many are talking of Army action as if it is game of "Chor - Sipahi" that we used to play in the childhood. Army action is a action by a nation, supposedly taken when all else fails. If that is done, most will stand by the government but some (read my blog Vultures and the Blank Cheque) would still demonstrate, even if very few cities are bombed by the other nation in retaliation.
We are a sheer emotional nation and while dams on the Indian rivers may hold lot of water, our emotional dams burst at the smallest opportunity. Sometimes in favour of the government and most times against it.
Does that mean I recommend usual restraints which have been hallmark of the nation and a very beloved virtue of Mahatama Gandhi who stretched Amhinsa to a unrealistic level. May be a Saint like him could follow those ideals but it is not expected to be followed in state craft..
I do not recommend restrains. All I recommend is leave the government on its own. They have many options other than military (remember, it is said that military is the last option). They may be soft options, diplomatic options, direct actions or many more other options. They are also thinking like all of us but the difference is they are well informed about situation and options (and the consequences of them) unlike us who are expert in everything without adequate inputs and resource.
Haven't we routinely advised Tendulkar or Sehwag or Nadal, sitting opposite TV screens, how to take a shot or play a ball, etc. It is alright to do so there but this is a different matter. Leave it to government. Stay calm. If one is too keen to know what is being done (impossible to know everything) watch news space,, Indian and the neighbour's, for few months to come.We would never know even partially though but there may be some "crumbs" of information or dots which may or may not connect into a big picture. But that is the statecraft I guess. Remember the Big Stick policy also called U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt’s foreign policy of "speak softly, and carry a big stick". We have been talking softly thus far and as big stick, I guess we have many of them of all kinds..
Wait and watch. One thing we can surely do. Pray for our Brave Soldiers, (who have lost their lives in this attack) families and second thing is wait and watch please.
Bang on. So long as our emotions are played to TRPs and unsolicited lip services, the masses will continue commenting on issues of national importance as if it's a cricket match.
ReplyDeleteThanks for supporting my theme. I had to write a whole blog to give it out, you did the same thing and that too in few words.
ReplyDeleteI think the credit goes to Twitter that test your skills to express in few words.
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