Pratyush Pushkar for BeyondHeadlines
I am virtually connected to thousands of people. In my personal life, I am still very social. Nothing really changed in both of my worlds after the Pathankot attacks. So I assume that the terrorists must have been defeated in their purpose.
Pathannkot is a sign of change. You understand that the government that rules India is comprised of right wingers, backed up by another orthodox Hindu organization Rasthriya Swayam Sevak Sangh. I shouldn’t hesitate to say that India now is ruled by mostly Hindus, referring to the ethnic identity of the elected members of the parliament, both houses.
Now, in any secular nation, that’s a major worry. The polarization of power in the name of cast and religion. So, we are worried. The explanation being very ordinary that the Hindu radicals could find support and bring more aggression. Which did not happen this time.
It’s not that bad yet or anymore (the optimism). People understood that for this they cannot blame each other’s religions. I did not come across one message where a Hindu had said something offensive to any Muslim as the part of the reaction to the Pathankot Attacks.
Now the second point, people haven’t also been cursing Pakistan as they did before, when any similar instance would happen.
Most of the educated people, I know, many others from the media and literary circles, they, if wrote, anything about the Pathankot attacks, made sure to convey a message that the talks between India and Pakistan must keep going.
As we all know, Modi paid a sudden visit to Pakistan recently. A very sudden visit. And some people became skeptical about it. There was a rage over social media.
Now, what I fail to understand, is that, no matter what they talked about, no matter what conspiracy must have started or prosecuted, but, how come, a warm, happy meeting between the Prime-ministers of India and Pakistan could be bad for us. The people of both sides. Millions of them sharing the border, keeping awake, waiting for bombshells or just a stupid mood swing on the other side. Scared of their unpredictability.
India is scared of Pakistan’s unpredictability. Pakistan is scared of India’s.
Now, what happens when two meet? They become more predictable to each other. And that is exactly why the talks must keep going on.
It was not the Pakistani government who attacked. It’s very simple. As it does not make any sense for Nawaz Sharif to receive Modi so warmly, take him home, share a chopper, and send a lot of sweets, confront the radicals in his speeches and then do something as silly as Pathankot attacks.
Modi’s visit to Pakistan was historically joyously overwhelming. He went to meet Sharif as if he went to meet a friend. You could criticize Modi upon a lot of things, not this. Those who are still skeptical about Sharif’s role in this, must take a look at Nawaz Sharif’s political career and make sure only of the fact that he is a very mature politician. And I repeat what happened in Pathankot was suicidal and silly.
I am also glad that both of the nations have shown a remarkable understanding.
The soldiers who were killed, would symbolize the change forever. I also heard a response on the social media from a Muslim, ‘Why don’t they make a Muslim regiment and then, if anything like this happens, we would have a chance to sacrifice ourselves for our nation’.
Hindus are amending Hindus.
Muslims are amending Muslims.
Now the ones in trouble are the ones who have been nourishing themselves upon the fear, the terror, between the two. India and Pakistan are not in trouble. Look around you. Every terrorist is!
With salute to the martyrs of Pathankot; Honorary Captain Fateh Singh, Constable Gulbant Singh, Constable Jagdeesh Singh, Constable Sanjeev Kumar, Gureshwar Kapoor, Commando Kartar Singh and Lt Colonel Niranjan E Kumar.
