The chilling Pulwama terror attack is a gruesome reminder that India is no safer even in the aftermath of the surgical strikes, contrary to the current government claiming so
Just a day after Union Minister of State (MoS) for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju boasted that that there has been no major terror attack in the country in the last-four-and-half-years other than Uri and Pathankot, terrorists attacked CRPF personnel in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district, killing nearly 40. The chilling attack was a gruesome reminder that India is no safer after the surgical strikes, even though the current government claims so. In fact, data released by Ministry of Home Affairs shows that between 2014 and 2018, there has been a 93 per rise in the number of security personnel killed in terrorist incidents in Jammu and Kashmir. In the same period, there has also been a 176 per cent rise in the number of terrorist incidents in the state.
Also Read: Pulwama terror attack :’We will not forget, we will not forgive,’ says CRPF
Even Lieutenant General Deependra Singh Hooda (retd) speaking to Rediff confirmed that the 91 security personnel were killed in 2018 is the highest in 10 years. Under such circumstances, its time for India to put the ‘josh’ on the backburner and do a reality check with ‘hosh’ (consciousness). While it’s true that it is not possible to avert all terror tragedies, in this case the attack happened even as an intelligence input had warned of its the possibility 48 hours earlier. The intelligence input had said, “Chatter inputs reveal that JeM outfit has hinted to carry out IED attacks along the routes of security forces across Jammu and Kashmir. A video uploaded by the outfit has also been shared with all concerned. It is as such suggested that security forces need to be put on alert to thwart any such attempt by terrorists,” an IANS report said.
Informed sources said the intelligence input was shared with all security forces in Jammu and Kashmir. The video that was uploaded along with the threat message showed a truck carrying troops in Somalia blown up in a powerful improvised explosive device (IED) blast. In the message, the JeM had warned of a similar type of blast. And yet, the 78-vehicle convoy carrying 2,547 security personnel was allowed to go from the transit camp in Jammu to Srinagar. This development is quite ironic in the wake of Rijiju’s admission that pre-emptive strikes, pre-emptive action and arrest by various forces helped thwart such attacks in the past.
Also Read: Pulwama attacker Adil Ahmad Dar wanted to be a cleric, used to make wooden boxes
While its known to all by now that the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) is behind the attack, it also had the audacity to release a video clip of the suicide bomber, a ‘commander’ identified as Adil Ahmad Dar, which it claimed was shot before the young man carried out the strike. Even as India is expectedly vocal in its demand for Pakistan to take strong action, it merely cannot be enough. There is a clear case of radicalisation of youth that needs to be looked upon seriously. This dangerous trending has been rising of late and the government will need to take concrete measures try and minimise the damage even as they hope for Pakistan to act and come out of denial mode.
Lastly, this is a time for not only the entire nation but also the political fraternity to come together. In that respect, Rahul Gandhi’s statement that, “the entire opposition stands together with our soldiers and the government. No force, no amount of hatred or anger can affect even one inch of the love and affection that the country is built on,” is commendable. However, this should not be a token show of solidarity. BJP, on the other hand, must not get back to their comparison ways of the ‘same things happened during Congress’ regime as the days pass by and the ire boils down. Ache din will come only when people with ache thoughts outnumber the likes of Dar by some distance.