Wing Commander Abhinandan: A hero returns amid Pakistani grandstanding

When was the last time an entire nation prayed in unison for the safety of one individual and the Maker responded in double quick time? And who would have imagined the name of the flier, who comes from an illustrious family with roots in Tamil Nadu, would be on everybody’s lips overnight? Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman captured the nation’s imagination like never before as his was a story of bravery and honour while under enemy custody. Flying a MiG-21 Bison, he put himself in harm’s way when he engaged intruding Pakistani jets along the Line of Control on Wednesday.

Displaying exemplary skill, he shot down an F-16 that is way too advanced than his ancient MiG, making it look like a mean machine instead of the Flying Coffin it is derisively called because of its unacceptably high crash rate.

Unfortunately, Abhinandan had to bail out after his plane took a hit, found himself in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, followed standard procedures to escape but became a Prisoner of War (POW). Videos of his bloodied face that Pakistan uploaded on social media—parading him as some kind of trophy—horrified the world as they indicated abuse of a POW, which is against the Geneva Conventions. But his dignified response to interrogators on enemy soil, again caught on tape, made the nation proud. When Pakistan tried to use Abhi’s freedom as leverage, India refused to let him be a bargaining chip. Finally succumbing to global pressure, Pakistani PM Imran Khan did some grandstanding, telling his Parliament he will free the pilot while lecturing India on peace.

Though there was an avoidable delay, Abhinandan returned to a hero’s welcome at Wagah after two days in captivity. In the process, he also united a fractured polity that is heading for general elections, with the entire political class in raptures over his freedom despite different shades of opinion over how to handle the Indo-Pak standoff. Contrast his story with that of the downed F-16 pilot who died unsung in hospital after being lynched in PoK, and you know on whose side the Maker is.