With India’s midnight ‘airstrike’ inside Pakistanadministered Kashmir (PaK) at Balakote, heightening apprehensions aboutpossible war between the two nuclear neighbours, people across the spectrumvouched for peace on virtual space.
Among the ones to put their point across on recenthostilities between the two countries was former Jammu and Kashmir chiefminister Omar Abdullah.
Saying war is not an option, Omar said: “JeM hit Indianforces & claimed the attack. In turn Indian forces hit JeM & owned thatair strike. It’s now time for cooler heads to prevail. War is never an idealoption to resolve disputes…”.
In an apparent attack to prime minister Narendra Modi’sremarks during a rally in Rajasthan, where he said ‘India is in safe hands…andwon’t let country bow down’, Omar said: “For all those looking at today’s airstrikes through a political/electoral prism it might be worth remembering thatPM Vajpayee went in to the 1999 elections with nuclear tests AND victory inKargil under his belt & still only returned to power with a coalition”.
Noted writer and novelist, Mirza Waheed also pressed forresolving Kashmir issue that has been flashpoint between the two neighbouringcountries.
“India, Pakistan, guess what, resolving Kashmir is aninfinitely better option. You’ve fought a few times before and the fact thatyou’re still at it means only thing: it hasn’t worked for either country. Mostcertainly not for Kashmir,” Waheed wrote on Twitter.
Waheed added: “As for people dizzy with glee at the prospectof war, it’s quite clear you cannot turn them into agents of peace. Ultimately,they will be unpleasant little footnotes in history, if anything at all”.
Another former chief minister, Mehbooba Mufti asked Pakistanto adopt “reconciliatory stand” to stop further escalation, which as per herwould make Kashmiris “biggest causalities”.
“Since Pak has claimed that no casualties were reporteddespite IAF violating LoC, they should adopt a reconciliatory stand as opposedto further escalation. Or else, an already volatile situation will spiral outof control and as usual Kashmiris will be the biggest casualties,” saidMehbooba on Twitter.
Mehbooba asked how long will Jammu and Kashmir suffer?
“…. Can only hope and pray that good sense prevails soon.How much more will J&K suffer? Kitni der tak hum khamyaza bhugte gain?(tohow long we will continue to suffer,” said Mufti.
Her comment generated a debate on her wall with anothersocial media user Mehmal Sarfaraz also saying that Kashmiris get to suffer inthe war between the two countries.
“Ms Mufti said it yesterday as well…when two elephants(Indian and Pakistan) fight, it is the grass (Kashmiris) that suffer,” wroteSarfaraz on micro blogging site, Twitter .
Both former chief ministers Omar and Mehbooba called for endto hostilities between the two countries, with Mehbooba underlining “itsdisconcerting that educated privileged people are cheering on at the prospectof a war”.
“Todays IAF strikes were followed by mass war hysteria ontwitter & news channels. Most of these people are ignorant who havesuspended the use of common sense. But its disconcerting that educatedprivileged people are cheering on at the prospect of a war. This is truejahaalat(ignorance),” said Mehbooba.
Peoples Conference chairman Sajad Lone also urged the twocountries to end the hostilities, so that Kashmiris get respite from decades ofviolence.
“Hope we c an end to all types of violence. Hope Kashmiriswho have been at the receiving for 3 decades get respite from violence.Millions died in Europe only to evolve as EU. Historically countries evolvebloodily. Hope it has been bloody enough for the two countries to now talk,”said Lone.
Terming, the present situation as “electoral gains” forright wing forces, former bureaucrat turned politician, Shah Faisal saidglorification of violence is against the basic values of humanity.
“Pulwama attack: 45 lives lost and as many familiesdestroyed. Targetted violence against thousands of Kashmiris. Communalpolarisation. A near-war situation between India and Pak. Possible electoralgains for RW forces in India. Who lost and who gained?,” wrote Faesal.
Faesal added: “How can yesterday’s mourners becomecheerleaders of today’s violence? This war-mongering, glorification ofviolence, arguments for necessity of violence for political ends, falsedistinctions between state and non-state violence, are all against the basicvalues of humanity”.
Amid all the speculations, arguments and counter argumentson social media platforms all day, it was journalist and editor Aman Sethi whoraised a point saying: “Journalists are letting the government gain politicalpoints for the strike without taking responsibility for information put out onthe government’s behalf”.