Attack on CRPF bus at Lethpora in south Kashmir on Srinagar-Jammu highway has sent shockwaves across the country. The attack left 40 CRPF men dead. Everyone cut across the party lines and condemned the attack.
Lethpora incident has led to war rhetoric engulfing the country. Most of the news channels are portraying that mood across India is aggressive and people want action. But the point is would war help? War would mean more destruction and bloodshed. Ultimately even after war both India and Pakistan would have to talk to end the war. People who are advocating war need to realize that it would come at a cost and can lead to devastation.
Peace has to be given a chance to prevent a catastrophe. India and Pakistan need to give up the hostilities and come on a negotiating table to hammer out the differences rather than making the guns talk.
People sitting in Delhi need to acknowledge that there is a serious problem in Kashmir which needs to be addressed and violence will beget violence only. Killings would lead to more killings. It’s an unending cycle which Kashmir has been witnessing for the past 30-years. Better sense has to prevail and issues have to be handled with more maturity and caution. Every sane person in Kashmir has denounced the attack on CRPF convoy and has expressed solidarity with the bereaved families of the CRPF men, who were killed in the Lethpora attack. Killings are painful and these have to be stopped. Everyone is aware about the fact that general elections in the country are on the cards and atmosphere is surcharged. But the politicians should put their act together and stop playing politics over this sensitive issue. No one should try to derive a political mileage out of it.
Many people sitting in New Delhi seem to be of the opinion that if the government led by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi announces a stern action against Pakistan it would go in favour of the Bharatiya Janata Party and it could become an election plank of the BJP. But it’s just a short term gain. In the long run BJP would not be the winner as the war can spell doom over both the countries. India and Pakistan have nuclear weapons and these can cause mass devastation.
People sitting in New Delhi have to make an attempt to douse the flames in Kashmir before taking any drastic action. There is a dire need to speak to the youth who have rebelled against the system. At least an effort has to be made to get these youth back. Someone has to tell them that choosing death over life is no solution. Chasing them and then killing them is not working out. Even the civil society in Kashmir has to wake up and prevent Jammu and Kashmir turning into hell. People of Jammu and Kashmir should realize that they would be trampled if the elephants fight it out. The denizens of this unfortunate land would have to bear entire brunt of the war. Communication channels have to be opened to prevent a major confrontation, which could lead to a big disaster.
If India wants to tackle Pakistan it should first use all the diplomatic options which are available with it. If New Delhi wants it can build pressure over Pakistan to act against the militant outfits operating from its soil. Going for a war is the last option and it should not be even considered as the first option. The news channels which are building an opinion to go for a war are doing a big disservice to the country. They are pushing the people towards edge. These war talks sound good in the news studios but in reality it means inviting a big trouble for the entire country.
Kashmiri politicians need to come together and convey it to India and Pakistan that Kashmir and people of the Valley have suffered a lot and they want to live in peace. They need to bury their differences and save their people from the disaster which is looming large over Jammu and Kashmir. They have to tell the people sitting in Delhi that besides Kashmir entire country would have to pay a heavy price for war. We have to join our hands and prevent India and Pakistan from entering into a military confrontation, which according to few news channels is just a matter of time.
(The writer is member of JK Youth Alliance)
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