Author: Ashwini Kumar
Publication: The Times of India
Date: June 10, 2002
URL: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow.asp?art_id=12564033&sType=1
The possibility of war between India
and Pakistan is rising. The future holds the key to what will happen tomorrow.
If war has to happen, it will. No power in the world can stop it. Under
these circumstances, people ask questions that are difficult to answer.
Through letters people ask that their thoughts be put before the nation.
It is our duty to convey their feelings to the masses.
A section of the intelligentsia
of our country feels that cross-border terrorism has plagued our country
for decades. Terrorists set foot on our land, and then flee after committing
heinous crime.
We are content just by showing pictures
of the victims of their cruelty on TV, through clippings and news items
and through the press, expressing world sympathy. We call it a dastardly
act of Pakistan. We do recognize the faces of the culprits. But such incidents
leave a lot to be desired from our side, proving only our inability to
act.
* Just a handful of goons armed
with automatic weapons resort to mass killing of our armed forces and we
only blame Pakistan. Why? We have the right to know why our security and
intelligence systems have collapsed?
* If terrorists from another country
successfully manage to enter our territory to attack our innocent people,
then the fault is ours. Even women and children are not spared and we do
not come out of hibernation.
* Why were we not able to develop
a suitable security system at the border?
* When people from Pakistan enter
our country for their activities, they get shelter in
Kashmir and all the information
they require is passed on to them in their own language. Who are these
persons? Why are these traitors not caught?
* We feel victorious simply by putting
a JKLF man behind bars. His fault? Just being a hawala man. What about
the dirty old crooks openly proclaiming themselves supporters of Pakistan,
delivering long speeches? Why can't the government touch them? Why are
these culprits at large? Why does the government fear the truth? Why can't
they call a spade a spade? What kind of inseparable part is Kashmir?
* When Abdul Azia of the Hurriyat
went to Pakistan about 2 years back, he gave surprisingly anti-national
speeches. Why doesn't the government deal firmly with such persons? Why
are they allowed to move freely? Who are their supporters in the country?
* When individuals like Afroz get
bail because of indifference of a government, why is there no debate in
Parliament? Why does the Opposition keep mum? Why are only the police the
culprit?
* What good are the elections in
an assembly where a conspiracy is being hatched to plant more than two
lakh Pakistanis legally in Kashmir? Why a drama of elections? How does
the nation analyse the character of Farooq Abdullah? Should such a person
be the Vice-President of the country?
* Is democracy something that can
be thrust upon somebody, or should it come from within? What can the elections
do? Why make a mockery of them?
* Why doesn't the government plan
daily shows of terrorists caught alive on TV (whatever the comments may
be) where they may be made to tell who they are, where they belong to,
who sponsors them, what are their motives are, and who gives them shelter?
Why don't we create a Kashmir cell? Why do we lag behind them in propaganda?
* The public asks a question, which
I have also been asking in the past: Isn't our hi-fi intelligence agency
answerable to Parliament?
* In what capacity is Tapan Bose
raising hue and cry?
* Why should the apparent supporters
of Pakistan not be prosecuted under Pota?
Why are supporters of Simi unleashed?
The president of a political party
of Jammu and Kashmir clearly asks: "If our Prime Minister is hundred times
more dangerous than Muaharraf, why does the opposition leader not have
the guts to take him to task? If she has doubts about the mental balance
of Vajpayeeji, then why does she have discussions with him?"
There are other questions, which
I will go on asking. People want their answers before the war. I will write
about them again. I will go on repeating the questions. I want to make
it clear to the government.
The public wants to ask these questions.
When the informers themselves pose to defend Kashmir, bring up the act
of resettlement and make speeches too, when Jaichands and Meer Jafaras
spread everywhere, not the Valley alone, then how are we going to fight?
Please don't answer through poetry.
Also, please do not say that you can't answer due to security reasons.
(The author is the Resident Editor,
Punjab Kesari)
