The problem with India’s views on Operation Sindoor getting more diverse with the passage of mere days after the ceasefire is everything in the country just tends to get intensely political
Operation Sindoor was a military success which was acknowledged by the Pakistan PM too when he was speaking on ally territory in Azerbaijan. He admitted that while Pakistan was preparing for strikes after the morning prayers on May 9-10, India had pre-empted them with BrahMos missiles homing in and getting through even as far as the Rawalpindi air base, thus forcing their now-promoted field marshal to plead for a ceasefire.
The problem with India’s views on Operation Sindoor getting more diverse with the passage of mere days after the ceasefire is everything in the country just tends to get intensely political. The airing of a diversity of views may be a feature of India’s loud democracy. But nowhere does politics rage with greater passion than in the verbal exchanges between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee.
The atmosphere at home reeks of bitterness at a time when the country is putting so much effort into carrying the message abroad of a successful strike at religious terrorism that Pakistan sponsors while using it as an instrument of state policy. There is no denying that there seem to be two Indias — one with the all-party delegations carrying the country’s message of the right to self-defence and the other squabbling in seeking the votes that feed political power.
There is no faulting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s critique of the murky Murshidabad violence or his expounding what could happen to education in West Bengal since corruption has seeped into teacher appointments, too. If there is a fault line to this public discourse, it is just that India is permanently in election mode. Such is the political rivalry that neither side cares for niceties nor the timing as the nation has just come through a crisis of confidence worth decades in handling terror coming from across the border into Jammu & Kashmir.
At a time of national salutation in having made a moral point internationally regarding how terror tears at the heart of modern civilisation and why it must be opposed, it would be ideal if Operation Sindoor were not to be politicised — for electoral gains as may be sighted in the ruling alliance’s approach nationally on one side and, on the other, by the Opposition wilfully suppressing its gains while permeating negativity, including about the symbolism of the name chosen for the military operation.
The deeply personal attacks, especially the one from Mamata regarding the PM who “is not the husband of every woman” as an answer to Mr Modi referring to sindoor khela, are symbolic of the depths to which our netas can descend when aiming barbs in public, more often capable of maximum wounding than making the point in a civil manner. But then civility in Indian politics disappeared a long time ago with the passing of leaders of statesman-like stature.
Even at a time when it is possible to savour yet another military victory over Pakistan, it is only the polls that seem to overwhelm the thinking in politicians. Neither side is absolved of speaking as if the public vote is the only thing that ever matters in this scramble to rule India from the Centre or the states. More is the pity, for the national cause in which India unified during Operation Sindoor seems ripe to dissipate, if it hasn’t already.
