The first symptom of a not-so-great nation is its ungratefulness
For once, it was incredible to see the Indian media playing a stupendous role in reliving the memories of the Kargil War; a pyrrhic war that India should not have had in the very first place. And once again, it was vindicated as to why the Indian Army is one of the finest institutions of the country. So while the debates of the worst kind over the commemoration of the Kargil War continued – from which party’s victory it was to which party’s loss – for a change, it was great to see that for two consecutive days, i.e. July 25-26, 2009, many significant channels in the television media didn’t bother too much about other issues and allocated a reasonable amount of their energy and prime time for the martyr soldiers and their families.
Sadly for the family members of the martyrs, the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces (read: The President of India) failed to keep her date with India’s national heroes of Kargil War. Although we do believe the same was due to unavoidable circumstances, one also has to realise that the occasion means something that is significantly historic; and absence in the same is surely expected to raise hackles of critics and supporters alike. So while Pratibha Patil remained conspicuous by her absence in Drass where the commemoration was being held, the media took it to the people at large all across the nation.
Amongst all the ceremonies, what has been conveniently forgotten in between – or should we say, relegated to the bottom cabinets – is the loss of numerous lives in the summer of ’99. Those lives were not just valuable, it is a fact that many of those who died were also young officers and jawans freshly out of military academies who willingly gave up their lives for a nation and for the reason that without that victory, the strategic paradigm of India and perhaps even the map of India could have changed forever.
Certainly, the Pakistani intrusion was not an impulsive one and it was clearly aimed at cutting off NH-1 and thus Siachen. A prolonged war instead of a quick victory would have spread the war beyond Kargil to other fronts in Rajasthan and Punjab. The situation then could have gone completely out of control and with the threat of a nuclear war looming large, India would have been forced by international community to negotiate with a recalcitrant and cunning Pakistan. The quick and decisive victory was thus critical and came at a price.
For once, it was incredible to see the Indian media playing a stupendous role in reliving the memories of the Kargil War; a pyrrhic war that India should not have had in the very first place. And once again, it was vindicated as to why the Indian Army is one of the finest institutions of the country. So while the debates of the worst kind over the commemoration of the Kargil War continued – from which party’s victory it was to which party’s loss – for a change, it was great to see that for two consecutive days, i.e. July 25-26, 2009, many significant channels in the television media didn’t bother too much about other issues and allocated a reasonable amount of their energy and prime time for the martyr soldiers and their families.
Sadly for the family members of the martyrs, the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces (read: The President of India) failed to keep her date with India’s national heroes of Kargil War. Although we do believe the same was due to unavoidable circumstances, one also has to realise that the occasion means something that is significantly historic; and absence in the same is surely expected to raise hackles of critics and supporters alike. So while Pratibha Patil remained conspicuous by her absence in Drass where the commemoration was being held, the media took it to the people at large all across the nation.
Amongst all the ceremonies, what has been conveniently forgotten in between – or should we say, relegated to the bottom cabinets – is the loss of numerous lives in the summer of ’99. Those lives were not just valuable, it is a fact that many of those who died were also young officers and jawans freshly out of military academies who willingly gave up their lives for a nation and for the reason that without that victory, the strategic paradigm of India and perhaps even the map of India could have changed forever.
Certainly, the Pakistani intrusion was not an impulsive one and it was clearly aimed at cutting off NH-1 and thus Siachen. A prolonged war instead of a quick victory would have spread the war beyond Kargil to other fronts in Rajasthan and Punjab. The situation then could have gone completely out of control and with the threat of a nuclear war looming large, India would have been forced by international community to negotiate with a recalcitrant and cunning Pakistan. The quick and decisive victory was thus critical and came at a price.
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