View From The Right: Ever-War

The editorial in Organiser claims that while the entire nation stands with soldiers and calls for vengance, the usual suspects are asking for “peace talks”.

pulwama attack, pulwama attack pakistan, jem pakistan, india pakistan, india pulwama revenge, latest news, indian express — Forty CRPF jawans were killed after an explosive-laden vehicle rammed into a convoy in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on February 14.

In the context of the attack in Pulwama and its immediate aftermath, the editorial in Organiser claims that while the entire nation stands with soldiers and calls for vengance, the usual suspects are asking for “peace talks”. The editorial also claims that the narrative of “Kashmiri students being attacked all over Bharat was systematically built”, forgetting the fact that the students who were being questioned “either celebrated the killing of soldiers or shouted pro-Pakistan slogans”.

“If all this was not enough, the caste categories of bravehearts were also (re)counted by sick minds,” the editorial says. It adds that after the Pulwama attack, the army has already started operations in the Valley and the government is exploring diplomatic, economic, and military options for action across the border. What is missing in this battle of nerves is the grasp of the “real nature of the war”and “a pro-Bharat narrative around the same”, the editorial contends. It adds that “the war has been going on since Partition” and only the instruments of war have been changing: “The enemy enters as regulars, irregulars or terrorists.” The editorial adds that internally, an intellectual cover has been created through the skewed narratives of human rights and Kashmiriyat and the Hurriyat and stonepelters are an extension of Pakistan’s aggression. It adds that “in tune with the peaceful aspirations of Bharat, every Prime Minister has explored some ground for dialogue with Pakistan but what they received in return was backstabbing. Pulwama is followed by the Kartarpur initiative as Kargil was followed by the Lahore initiative. For Pakistan and its stooges in the Valley, this is an existential war and violence is an integral part of it.”

It also says that “at this critical juncture, we have to come out of the ‘stable Pakistan is good for us’ mindset.”

How’s the josh?

An article in Panchjanya claims that two recently released films — Uri:The Surgical Strike and Gully Boy — “give a fitting reply to all those who had raised questions over the surgical strike conducted two years ago” and to those who “after the Pulwama terror attack alleged that Muslims are not safe in India”. The article asserts that the success of Uri:The Surgical Strike has shown a mirror to those political parties, NGOs and journalists who were calling the surgical strike a fake. The film’s total box office collection so far has been Rs 230 crore, according to the article. “In the movie, when an army officer before the surgical strike operation asks his team, ‘How’s the josh?’, then not just the team members on screen but the audience too respond — ‘high, sir!’” the article claims. This film “is an example how a movie can play a strong role in expressing the sentiments of common people against any anti-national negative propaganda”.

The article then claims that when the government reacted to the Pulwama incident, a handful agenda-driven journalists and intellectuals started creating the bogey that Kashmiris and Muslims were no longer safe in the country. But “on February 14 Gully Boy was released in which the lead characters were Muslims”. “It can be said that if anti-Muslim sentiment existed in society the film would not have been successful,” the article claims.

Defeat populism

An article in Organiser says that populism is on the rise, which inextricably links politics to society with an adverse fallout on the economy and long-term national security. According to the article, populist schemes include farm-loan waivers and Rythu Bandhu grants to big farmers, subsidised canteens, free laptops, free saris, baby/mother kits, wedding grants, free TVs, old-age pensions, unemployment allowance, reservations for castes and communities, free energy and pump sets to farmers, free land for housing even before the construction of houses, free education schemes, free cycle schemes for girls, free health schemes, etc. The article claims that by “indulging in such farcical free sops, populists — left-wing, centrist and right-wing — are… not only making a joke of democracy, they are also disrupting our economy and politics”. It also asserts that leaders of all political parties are to be blamed for the messy economic and political situation of the country today. It adds that the emergence of “regional satraps”, who are mostly authoritarian or autocratic and have no regard or respect for liberal institutions.

The ballot in 2019, it contends, will involve two competing ideas of modern India — dynasts vs nationalists. It exhorts the reader: “Do not fall prey to competitive populism. None of them will honour their prepoll promises. Wake up ‘We the people of India’! Give a DECISIVE VERDICT (sic) against pretenders masquerading as… saviours.”

Compiled by Lalmani Verma