Operation Sindoor is effective branding. It pays homage to the lives and the grieving wives of the 26 blameless civilian men we lost, thus reminding the world, every time the operation is mentioned, that our action was purely retributive, and it also puns neatly on Sindhu, our shared river and our shared heritage, and the treaty we have currently put in abeyance.
The government’s press release is careful to stress that no Pakistani military facilities were targeted—only identified terrorist infrastructure, and that, too, in a “focused” manner. World leaders have reacted with concern, but have not condemned India’s actions outright. The general sentiment seems to be that Pakistan had it coming. And now that noses have been bloodied on both sides, it would be advisable to back down. Time to de-escalate and exercise restraint.
To me, this criticism seem a little perfunctory. The US president, in particular, has all but shrugged it off, saying: “India and Pakistan have been at war for centuries, if you think about it.” (What even?).
Imaging: Deni Lal
The fact of the matter is that over the past few years, countries going to war with each other has been happily normalised. Russia grabbed Crimea, then attacked the Ukrainian mainland. Israel has been allowed to brutally pulverise the Palestinians, and is now planning to seize Gaza. North Korea has sent troops to Russia. Yemen’s Houthis are firing rockets at a steady pace and are facing retaliation that seems massively disproportionate, and Israeli counterattack just levelled entire buildings in Sana’a and destroyed six planes.
Meanwhile, the US president and his MAGAts have abandoned any pretence of couthness, and are now speaking loosely and casually about taking over other entire countries, and carving up the world as they see fit, that too on poorly secured Signal chats. This kind of moral slackness and open disregard of national borders and sentiments create an atmosphere of ‘anything goes’ that can spread very quickly, even as NATO and the UN bleat ineffectually in the background. In this heady, blood-lusty climate, where the US can thirst lecherously for Greenland and Canada, and Israel can make ‘grab ‘em by the pussy’ plans for Gaza then, why (reason both India and Pakistan) can’t we snatch all of Kashmir, and make it our own?
Um, we cannot and we should not, because, at this rate, the whole world will very soon be at each others throats.
Pakistan, however, has vowed to respond. I doubt common Pakistanis are happy with this decision. The Karachi Stock Exchange-100 index plunged 6,500 points after Indian retaliation, wiping out almost six per cent of its value. Since the April 23 Pahalgam attack, it has shed almost 10,000 points (Indian equity markets showed resilience).
If cutting trade and diplomatic ties, refusing to release river waters, mock drills, air raid sirens and power cuts help us vent our rage and heal the wounds caused to both our jaan (life) and our shaan (pride), then let us carry them out, and meticulously.
Having a common enemy can unite a nation, and the way people have rallied around Indian Muslims, in general, and Kashmiris, in particular, is heartening. But let us stop there. Finally, ‘doing one’s bit’ does not mean viciously trolling anybody who appeals for peace, like the tragically widowed naval bride Himanshi Narwal. This is the lowest form of jingoism and sickeningly misogynistic—and it is on the Union home minister and the Prime Minister to ‘do their bit’ and punish such trolls swiftly and severely. Such attacks weaken our national fabric and our shaan more than anything carried out by Pakistan.
editor@theweek.in