After showing decades of self-restraint in its fight against Pakistan sponsored cross-border terrorism, India has finally chosen the path of retaliation, a desire nurtured by its 130+ crore populace for so long.

If successful wiping out of  terrorist camps in Balakot without inflicting any civilian casualty speaks volumes of  finesse of the IAF, release of Abhinandan  Varthaman from Pak clutches late last Friday night is a huge diplomatic achievement.

Tension between India and Pakistan is nothing new. Cross-border firing, and infiltration of Pak-nourished militants in Indian soil to carry out ghastly assignments hardly catch international attention.But now that the spate of events  is above and extra of the usual affairs, world  has turned its gaze to this region.

It all started on February 14 when India  yet again become victim of cross-border terrorism and insurgency. An attack in  Pulwama district of J&K cost lives of over 40 CRPF men.We responded 12 days later on February 26 with 12 of our Mirage 2000 fighter jets dropping 1000 kgs of precision bombs in three locations in Pakistan and successfully exterminating the ‘laboratories and scientists’ engaged in inventing updated versions of terrorism. In response, Pakistan carried out  airstrikes  on Indian territory a day later. The aerial duel  that  took place  saw Pakistan shoot down two of our  jets and detain Abhinandan , whose parachute unfortunately   drifted to  wrong side  of border. His subsequent release has  resulted in a shy of relief for  the whole nation, as fortunately there hasn’t been a repetition of the fates of Kargil heroes Captain Saurabh Kalia and Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja, both brutally tortured before being killed.

It is little wonder that a victory against Pakistan, whether be it in 22 yards or military tussles brings overflowing exultations among all of us. When it comes to defining wickedness of this rogue state, we feel  short of words. Since its birth, it has paid zero respect to the universal idea of peaceful co-existence.  It has fought three conventional wars with us and got bruised in all of them. Thus, it is quite expected that it would continue with its cultivation of terrorism, a low-cost war recipe. Kashmir is just a smokescreen for the larger Pakistani agenda,which is to bleed India through a thousand cuts.

Time and again it will make some fake peace overtures and shamelessly deny involvement in any act of terrorism. Again, completely isolating it via diplomatic channels will be practically impossible since it will always have secret sympathisers somewhere.

India, tired of being the punching bag for Pakistani terrorism has to fight its own war, pursue consistently the way it has started now and not remain a perpetual prisoner of its own self-restraint.

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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