OPINION: January 8 is third inhuman act in last 13 years

 The attack by Pakistan Army on Jammu and Kashmir border on January 6 this year, is a cause of concern but the actions and incidents after this is not less painful.  In this incident, the two soldiers of India sacrificed their life and even one soldier was beheaded by the Pakistan rangers.

Even as the country is angered by the mutilation and beheading of an Indian soldier by Pakistani troops on the Line of Control, three similar incidents have taken place in the past 13 years in which four army personnel have become victim.

First such incident was reported in 2,000 when one soldier was beheaded. The other incident took place in 2011 when two soldiers become victim to the inhuman act.

The January 8 incident was the third in the last 13 years when Lance Naik Hemraj was beheaded in the Mendhar sector on the Line of Control. Lance Naik Sudhakar Singh was also killed in the incident.

There is a great resentment among the citizens of the country on the death of Sudhakar Singh of MP and Hem Raj of UP who were cremated with full state honours. The only difference is that Shiv Raj Singh Chauhan, Chief Minister of MP participated in the last rites while Akhilesh Yadav, chief minister of UP could not cared to do so perhaps due to his pre-engagements. 

The family members of Hem Raj who was beheaded by Pakistan rangers are not satisfied with the attitude of the government and demanding to bring back the head of  Hem Raj.  How far this demand is met but had the UP government shown sensitiveness, this situation would not have cropped up. 

On the other hand the statement of SDM Mathura that UP Government has given Rs.5 lakh more than the MP government has created another controversy.  They  should understand that the soldiers standing as sentinels on the border for the security of the country without taking care of their life, are not doing all this for compensation of Rs.5-10 lakhs but they have passion and love for country. Perhaps, the leaders and administration class of the country do not understand their unbreakable, firm, lasting and inviolable emotions. 

The leaders in opposition are creating an atmosphere to support the war against Pakistan and even the Anna Hazare, who has left the Army since long, is saying to participate in the war. Now the question is as to whether love for country could be possible only by consenting to fight in the war?  The action on the part of Pakistan is condemnable and there is need to understand the strategy going on behind the curtain as the weapon manufacturing countries also becomes active on all these actions on the border.  There are also speculations, on the third consecutive success of Narendra Modi, that the need of the hour is a strong and confident leader to the nation like Modi.  In one of the American daily paper, even to this extent it has been noticed that during the last one decade, there had been no communal riots in Gujarat but it is not understood as to why Modi has not shown courtesy to visit the resident of Hem Raj?  These soldiers have died belonging not the states but to the nation. The decision of the government to honour these soldiers posthumously on Republic Day is appreciable. 

The statement of Chief of the Army staff that “Beheading of a soldier is gruesome and most unpardonable and India would retaliate if provoked further is in real spirit of love for the nation. 

However, there is requirement of firm stand from the government side on this issue as Chief of the Army and Defence Minister are giving different statements while Prime Minister and UPA President are silent on the issue.  Do they not understand the displeasures of the people of India? Is it not necessary to have a dialogue with the public directly? However, an address by the Prime Minister to the public in open meeting, to clear his stand as to how the India would respond to the violation of ceasefire, could create a confidence on the democratic government.   But the problem is that the gap between the public and government is increasing and some particular class is trying to encash the situation.

(Disclaimer: The views expressed by the author in this article are his own and do not necessarily reflect the views of City Air News.)