As the nation mourns the brutal killing of 26 innocent Indians, anger and grief are giving way to a steely demand: act swiftly and decisively against the terrorists and their handlers across the border. The Narendra Modi government has vowed to do exactly that — and preparations are reportedly underway involving all three wings of the Indian armed forces.
But even as India gears up to respond to this barbarity, an alarming and shameful chorus has emerged — not from Pakistan or its patrons like China and Turkey, but from within our borders. Shockingly, leaders like Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his cabinet colleagues have chosen this sensitive moment to echo the enemy’s line: “Don’t blame Pakistan without evidence.”
One expects such absurdity from a rattled Islamabad desperate to escape global censure, or from Beijing and Ankara shielding their strategic ally. But for elected Indian leaders to parrot Pakistan’s narrative raises serious questions about where their loyalties lie.
Prime Minister Modi has made it clear: India will hunt down the terrorists and their masters, wherever they hide. And for the first time in decades, a coherent, determined strategy is being crafted — with the Army, Navy, and Air Force working in perfect coordination to finalize response plans. Pakistan’s nervousness is palpable. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s ministers are blabbering wild threats about nuclear missiles, while their army chief, General Asim Munir, who once boasted about reclaiming Kashmir, is reportedly lying low, with his family conveniently relocated overseas.
Social media buzz suggests Pakistan’s armed forces are facing a morale crisis, with officers resigning in fear of an impending Indian retaliation. Meanwhile, India is conducting serious military preparations: naval drills off the Arabian coast, deployment of Rafales and next-gen jets by the Air Force, and security alerts across states to identify and deport overstaying Pakistani nationals.
This is the moment for national unity, not political point-scoring. The Modi government even called an all-party meeting to take Opposition leaders into confidence, a magnanimous move that unfortunately hasn’t stopped some from playing into enemy hands.
Should the Centre allow such reckless statements to go unchecked, especially from those in constitutional positions? When a Chief Minister publicly questions national action in a time of crisis, is it not tantamount to demoralizing the armed forces and giving comfort to the enemy? Shouldn’t the judiciary — itself a pillar of democracy — step in to enforce accountability under laws dealing with sedition and treachery?
Let’s be clear: decisions of war or peace rest solely with the elected government, guided by military chiefs and the Chief of Defence Staff. Political novices whose careers are built on caste, communal, and regional divides have neither the expertise nor the mandate to interfere in matters of national security.
It is high time the government moved to restrain these irresponsible voices. Free speech is not a license for sedition. If Opposition leaders cannot stand with the country at its darkest hour, they must at least be made to face the consequences of their reckless conduct.
The choice before us is stark: act now to protect national unity, or allow partisan politics to weaken India’s hand against an enemy that understands only the language of strength.
The Modi government must choose — and the people of India are watching.
