It seems like Diwali in this country has arrived early as the entire clan of Indian media is busy in firing crackers on and for our neighbor – Pakistan. There is no second opinion that India and Pakistan have always shared a complex history since our Independence and the recent attacks on Uri Army Camp and Baramulla have brought one of the frostiest dips in the relationship graph of these two countries. Every possible counter attack or retaliatory measure have been discussed widely in Indian and Pakistani media and the discussions even came to a nodus point when the hitherto sacrosanct Indus Waters Treaty have set ablaze the TV studios. This neighbor rivalry has become the point of peradventure for the rest of the world.
A new turn came in the dialogue when the Maharashtra-based political party MNS came up with its nationalist card and demanded all Pakistani artists to leave India in the next 48 hours. Some veteran Bollywood stars like Salman Khan discouraged the thought, some supported it and some, as usual, have no opinion on such hot national issue.
But, since then, the tension between the two countries is escalating and people are being judgemental with lots of hue and cry on various social media platforms to decide what’s wrong and what’s right.
While the whole fuss was going on, we never actually got a chance to hear the opinion of a Soldier who is actually much more centric to the issue as they give up their life on borders for securing each one of us.
A Major named Gaurav Arya posted a blog titled “Mala Fide Intent” shares the perspective of a soldier on patriotism, defense, national security and tried to clear people’s doubts regarding support for Pakistani artists while our soldiers risk their lives on the border.
Here are 5 things he asked to give our minds a stir and made us think twice before we can conclude on the issue:
- “Karan Johar wants to know if asking Fawad Khan to go back to Pakistan will stop terror. Mahesh Bhatt joins the chorus by saying “stop terrorism, not talks” implying that we must continue to talk to Pakistan. The cricket board will continue to play matches with Pakistan. Certain business houses will continue to do business with Pakistan. All this, while our soldiers are dying on the border.”
You see, this is trajectory of an Indian soldier. Isn’t it very disheartening when it is Pakistani artists are getting support from India and not our own soldiers who are dying for us! Even if we can’t support Indian forces, do we really need to oppose them at the point when India is almost at the verge of war with Pakistan.
- “Will sending Pakistani artists back, stopping cricket and business with Pakistan actually end terror from Pakistan? No, it most certainly will not. But there is an emotion called solidarity. You cannot make films, play cricket and do business as if everything is fine, because it is not. It makes the soldier wonder aloud, “Why should I alone bear the weight of conflict?”
He pronounced it right, SOLIDARITY, Pakistani Artists didn’t even condemn the terrorist attack on India and we are feeling bad because they are sent to their own country!!! Ironic!
- “Patriotism and sacrifice is not the sole responsibility of the soldier. India is Mahesh Bhatt’s country, as much as it is the soldier’s.
The United States boycotted the Moscow Olympics in 1980, and the Russians did likewise when they boycotted the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984. This is what happens when national interest is held paramount. And this is what must happen now. For 70 years, Pakistan has been killing Indian citizens. Are we so inured to the pain of our fellow brethren that making a movie or playing a cricket match takes precedence over a soldier’s mourning home?”
We call ourselves Indians, so our country is our responsibility equal to as it is of our soldiers. ‘National Interest is superior to any individual’
- “18 families have been shattered like glass. Not a word for them by our Bollywood royalty, mind you. But the pain of Fawad Khan’s departure is too much to bear, it seems. A tweet in support of Pakistani artists is mandatory.”
Do we term this as INSENSITIVENESS or DISREGARD?
- “And the soldiers? Well, as far as they are concerned, they are on another planet, far removed from the glitzy Bollywood studios, and the teak paneled walls of the stately boardrooms of the BCCI. The blood, the mud, the screams and the exploding gunpowder are just distant and inconvenient, not very different from traffic during the Mumbai monsoons. Life must go on.
Its easy to ask for peace when you are a thousand miles away from the Line of Control, and your primary concerns are which party to attend this evening and where to get financing for your next film.”
PEACE IS NOT A PUNCH LINE. YOUR SOLDIERS EARN IT FOR YOU. REMEMBER THIS!
It is easy for us to debate and give our opinion from our comfortable and cosy bedrooms and drawing rooms, but don’t our soldiers too deserve our support when they are sacrificing all that comfort just make us breathe in a free, highly-cultured, diplomatically superior and secured air.
