archive: Indians, at least, must believe in India
Indians, at least, must believe in India
Reshmi R Dasgupta
The Economic Times
July 25, 1999
Title: Indians, at least, must believe in India
Author: Reshmi R Dasgupta
Publication: The Economic Times
Date: July 25, 1999
The US, they say, is great, because every American genuinely believes
it is. Maybe that is simplifying matters a bit too much, but
patriotism is not -- and has never been -- a dirty word there. And
victory, once achieved, has been celebrated, not doubted. India,
sadly, cannot seem to expect that sort of faith from all her citizens.
The blood of India's brave soldiers is yet to dry on the barren rocks
of Kargil, and already questions like 'Was it really a victory?' are
being posed. Such dampening headlines on India's accomplishments are
only to be expected from a 'beleaguered Pakistani media; it is agog
with stories of a defeated Indian Army, a disheartened people and a
disgraced AB Vajpayee. Like masking their retreat with the word
'disengagement', these conjectures but a ploy to save face.
But Pakistani sentiments can only be bolstered when the Indian
mainstream media (the fringes are lunatic m both sides) also puts a
question mark on who won at Kargil. Amid sanctimonious cries about
not politicising the conflict, come these carping questions. Since
the am of those making them surely cannot be to boost Pakistani
morale, what could be the purpose?
In conducting the legitimate task of apportioning blame -- and
demanding redress -- for why tile intrusion happened at all, there is
surely no need to insinuate that the victors of Kargil were not that
at all. One can quibble about America's role, present and future, in
the Kashmir imbroglio, but that does not -- and must not -- detract
from the ground realities.
The international community -- barring the Islamic nations -- solidly
backed India on the diplomatic front. As for the battlefront, the
stretches the Pakistani intruders occupied with guile and stealth,
Indian soldiers recaptured with undiluted bravery and sacrifice.
That's an unalienable truth.
Vietnam was an unmitigated disaster for the US. Still, Bill Clinton
dodging the draft and opposing even such an unethical war sat uneasy
with the American people. Why? Because those jungles were awash with
American blood -- and to denigrate what happened there would be to
dishonour those dead. American dead.
Surely the sons India lost this summer deserve that same loyalty from
their compatriots. The least Indians can do is have faith in their
soldiers and believe India won.
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