India’s decision to carry out surgical strikes targeting terror ‘launch pads’ across the Line of Control is bold and long overdue. Terror platforms abutting the LoC are evidently meant to carry out attacks in India. The Indian government is justified in taking military action to eliminate them lock, stock and barrel. This should send the right message to the Pakistan government as well as to those who support terrorism. This decision also shows how the principal opposition parties are wrong in saying about Prime Minister Narendra Modi that he is a man of words, not action.
K.R. Jayaprakash Rao,Mysuru
Although there is no doubt that Pakistan is leaving no stone unturned to escalate hostilities between the two countries, boycotting SAARC is a knee-jerk and inappropriate reaction to cross-border terrorism (“The SAARC gambit”, Sept. 29). SAARC is a platform for engagement, for discussing and debating issues amicably. India being the largest economy in SAARC has more obligations to fulfil, especially as it aspires for permanent UN Security Council membership. It should not set the wrong precedent of abandoning the proceedings of an association that is also meant for its own interest. In fact, this is the time to strengthen institutions like SAARC and build pressure on Pakistan to make the latter accountable on the issue of terrorism. India’s decision will certainly give Pakistan one more alibi to show to the world that India is averse to any type of engagement with it.
Gagan Pratap Singh,Noida
India has boycotted the summit in the light of the Uri attacks, but to what extent such measures will improve the security situation remains to be seen. On the contrary, a sustained dialogue with Pakistan on every issue, including terrorism and Kashmir, should be an ongoing process to defuse the situation and drive home the message that Pakistan has to do much more to curb cross-border terrorist activities. We have everything to gain by trying to normalise relations with Pakistan. Quiet diplomacy sometimes works wonders rather than high-pitched verbal attacks. We, as one of the founding members of SAARC, should strengthen it rather than weaken it.
D.B.N. Murthy,Bengaluru
The way Pakistan is conducting itself, and India’s response to it, makes a mockery of the objectives of SAARC. Peace and progress of the eight SAARC countries will take a heavy beating. Although SAARC nations comprise 9.12 per cent of the world economy, they are yet to show to the world that the forum is a cohesive unit. That India, as a big brother, could not pave a way to get Pakistan to fall in line is most unfortunate. With India’s surgical strikes across the LoC, the future of this summit is bleak.
Suddapalli Bhaskara Rao,Muscat
The audacity of the Indian Army to carry out surgical strikes across the LoC is truly laudable. Mr. Modi had said in Kozhikode that the “sacrifice of our jawans won’t go in vain”. This has come true. As Mahatma Gandhi said, “terrorism and deception are weapons not of the strong, but of the weak.”
Mukul Nigam,New Delhi
Finally Prime Minister Modi has walked the tough walk on Pakistan. While the Indian Army has claimed that significant casualties have been inflicted on the terrorists, Pakistan has said that only two of its soldiers have died. India has sent out a clear and an unequivocal message to Pakistan that it will no longer remain a mute spectator to cross-border terrorism and will respond to it with full force.
M. Jeyaram,Sholavandan, Tamil Nadu