Col Satish Singh Lalotra
slalotra4729@gmail.com
World over, nation states have had certain days in their long history of evolution that would always be etched in the collective psyche of their being. An ‘inflection point’ which fundamentally altered the manner in their way of conduct of worldly affairs to include foreign/defence policy as also its domestic governance. Such momentous events when time seemed to pause ,when grief so overwhelming that transcended the physicality of their geographical boundaries to numb the humanity into a deafening silence. Such grief has always been connoted cum associated with ‘Black colour’. The symbolism of black colour represents directly absence of life or devoid of any colour as also its capacity to absorb all other colours in the spectrum of visible colours (VIBGYOR). The symbolism of ‘Black September’ in Israel has not been lost on the world when during 1972 Munich Olympics the BSO (Black September organization) a terrorist organization murdered 11 Israeli Olympic team members. Similarly for the US the daring ‘Pearl Harbour attack’ in 2 WW by the Japanese and the infamous ‘Siege of Stalingrad’ in Russia by the German army are some of the major inflection points that fundamentally altered both super power’s outlook on worldly affairs. For India, 14 February stands out one such moment of reckoning that commemorates a ‘Black day’ when humanity plummeted to its nether end ; forcing India for ever to shed its pusillanimous handling of terrorists operating from the foreign soil/bases for decades long. The ruthless snuffing out of lives of innocent CRPF Jawans on 14 th February 2019 at Pulwama by terrorists would go down in the Indian history that tantamount to challenging the very concept of India’s sovereign identity. An attack so deadly and macabre that still has its evil reverberations echoing the four corners of the sub-continent. The Pulwama attack happened when India was in the throes of changing the socio-economic cum security milieu of J&K by initiating hard as well as soft options which were a combination of strict policing actions and a liberal dosage of economic assistance. The CRPF convoy carrying more than 40 of its personnel from Jammu to Srinagar were blown to smithereens with a calculated brutality that seldom finds parallel in Indian history till today. The sheer scale of the explosion and the site littered with mangled steel and human body parts testified the adage in its entirety-‘A picture is worth more than thousand words’. No words howsoever condemnable and strong could remove the acrid smell of burning flesh, steel and a deafening silence that followed the explosion.
In the immediate aftermath, India witnessed an unprecedented wave of unity, a typical quality of ours. Political differences faded as the nation spoke in one voice against terrorism. This unity was not performativity in its very being. It translated into a renewed public discourse on national security, intelligence coordination and counter terrorism preparedness. ‘Black day’ of 14 th February thus became a catalyst -not just for remembrance, but for reform. Pulwama attack had far reaching consequences beyond emotion. It redefined India’s approach to terrorism emanating from across the borders. The subsequent ‘Balakot air strikes’ marked paradigm shift in strategic posturing of India-signaling that acts of terror would invite decisive responses. Though countless articles and discourses from national as well as international pulpits have been the order of the day on the said subject, it remains to be seen that the commemoration efforts towards such a solemn event are not reduced to an annual extravaganza. In fact ‘Pulwama attack’ and ‘Balakot air strikes’ as a consequence to the former that occurred in 2019 have surpassed their severity when seen under the telescope of last year’s ‘Pahalgam attack’ in which innocent civilian tourists were gunned down. The subsequent punitive actions undertaken by India in the form of ‘OP Sindoor’ and abrogation of ‘Indus water treaty’ between both India and Pakistan are visible manifestations of India’s steely resolve to wipe out this scourge of terrorism from the face of our neighbouring countries. I would be wasting precious space of Daily excelsior if I revert back and reinvent the wheel in terms of raking up the age old intelligence failure , lack of coordination between plethora of security agencies cum forces and similar such steps in tackling the menace of four decades old problem of militancy in Jammu & Kashmir. All and sundry by now are aware of the actual ‘casus belli’ aka point of conflict in J&K.
The importance of observing such a solemn occasion is lost when the same is seen from the prism of a ritualistic evil, which has to be gotten over sooner or later. As stated by me above, the true purpose of observing ‘Black Day’ lies in maintaining its solemnity. Schools, universities, and civil society institutions increasingly use the day to discuss the broader impact of terrorism -on democracy, human rights and social cohesion. By engaging the younger generation in a dialogue, Black day becomes educational as well as commemorative. For those of us in uniform or even who had their uniform shed after retirement, ‘Black day’ carries a deeper resonance.
It is a moment of quiet reflection -a reminder of the unpredictable dangers inherent in service. Yet it also reinforces the ethos of duty without bitterness. In Jammu & Kashmir, the presence of security forces is not episodic-it is woven into the daily lives of the locals who day in and out bear witness to convoys, checkpoints, patrols and the ilk. Due to the above activities, the people of J&K often find themselves caught between competing narratives-security concerns on one side and the aspirations for normalcy on the other. For traders along the highway, farmers in countless villages of both Jammu as well as Kashmir divisions , students in Srinagar, and pilgrims in Jammu, the aftermath of such incidents bring heightened security restrictions, and economic loss. The Srinagar-Jammu national highway is more than a road, it is the artery that sustains J&K. The Pulwama attack along this highway was not one random act of violence; it was executed to target mobility, logistics, and unhinge the cocoon of serenity that prevailed upon in general area Pulwama. Jammu & Kashmir has lived through decades of internecine conflicts. Its people-across regions, religions, and communities have experienced curfews, shutdowns, encounters, and uncertainty. The Pulwama attack was the proverbial ‘inflection point’ in Indian security planners’ minds, who otherwise were sweetly ensconced in their silos only to be shaken up delivered by the rude reality which unfolded on that frosty morning of 14 February 2019. The bitter fact that the infamy of Pulwama doesn’t die too soon was all the more evident when last November , the wires of ‘Red fort car blast’ were again traced back to it, chastening our security experts that the embers of Pulwama are still simmering and have the capacity of incapacitating our best of efforts towards normalization of environment in the country.
A last word about the media which via its all-pervasive presence in today’s world has the capacity to make or mar the narrative on such sensitive matters. Media coverage of such an important event (observing Black Day) in J&K demands nuanced approach, though six long years have passed after the mayhem. An approach that is devoid of any sensationalism or ‘Yellow journalism’. Since careless generalizations can reopen old wounds and deepen the already widening chasm within the social fabric of the UT; responsible reportage should hence must foreground facts, empathy and local voices. The region does not need any louder rhetoric -it needs balanced narratives that acknowledge pain without perpetuating prejudice. Remembering Pulwama should never mean to vilify an entire population. In remembering Pulwama, J&K remembers the prohibitive cost of conflict -and the urgency of peace. Let these two terms of reference be the guiding principles in all engagements that the UT plans in future, be it official or demi-official.
(The writer is a retired army officer)
Follow our WhatsApp channel
