Every time, in the past, we've made a hue and cry over dastardly terrorist attacks - aided, directed and executed by Pakistan - through chest thumping and making statements on the world fora. The response was always the same - lip service sympathy even from the nations that we expected a stronger response. The cries of wrongdoing whimpered within days and the rogue country, Pakistan, went away scot free each time, without any punitive action!
Probably, it's also used to such half hearted measures from the Indian side before its supporters - and mind you, there are plenty of them among us who extol the virtues of Track II Diplomacy, which is nothing but a forum where well heeled Indians and Pakistanis wine and dine and keep merry in the name of searching for that elusive peace between the two countries. This needs to stop and be discouraged, in fact, I'd go a step further to say that the government should not provide visas for such unproductive "People to people interactions" till Pakistan takes steps to stop sending terrorists into this country and shut down the numerous terrorist training camps dotting all over its countryside.
Let's see the steps taken/being taken by India post-Uri:-
(a) A point-by-point rebuttal of Nawaz Sharif's points at the United Nations General Assembly
meet by the Indian envoy, followed by our foreign minister.
(b) A review of the Indus Waters Treaty with the sole aim of removing the undue advantage that
Pakistan has because of our magnanimity.
(c) A review of the 'most favoured nation' status given to Pakistan, in trade.
(d) The call for the boycott of the forthcoming SAARC meet in Islamabad, in November.
And how about a few surgical strikes to destroy the terrorist training camps, deep within Pakistani territory, by our elite special forces without permitting any reaction time? And they can't complain or retaliate as it destroys their long parroted alibi of 'no training camps on its soil'.
The flip side is that India would be shutting down all the channels of communication with that country. Would it be worth it? I feel that the steps taken are in the right direction to put across to that country, that, this time we mean business and do not intend to be mere crybabies, like in the past.
So, what we seem to be doing this time is that we've shunned half hearted measures in dealing with Pakistan. Some might laugh at my foolhardy optimism, but maybe these actions would spur that country to shed its roguishness and put it on a sure path of development to attaining all round prosperity and make it a strong country, which is in India's interest..........I only hope that we aren't late!
Tailpiece.
Today was Shri Haridas Menon's 'sanchayanam' on the 11th day after his passing away. Had gone across to the cremation point to say my silent prayers to the patriarch, though it was a private affair for the male members of the family. What I noticed were the differences in the ceremonies that were prevalent between the areas of northern and southern Kerala, which I could discern as I'd gone through it, myself on 11 Sep for my mom. They were:-
(a) The protagonists used their bare hands to pick up the ashes.
The custom, down south, is to pick them up with spatulas made out the of the base of the
betel nut leaf, solely for the purpose, by the 'karmi'.
(b) As many pieces of the ashes were collected from the cremation pit and put into a big urn.
They were meant to be immersed in the sea, at the nearby Panchavati, forthwith.
Only three pieces viz. from the region of the head, the middle and the feet are collected.
(c) A few pieces were taken out of the collection, put into a plastic tin and buried near a Jack
tree for immersion after a year. There was no requirement of lighting the lamp every evening
Chettan's son, Raju, had told me in answer to my specific query.
Down south, it's a must that a wick is lit every evening till the final immersion of the ashes.
(d) Only a sapling of banana was planted at the cremation pit by Pushpaakaran and grains were
spread all over the site by Raju and the grandson.
It was ginger plants at the head, a coconut sapling at the middle and a strain of Colocasia
Esculanta(Commonly known as 'taro') at the feet, with grains all over!
I suppose these differences are inconsequential and doesn't affect the soul's gravitation to its next destination!
Probably, it's also used to such half hearted measures from the Indian side before its supporters - and mind you, there are plenty of them among us who extol the virtues of Track II Diplomacy, which is nothing but a forum where well heeled Indians and Pakistanis wine and dine and keep merry in the name of searching for that elusive peace between the two countries. This needs to stop and be discouraged, in fact, I'd go a step further to say that the government should not provide visas for such unproductive "People to people interactions" till Pakistan takes steps to stop sending terrorists into this country and shut down the numerous terrorist training camps dotting all over its countryside.
Let's see the steps taken/being taken by India post-Uri:-
(a) A point-by-point rebuttal of Nawaz Sharif's points at the United Nations General Assembly
meet by the Indian envoy, followed by our foreign minister.
(b) A review of the Indus Waters Treaty with the sole aim of removing the undue advantage that
Pakistan has because of our magnanimity.
(c) A review of the 'most favoured nation' status given to Pakistan, in trade.
(d) The call for the boycott of the forthcoming SAARC meet in Islamabad, in November.
And how about a few surgical strikes to destroy the terrorist training camps, deep within Pakistani territory, by our elite special forces without permitting any reaction time? And they can't complain or retaliate as it destroys their long parroted alibi of 'no training camps on its soil'.
The flip side is that India would be shutting down all the channels of communication with that country. Would it be worth it? I feel that the steps taken are in the right direction to put across to that country, that, this time we mean business and do not intend to be mere crybabies, like in the past.
So, what we seem to be doing this time is that we've shunned half hearted measures in dealing with Pakistan. Some might laugh at my foolhardy optimism, but maybe these actions would spur that country to shed its roguishness and put it on a sure path of development to attaining all round prosperity and make it a strong country, which is in India's interest..........I only hope that we aren't late!
Tailpiece.
Today was Shri Haridas Menon's 'sanchayanam' on the 11th day after his passing away. Had gone across to the cremation point to say my silent prayers to the patriarch, though it was a private affair for the male members of the family. What I noticed were the differences in the ceremonies that were prevalent between the areas of northern and southern Kerala, which I could discern as I'd gone through it, myself on 11 Sep for my mom. They were:-
(a) The protagonists used their bare hands to pick up the ashes.
The custom, down south, is to pick them up with spatulas made out the of the base of the
betel nut leaf, solely for the purpose, by the 'karmi'.
(b) As many pieces of the ashes were collected from the cremation pit and put into a big urn.
They were meant to be immersed in the sea, at the nearby Panchavati, forthwith.
Only three pieces viz. from the region of the head, the middle and the feet are collected.
(c) A few pieces were taken out of the collection, put into a plastic tin and buried near a Jack
tree for immersion after a year. There was no requirement of lighting the lamp every evening
Chettan's son, Raju, had told me in answer to my specific query.
Down south, it's a must that a wick is lit every evening till the final immersion of the ashes.
(d) Only a sapling of banana was planted at the cremation pit by Pushpaakaran and grains were
spread all over the site by Raju and the grandson.
It was ginger plants at the head, a coconut sapling at the middle and a strain of Colocasia
Esculanta(Commonly known as 'taro') at the feet, with grains all over!
I suppose these differences are inconsequential and doesn't affect the soul's gravitation to its next destination!
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