by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group
Govt In A Huddle After Pak intrusion
Modi's dilemma: To escalate or deescalate
Harish Gupta
New Delhi, Feb 27
Prime Minister Narendra Modi rushed from Vigyan Bhawan leaving a program mid-way to his South Block office immediately after the message was passed on to him that Pakistan has intruded into the Indian air space.
National Security Adviser Ajit Doval who was coordinating Surgical strike-II and security operations along with top army commanders was already in toe to brief the PM and chalk out next course of action.
But one kilometer away, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley who is a member of the Cabinet Committee of Security (CCS) had no clue of the Paki action and India's counter attack. He was sitting with two other Union Ministers- Nitin Gadkari and Dharmendra Pradhan- and regaling country's befitting reply to Pakistan at the DRDO building.
Amid clapping, Jaitley said, “I remember when US Navy Seals (commandos) went to Abbottabad to kill (Al-Qaeda chief) Osama bin Laden, then why can't India? This used to be only an imagination, a wish, a frustration and disappointment. But it's possible today.”
but within minutes, he also rushed to get first hand information as to what exactly had happened on the borders as the news surfaced that three Pak jets intruded and attack was repulsed. In the process, one PAF F-16 fighter jet was shot down by Indian air defence forces in Rajouri sector of Jammu region and one Indian MIG also crashed in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri sector.
Then emerged the bad news that one MIG pilot had been captured by the Pak forces who had ejected. The PM was busy until late in the night holding parleys with security and military establishment and launching diplomatic offensive against Pakistan.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj who is in Beijing succeeded in her effort to ensure a joint statement from Russia and China that those “committing, orchestrating, inciting or supporting terrorist acts” must be held accountable. Though the statement did not name Pakistan. But the message was loud and clear.
Sensing the global pressure, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan went on television in the evening and called for a dialogue. For the first time, Imran Khan called Pulwama attack a tragedy and shared the pain of the victims. He offered a joint probe into Pulwama attacks and said “it is not in Pakistan's interest that our soil is used against any country.”
But Modi government is weighing various options in the given situation. The top priority for India is to get back the IAF pilot from Pakistan and also seek the custody of Azhar Masood responsible for the Pulwaha attacks. It is felt that India may seek the world powers that Azhar Masood be located first since he has claimed responsibility for the Pulwama attack and be extradited.
Modi is in no mood to accept the Pakistan's offer for a dialogue or truce after today's action. He wants to have a broad-base discussion within the government before further military action.
Ends
