Prime Minister Narendra Modi has told the nation that Operation Sindoor, nevertheless lasted only 100 hours, has succeeded in eliminating the terrorist networks in Pakistan and defeating the country mercilessly. India made it clear in the beginning that code named as Operation Sindoor, the military response against the horrific killing of 26 unarmed tourists on April 22 was not a war but a strong deterrent to prevent any such attacks from occurring. The official explanation is we ceased firing at Pakistan's request after achieving complete success in this well-thought-out act of retaliation. The government and the army have notably received the unanimous support of the country in this move to forever eliminate the direct threat to the lives of innocent people. Not a voice of opposition has been raised against Operation Sindoor. After the ceasefire came into effect restoring peace, serious doubts and questions are being raised against the government. The main question is about the responsibility of the ceasefire itself. The official explanation is that upon completing the mission India agreed to a ceasefire at the request of Pakistan's Director of Military Operations over phone, without having any third party intervened in the matter. However, US President Donald Trump claimed yesterday again as he had been doing right from the beginning that his intervention led to ending the India-Pakistan conflict. Claiming that the US had averted a nuclear conflict that would have killed millions of people, Trump praised both countries for better handling of the crisis. Trump has also added that the offer of trade deal ended the standoff. He has also expressed his willingness to mediate on the Kashmir issue.
The Congress and other opposition parties demanded a clarification on this position that marks a serious departure from the policy India has pursued so far. The unwavering position of all governments since the first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s to date is that issues including Kashmir can only be resolved through bilateral talks between India and Pakistan. The opposition, senior political experts, and observers are demanding the Modi government to openly admit if it intends to accept US mediation contrary to the policy. In addition to it, the nation has the right to know what kind of trade offers the leader of global capitalism, Donald Trump, who sees everything through the eyes of trade, was making to India and Pakistan. The world is certainly curious about whether the Kashmir issue, the cause of minor or major military conflicts since the birth of independent India, can finally be resolved, paving way for normalizing relations between the two neighbours. However, the bigger question is to what extent the enigmatic personality of the US president can be trusted and relied upon. What is needed are constructive discussions to normalize, strengthen and develop relations between the neighboring countries, as it has become more evident than ever that Kashmir is an integral part of India and the people of Kashmir stand united with the country, hence Pakistan should forever give up its claim to Kashmir. The most effective step is serious discussion between the two countries without the intervention of a third party. In order for this to happen, Pakistan must come forth ending all forms of terrorism. Rather than declaring ban on certain terror outfits when pressure mounts, effective steps must be taken to cut the taproot of terrorism. At the same time, our government has to use iron fist to stop the hollering war mongers in the country. It is not that there are no laws in the country to punish those who spread hatred, enmity, and bloodlust as patriotism. The problem is that those in power turn a blind eye to it. The refusal by Modi and Amit Shah to convene a special session of Parliament to discuss these serious issues is only giving rise to more mysteries.