The Pahalgam Incident: A Mirror, Not a Moment

There's been endless shouting, debating, and tweeting about the Pahalgam terror attack already. Timelines, conspiracy theories, and official statements have flooded our screens. So let’s skip all that noise and address the uneasy questions bothering me and many others directly.

1. Where Are the Real Culprits? We lost soldiers, innocent lives, valuable infrastructure, and suffered a massive hit to our international reputation, pushing ourselves frighteningly close to nuclear conflict. Yet, the real masterminds are still at large. Why such deafening silence from authorities? Even the US openly shared its long struggle to track down Osama bin Laden, as repeatedly emphasized by counterterrorism expert Bruce Riedel. Regular updates build public confidence; silence breeds suspicion.

2. Demolition Without Justice Witnessing our professional Indian Army demolishing homes without trials was deeply troubling. To be clear, this isn't about sympathizing with terrorists, but about upholding the law. Even Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin, Nathuram Godse, and former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s killers were given transparent trials. Legal experts like Prashant Bhushan have strongly criticized this growing trend of demolitions without due legal process, stressing that India risks its global democratic standing each time justice is sidelined.

3. The Media Meltdown Watching TV anchors screaming misinformation and whipping up national hysteria was disgraceful. Our media, rather than informing citizens, acted irresponsibly. Senior journalists like Ravish Kumar and defense analyst Ajai Shukla have repeatedly warned against the dangerous consequences of such reckless reporting. Despite this, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting hasn't stepped in, highlighting the urgent need for media accountability.

4. Jets Lost and Credibility Shaken The Chief of Defence Staff casually admitting abroad that tactical mistakes caused loss of fighter jets is deeply concerning. Losing military assets is no minor issue—it affects national security directly. Military analyst Air Marshal Anil Chopra underscores the importance of transparency to maintain national credibility. Why was such crucial information disclosed casually overseas rather than transparently at home?

5. Instant Politicization Politicians—from the Prime Minister and BJP leaders to Congress members—jumped at the chance to use this tragedy for political advantage. Twitter became a battlefield and rallies replaced thoughtful debates on national security reforms. Political analysts, including Yogendra Yadav, have called this rush to capitalize on tragedy deeply disrespectful to our fallen heroes. India deserves far better from its leadership.

6. Trump’s Kashmir Misadventure Donald Trump's casual offer to mediate Kashmir was more damaging than amusing. Kashmir, with its deep complexities, was trivialized as some petty dispute. Experts like Brahma Chellaney emphasized how Trump's intervention internationalized the issue, weakening India’s longstanding position. Our leaders’ silence on Trump's misrepresentation further dented our international credibility.

7. Foreign Policy Failures All the diplomacy and speeches by External Affairs Minister Jaishankar and the Prime Minister evaporated overnight during this crisis. Veteran diplomat Shivshankar Menon has long warned about India's growing diplomatic isolation, which tragically proved accurate. Genuine diplomacy involves forming alliances, not just optics and photo ops. India's foreign policy requires serious recalibration immediately.

8. The China-Pakistan Nexus China’s open military and diplomatic support to Pakistan during this crisis should alarm us deeply. Strategic affairs expert C. Raja Mohan emphasizes India’s growing geopolitical isolation as China aggressively builds influence in our neighborhood. Nepal and Bangladesh’s shifting allegiance towards China is equally worrying. India urgently needs robust diplomatic strategies and strengthened military preparedness to counter this emerging threat.

Conclusion The Pahalgam incident shows clearly the critical challenges facing India today—polarization, political opportunism, media irresponsibility, and diplomatic isolation. It’s high time for honest introspection and decisive action. Our leaders must quickly address these issues transparently, clearly, and decisively. The world is watching closely, and India’s credibility is at stake. Let’s learn our lessons and act before it's too late.