14

May

Modi government’s post-Pahalgam acts: Facts and fiction

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A close-up of a person with glasses AI-generated content may be incorrect.Looking at developments post-Pahalgam tragedy that struck the nation on April 22 till the US Donald Trump’s enforced ceasefire between the two nuclear neighbours requires a dispassionate and discernible analytical approach that is rather not a smooth and easy task particularly in the backdrop of claims and counter-claims being made India, Pakistan and the US.

On the one hand, the Modi government damage control department is hyper active in building an alternative narrative to convince domestic constituency that India achieved its objective through the overwhelming success of the ‘Operation Sindoor’ and other hand Washington and Islamabad are presenting their side of the versions which have seemingly put New Delhi on the backfoot.       

To chaff out facts from an ocean of fiction manufactured by the country’s media to be able to inform my readers is a huge challenge confronting me but I will try to present an account that would help in having an honest perspective of the situation as it exists today.       

First and foremost, people and opposition parties had rallied behind the Modi government in a rare display of unity giving a carte blanche to teach a lesson to Pakistan for its heinous act in Pahalgam.   

The nation was expecting a decisive blow to terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and beyond that so Islamabad would not think again to hit and hurt India and its people. Jingoism was acting as a barrier to any critical appreciation or appraisal of the situation. Nation, state and the government had apparently melted into one as a big vocal majority was ready to pronounce anyone striking a different chord an ‘anti-national’ or a ‘traitor’

 

Column at a Glance
The aftermath of the Pahalgam tragedy on April 22 has led to heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, culminating in a ceasefire mediated by the U.S. President Donald Trump. The Modi government has been active in crafting a narrative of success following "Operation Sindoor," which targeted terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan.
Wednesday Wisdom
By Satish Misra
However, this has been met with skepticism, particularly from retired military officials questioning the strategic gains of India's actions. The ceasefire announcement sparked controversy, with India asserting it was a bilateral decision, while Pakistan acknowledged U.S. involvement. Modi's silence on Trump's claims has fueled opposition criticism, suggesting that India has compromised its sovereignty. The situation reflects a complex interplay of national sentiment, military readiness, and international diplomacy, leaving the Modi government in a precarious position as it navigates both domestic and foreign pressures.

On May 7, the ‘Operation Sindoor’ was launched and Indian Armed Forces specially the Air Force carried out precision strike at nine sites of terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Five of the nine sites that India hit were in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. The remaining four were in Punjab – in Bahawalpur, Muridke, Shakar Garh and a village near Sialkot.

Before the attack, India had suspended its participation in Indus Waters Treaty that Pakistan relies on for tis water supply. In retaliation, Pakistan had suspended the 1972 Simla Agreement. Both countries had also scaled back their diplomatic ties and each had also expelled each other’s citizens.           

The spin cycle kicked off at 5:35pm IST on Saturday, when Trump tweeted: “After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE.” Just two minutes later, Secretary of State Marco Rubio followed up with a detailed statement, claiming credit for a flurry of calls with Modi, Sharif, the DGMOs, and the NSA chiefs of both countries.

India responded an hour later with its version. While Pakistan acknowledged a US role and praised Rubio – and what it said was Trump’s direct intervention – India insisted the ceasefire came from a direct hotline chat between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs), initiated by Pakistan’s side.

Foreign secretary Vikram Misri, in a stiff televised statement, said the ceasefire was a "bilateral" decision made through military hotlines – no mention of Trump or Rubio. “It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land,” Misri said, reinforcing India’s position: no third-party involvement in dealings with Pakistan.

India also denied Rubio’s claim that the two sides had agreed to meet for further talks at a neutral venue. That didn’t stop Trump from posting on Truth Social the next day that he wanted to “work with you both to see if after a ‘thousand years’ a solution can be arrived at concerning Kashmir”.

While Trump happily took credit for ending the fighting, he noticeably skipped over Pakistan’s well-established role in cross-border terrorism. “There was no pressure on the real source of the problem,” commented one ex-diplomat.

Trump wrapped up his Sunday post with a glowing shoutout: “God Bless the leadership of India and Pakistan on a job well done” and promised to “increase trade substantially with both of these great Nations.”

While how the ceasefire came about is just one twist in the ambiguous tale of the four-day war, problem for the Modi government began to mount questions specially from retired Armed Forces veterans began to be asked at social media platforms. A query by former Chief of the Army Staff Gen Ved Malik, who led country in Kargil war was hard hitting and was taken note off by the government. He wrote on X formerly Twitter: “We have left India’s future history to ask what politico-strategic advantages, if any, were gained after its kinetic and non-kinetic actions post Pakistani horrific terror strike in Pahalgam on 22 Apr”.

Another former Army officer, Col Rohit Chaudhary (Retd), joined issues with Gen Mali ageing with him wrote: “TOTAL LET DOWN - Defence Forces were ready to change the geographical map of PAK - Govt chickened out Nation’s Sentiment Betrayed…Nation’s Sentiment Betrayed… Sad!! As a soldier, I feel totally let down & betrayed !!”

Post ceasefire developments seem to have been pushed Prime Minister Modi into a tight corner particularly by when his friend US President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that he wanted to work with India and Pakistan for a solution in Kashmir. It gave a golden opportunity to the Opposition to tear into the BJP-led NDA government, accusing it of allowing foreign interference in one of the country’s most sensitive bilateral matters.

While his government launched a massive drive to build a counter narrative, Modi maintained silence refusing to meet the opposition. His silence became awkward but with a key US trade deal in play, he possible couldn’t afford to publicly contradict Trump’s self-styled role as peacemaker. There seems to be much more at stake than it meets the ordinary eye.

What shocked me further was that Modi in his 3 minutes long address to the nation on 12 May carefully circumvented any reference to Trump’s claim of making the two countries agree to a ceasefire which in turn reinforces the opposition’s charge that India has compromised its independence and has become a US camp follower.

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