Camera: Nitin Chopra
Editor: Ashutosh Bhardwaj
Amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan and the release of Wing Commander Abhinanadan, the country has undergone a whirlwind of emotions.
On 14 February, the JeM, a Pakistan-based terror outfit attacked a CRPF convoy in Pulwama killing 40 jawans. The Indian Air Force, in a non-military, preemptive strike, bombed JeM's training camp on 26 February. In retaliation, Pakistan on 27 February, attempted to attack India's military bases along the LoC.
Tensions have been rising along the LoC and Pakistan is under tremendous pressure to eliminate the terror camps that have been breeding on its soil for decades now.
Students from Lady Shri Ram College, Delhi University, weighed in on the Indo-Pak situation.
I think what the Air Force did was actually pretty brave, pretty dauntless – and it was the right thing to do. Considering the attacks that we had in Pulwama, it is just so sad, and the government did the right thing.Laxmi, Student, LSR
Things aren’t necessarily black-and-white in a war-like situation, adds Tayyaba, another student from LSR.
When it comes to military operations, there may not be a very black-and-white situation at hand. The foreign ministers did a very comprehensive statement for the same. It was a preemptive strike, it was something that they had to do because it was an imminent threat. However, in this scenario, whether it was the best thing to do, or whether it was not the best thing to do, that would depend entirely upon how the politics behind this works out to be.Tayyaba, Student, LSR
The students however were conflicted on whether the forces should put out evidence of the Balakot strike.
Had the strikes been a failure, our forces would never have revealed its details but since they have been revealed and the forces are so confident, I think we should believe the forces.Sakshi, Student, LSR
As far as defence matters are concerned, we should leave them to the people who know the best, which is the Defence Ministry and the Air Force, the Navy and the Army. I don’t think that we should be questioning the motives of our saviours because of whom we are able to sleep very peacefully at night.Sakshi, Student, LSR
In my opinion, there are elections coming and there were a lot of things that the government was losing out on. There was the domestic politics, the job deficiency, then there was the Rafale deal, etc. Then when something like this came about, the government is treading very carefully and this is how I, as a student with very little knowledge, is able to navigate through and understand what is going on.Tayyaba, Student, LSR
The students unanimously spoke against war and the idea of ‘aestheticisation of war’ and that dialogue should be the best way forward for both the countries.
The better thing to do is sit and talk, especially when one side, surprisingly the side that is blamed for spreading violence is saying, “Let’s sit and talk and let’s chart out a plan”.Tayyaba, Student, LSR
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