More than 2,02,000 people have signed a Change.org petition urging Prime Minister Modi to seek justice for Kargil war heroes Captain Saurabh Kalia and five others at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
The petition, started by N K Kalia, Captain Kalia’s father, asks the PMO to take Pakistan to court for the torture and murder of Captain Kalia on 9 June, 1999.
The petition, which was started two months ago, has gone viral. On 20 July, an overwhelmed N K Kalia thanked the more than 1.5 lakh people who’ve signed it.
Signing the petition on Change.org, Abhishek Shanker Upadhyay said,
I would not mind sacrificing [my] life for my country, for my family. But would not love to do it, when nobody cares about my family, nobody fights for justice.
Aman Chugh wrote, “What is right is right. Justice must be given.”
Yet another signer of the petition Pragati Patil said:
Capt Saurabh Kalia & 5 martyred soldiers who were brutally tortured by Pakistan deserve justice. What has been done with them was against the international rights of prisoner of war as per the Geneva Convention. Pakistan has to answer before the court of justice for its inhumane act.
Aditya Bali said, “it is inhuman to treat a soldier like that. If not punished Pakistan would do it again.”
On July 26, Kargil Vijay Diwas, N K Kalia thanked people for the support he received.
I bow in gratitude to all the persons who have rendered & still doing in this noble campaign with their overwhelming support to seek justice for our valiant fallen soldiers.
On this historic Kargil Vijay Diwas & with kind of public support,may the Nation remind the persons in power they just cannot overlook the soldiers!
Praying for more & more support!
Read the entire Change.org petition by NK Kalia here.
My son was tortured. His eardrums were pierced with hot iron rods, eyes punctured, gouged out and genitals cut off. The Pakistan army burnt his body with cigarettes, broke most of his bones and teeth but he did not break his silence through this barbaric torture.
They ultimately shot him dead.
I am the proud father of Capt. Saurabh Kalia who laid down his life in Kargil war while being held as a prisoner of war by the Pakistani army.
On June 9,1999, Indian army received his brutally tortured body from the Pakistan army & flew it to Palampur after conducting detailed post-mortem in New Delhi. My son went down protecting this country but his patriotism, grit, and valour never deserted.
Even after a lapse of 16 years, justice is still eluding.
Sign my petition asking the PM Narendra Modi and Ministry of External Affairs to take this case to the International Court of Justice.
Saurabh was patrolling with five men at 14,000 feet in Kargil to check infiltration along the Bajrang post in Kaksar area. Fired upon there by Pakistan army, these brave soldiers kept fighting until they ran out of ammunition. They were finally captured alive and kept in captivity for over 22 days.
Pakistan army subjected them to unprecedented brutal torture that violated the Geneva Convention. I want my son’s killers to be identified, booked & punished for this inhuman crime.
Saurabh, along with Sepoy Arjun Ram Baswana, Sepoy Naresh Singh Sinsinvar, Sepoy Bhikaram Mudh, Sepoy Moola Ram Bidiasar, Sepoy Bhanwar Lal Bagaria offered their supreme sacrifice in the highest traditions of Indian army.
Before Saurabh left for “Operation Vijay”, his last words to his mother were, “Maa tu dekhna, aisa kaam kar jaunga ki saari dunia mein naam hoga.”
(mother, you see one day I will do such a deed that the whole world will remember me)
Saurabh died for India. I want the Prime Minister and Ministry of External Affairs to take Pakistan to International Court of Justice for this heinous crime against humanity.
You can share and sign this petition here.
Facebook: https://goo.gl/zMwDJh
Twitter: https://goo.gl/BvcKlr
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)