Weak nations and weak people target adversaries on a terrain which is not the primary theatre of conflict. It is a week since the Pulwama terror attack and a section of Indians are beginning to behave like headless chicken.
Although there is no reason to disbelieve Prime Minister Narendra Modi that both perpetrators and backers of the act of terrorism would be suitably punished, at a time, place and nature chosen by Indian defence and security forces, the bulk of his supporters do not appear to have faith in his words.
In a way, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is being paid back in his own coin. After being fed on the mantra of instantaneous action for years, patience is a virtue his supporters no longer have. Retribution for the attack on the Central Reserve Police Force convoy is thus being sought in different ways – targeting of people of Kashmiri origin in other parts of India and calling for a ban on Kashmiri products and craftspeople and stopping Amarnath Yatras.
Just as ostracising Kashmiris living outside their own state or asking all Muslims in the country to prove their loyalty repeatedly in no way contributes to fighting terrorism, the latest demand that the Board of Control for Cricket in India must ask the International Cricket Council to ban Pakistan from this year’s World Cup, would not help India in combating terrorism.