The Rediff Special
'India has not sold its national interest'
Nightmare of Flight 814, Message Board. Views verbatim, edited lightly.
Name:Tarun Bansal
Email:bansaltarun@rediffmail.com
Message:The govt. should not have released the terrorists and this would prove to be the worst decision taken by the bjp govt.
These three who were released to save 154 will now kill thousands on our own soil including the armymen.
Releasing these terrorists means a betrayal to all those who have sacrificed their life for the sake of the country.
Everybody is praising Taliban for its support given to us despite we not having any political relations with them. They don't think that the Taliban succeeded in the game they were playing with us. All our top beurocrats failed in finding any solution to this problem. Taliban if wanted would have allowed the Indian troops to invade the aircraft or it could have ordered it's military men to do so but it didn't and it resulted in the release of 3 deadly militants. Any aggressive step would have proved fruitful if it were allowed.
So I conclude by saying that if the govt. wants the same good reputation, then it must work hard to arrest those hardcore militants again including the highjackers who threatened to strike again while leaving the aircraft. All such militants should be shot at the same time & if they are not.... result is being seen by the whole world.
Hoping that our govt. will try to be more alert taking appropriate action against Nepal also for it's negligence.
Tarun Bansal
Name:Rajesh
Email:mk_raj@yahoomail.com
Message:Why was it necessary for the Govt to keep the militants alive all these years.So foolish.
Name:A R DESHPANDE
Email:ABAJID@HOTMAIL.COM
Message:INDIAN GOVT CAUGHT IN A TIGHT SPOT.HANDLED THE SITATION BADLY AT AMRITSAR.TO AVOID SIMILIAR NIGHTMARISH SITUATIONS NEED TO BE PROACTIVE.
Name:VIKRAM SAMANT
Email:vsamant1@vsnl.com
Message:the last thing India should have done was to release the terrorists.It is rather selfish to have not bothered about the 150 odd passengers,but alot of young men (Indian Soldiers) died in Kargil,and similarly alot of Indian jawans died for the Kashmir cause. ALSO YOUNG RUPEN'S DEATH AND THE TRAUMA FOR RACHNA IS ALL IN VAIN NOW
Name:Vivek Anand
Email:vivianand@rediffmail.com
Message:No, the government should not have released the militants in the exchange for the crew and passengers of Flight 814.
There will definitely be a direct in the Kashmir insurgency. Already we can feel the militant upsurgency in Kashmir. Last weeks attack on the Police Headquarters in Srinagar is an evidence for this.
By doing this the Government has set a bad precedent. By doing this the government has compromised its security interests.
Now the militants will again come back to Kashmir and they are going to kill hunderds and thousands of innocents. For that it is better to lose 154 lives for the security of the nation.
This shows the Governments indecisiveness, incapability and irresponsibility.
By doing this India has lost its Pride and Dignity.
Name:Jai Hind
Email:harry@hotmail.com
Message:Yes, there is no harm. All the three were suffering with
HIV and now this will spread to other members of organization. I think now Harkat-Ul-Ansar will have to open a hospital instaead of a new terrorist camp.
Take care,
Harry
Name:Capt. RK Singh
Email:captrksingh@usa.net
Message:Self feel that the action taken by the governement is correct.
India will get more support from other countries and India's position will become more stronger.
Regards,
Capt. RK Singh
Name:Deepa M. Krishnan
Email:deepa_krishnan@hotmail.com
Message:Why did'nt we do an Entebbe at Amritsar ?!!
Name:
Email:
Message:Respected Prime minister,
This was not expected from you sir. It was a biggest blunder of the bygone century.
Name:Janani
Email:k_janani@usa.net
Message:Well, according to me the govenment were right in releasing the passengers, as it would be cruel to risk the life of passengers because of lack of security reasons. What were the officials doing when the plane landed for nearly 45 minutes in amrister ? We should have never let the plane take off from amrister, as it would complicate things once the plane goes out of India. This is what exactly happened when the plane landed in Kandahar. Atleast , i hope from now onwards the government would take necessary precautions against such hijacking cases and deal in a better manner so as to not sell out the national interest.
Name:ARUN KAMAT
Email:ARUNKAM@BOM8.VSNL.NET.IN
Message:THE VP SINGH GOVERNMENT HAS SENT A BAD PRECEDENT BY RELEASING TERRORISTS FOR MISS RUBIYA SAYEED. THERE SHOULD AN ACT OF PARLIAMENT BANNING THE RELEASE OF TERRORISTS FOR SECURING THE RELEASE OF ANY PERSON, BE IT THE PRESIDENT OR THE PRIME MINISTER.
Name:bhanu rajagopalan
Email:bhanu@lycosmail.com
Message:let me be very clear on one point in the beginning itself. that the hijackers first and initial demand was the release of only one mr. maulana masood azhar.
our govt. released 3 of them and then claimed that they made the hijackers scale their demands. undoubtedly they did make the hijackers scale down the demand, but who knows whether the hijackers made such a demand or it was fabricated by the govt sources to project themselves as the winners. instead of wearing the hijackers out by taking more time to react, the govt. itself was worn out and had to pay a price 300 percent higher than the original one.
undoubteldy what has happened shall cause a worry in the minds of all sir-travellers now as the airport security (though its not as bad as tribhuvan) is not worth giving medals to our security guys. this itself gives the upper hand to the insurgents as they have a sureshot way of creating a fear psychosis.
the way the whole crisis was handled puts the nation to shame as we have not only sold the national interest but also have very adversely affected the counter insurgency operation and the morale of the armed forces.
Name:Aswathi
Email:aswathis@giasbga.vsnl.net.in
Message:No,the government should not have released the terrorists as it would lead to more hijackings.The hijackers will start demanding the release of many terrorists & india will no longer be a safe country.
Name:K.MADHU SUDHAN GUPTA
Email:msgupta9@yahoo.com
Message:are you planning hijacking 11 months before (in map details) i find following message.
December 24, 2000
Pakistan allows landing after New Delhi makes a request. Plane is refuelled. Takes off for Oman. Permission to land in Muscat refused. Heads for Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Name:zubin noshir adrianvala
Email:zarch1@hotmail.com
Message:the released terrorists should have been injected with a 20cc H.I.V dose to terminate their useless existance in some time cause they are a disease in themselves.Or trace and terminate them.
JAI HIND.
Name:koranne
Email:koranne@roltanet.com
Message:
Name:champak dhan
Email:champakda@hotmail.com
Message:we are a nation who will keep getting humiliated time and again-and whats more, we deserve it.if five hundred lives can be willingly sacrificed to save a bit of desolate land, surely some more could be bargained for to save national honour.cowardice displayed by the relatives in forcing the govt , and the succumbing by the govt was a shame.
Name:Ashok Ram Kumar
Email:ashokramkumar@yahoo.com
Message:Atlest now our Govt should wake up and get in to formulation the much wanted Standard Operations Procedure. The Govt should also have a minimum 5 to 6 anti hijack teams comprising of crack commondos, doctors, engineers pyshcological operations experts and time buying negotiators. Also essential would be atlest three"air marshalls" travelling in the flights. Things would be made much easier for the storming commandos if these marshals are on board any hijacked plane. Finally the hijackers should not be taken alive. It should be the policy that the hijacker be shot dead.
Name:Ashok Ram Kumar
Email:ashokramkumar@yahoo.com
Message:I would hold the incompetent crisis managers, Politicians and the bureacrate resposible for the release of the terrorists. I also ask the hostages who have been released whether they are happy about this "dangerous barter". In the complete episode one point stood out - the Govt did not have the political will to hit the hijackers at Amritsar or for that matter at Kandar, immediately during the first two days.
Having tasted such a humilaition the Govt should now put into practise its much bloated "pro active" response. This includes search and destry missions within our countery and also in PAK Occupied kashmir. Readers may note that like Israel or germany or USA India has atlest three very professional Special Operations units. These units are rated as one of the top Special Forces Units in the world. These units are equipped to undertake any kind of operations either in air land or sea. then why is the Govt hesitant to use these units. Its only when war is take to the door step of the enemy that the enemy would feel unsafe. unless such an action is take we may have to face many more hijacks, bombings, killings and kidnappings.
Name:kirat singhji
Email:kiratsinghji@rediffmail.com
Message:We deserve the kicking we get. As a nation we have no spine. Its alright to willingly sacrifice 500 of our soldiers to re-capture some desolate and useless land, but we pee in our pants when national honour is at stake. Its a shame on those relatives who pressurised the govt, and on the govt for succumbing. What answers do we to give to the families of those jawans, who gave up their lives to capture those terrorists in the first place and who we so willingly freed.A national shame.
Name:Indian
Email:aaa@aaa.com
Message:I think Only trade shud have been taken place on Indian Soil, and when the person, masood, whom they were tryin to release from Indian Jail, shud have been shot dead in front of the other hijackers, while Indian Army take over the plane,it may sound too
radical, but next time others will think twice b4 they think of doin somethin like this. and still there is enough time to take care of other militants in indian jail, i mean shot them in encounter while they try to escape from jail.it's like
"NO BANSH NO BANSHURI"
Name:R Mallik
Email:roop_mallik@rediffmail.com
Message:NO !! they should not have been
released.
It makes me sick to hear stories
about the "bravery" of the pilot
(Capt. D. Sharan) and the other
passengers. WHAT BRAVERY ?? 150
people could not put up any
resistance..they begged for
release....whom are we trying
to fool ???
Name:ram chandra
Email:kash@rice.edu
Message:We Indians have never valued
human life greatly. Just look at all
the people that live & die on the
streets. We are happy
so long as there are hindi movies and
cricket. We are not capable of running
a country. 26th Jan 2000 would be
a good day to disband the republic,
divide the country among all the religions and castes.
Name:pallavi
Email:mistyeyed_19@hotmail.com
Message:it was really a catch 22 situation that the government of india was faced with.on my part i felt it is better to die than live in hell .i agree i was not one of the pilots aboard on flight ic-814but eve if i were i would rather that the hijackers kill me then i see 3 hard core militants get released.thousandes of lives have gone n capturing these terrorist n thousandes of lives will again go .all said n done the recent crisus has exposed the inadequacy n the inablility of the indian government to handle the crisus.lives of 900 million people are now at stake.isnt our government worried about those lives.lives have gone in the kargil war ..what is our amy fighting for ...they fight n fight ..sy their lives to rest for the country only ...for the overnment to release the terrorist.its sad that a day has come where there is a danger to life.its was sad to know that one of the hijackers was a lse graduate ..what have they become.
no these 3 people should not have got released ..someone sais if they could release 7 militants for a daughter of a minister why not 36 or 3 for 160 .true but if we go by that logic then a precidence has now been set ..a time will come when we will have to draw the line n the question is when ...it will be too late ten.a battle may have won but we have lost a war what a true statement this newspaer has quoted.how could our government just bow then.it may have been the best possdible deal they coud have struck given the circumstances given the condition .but a precidence has now been set.thousandes of lives are going to go ..thousandes of hijacking are going to take place as people now know hijack a plane a bus a tain and we willget our demands met.blunder have been made in a;l the stages throughout n someone gotaa accept resposibilty.if lives were that inportant thn why the delay in sending negotiators.why has it taken our government more than 72 hours to react n wake up.someone has to take resposibilty.
kashmir ..everything concerning india n pakistan go to kashmir .definately its going to affect kashmir ..militancy will again be on a rise ...
n yes india has sold out on natinal interst.by releasing 3 militants for the sake of 160 passengers ..the government has put the lives of 900 millin people on jeopardy.
zero tolerance on terrorism et all .what was that speech all about ...i really dont know.
Name:achan512
Email:achan512@rediffmail.com
Message:its sad that we head to bow down to terrorists.
we suld hve never kept these militants live for so long , kill them as soon as they are put them in jail after severe torture and castration
Name:Anil Sahai
Email:anil_sahai@hotmail.com
Message:Why couldn't they just inject
the three jailed militants with Aids virus before releasing?
Name:rajeevyande
Email:yanderaj@hotmail.com
Message:yes, I agree, releasing militants won't set a good trend. However how one could forget that the passengers in the plane were innocent souls. The Kashmir problem needs to be sorted out, certainly not at the cost of unfortunate hostages. there is a saying "bachenge to aur bhi ladhenge!" The security checks should be made extremely stringent. The airline officials and the crew should recheck the handbaggage of all the boarding passengers at the entrance door of the aircraft.
No Indian should unnecessarily blame the government for whatever steps had to be taken but should press for strict security checks.
Name:Affected Indian
Email:porkypig127@icqmail.com
Message:Thank you Mr.Vajpayee :
for making me ashamed at being called an Indian,
for showing us how resourceful our great country is,
for displaying the guts and resolve that Maharana Pratap and countless others born in this country have earlier displayed,
for saving the lives of a 150 odd and giving up the lives of the 1500 that those 3 will now kill,
for proving that the lives of a few civilians are infinitely more precious to your government than the lives of the men in uniform we lost in Kargil,
for proving that u'r still a young man at heart with fire in your belly,
for making me ashamed to call myself an Indian.
Name:Raj
Email:
Message:The plane should have been stormed in Amritsar but
it wasn't done due to the exaggerated strength of
the hijackers.I fell the indian government has
handled this situation gracefully and did the right
thing.
Name:Sanjay
Email:sb@netcom.com
Message:Our country is and has been run by people with no dignity or common sense (e.g. Chandrashekhar).. and these were the people who opted to release the terrorists.
In the big picture, it is the fault of the Indian people really, who have accepted corruption and corrupt and incompetent govt. officials in all aspects of their
lives. There has never been a move to rid our country of the people who create these fiascos in the first place!
Name:sanjujoy
Email:drsanju@hotmail.com
Message:itwas ashame on millions of Indians.We have a national security gaurd (NSG)The govn head by a
Name:ramachandra menon
Email:ramachandramenon@rediffmail.com
Message:India did not sell out our national interests. our main concern to save the lives of the passengers held as hostages. what was done in the given circumstances is very correct. its impact on Kashmir insurgency will be looked into when we come to that. Now our concern was to save the hostages.
Name:Rahul Vadera
Email:rahul_vadera@hotmail.com
Message:What a shame to start a new century .
It may be easy to say that our political leadership
is immature whether it is from any party. And our bureaucrats are
incompetant. We as a nation has failed to give the citizen of this country there
basic rights including security .
It doesn't matter whether government should or shouldn't release the militants . As both
the steps has it's own cons . Still it was a moderate deal considering the incompetance of our system.
I am happy that it is our . so we can concentrate on other things . Ofcourse this decision will have a negative impact
on Kashmir insurgency and our national interests . But we should be now working towards reducing these impacts.
Thanks
Name:anuj tewari
Email:whoami@weedmail.com
Message:i dont understand why they
dont kill the terorists when
they capture them. this way
hijacings wont take place to
release them.
Name:WE
Email:trueromantic@usa.net
Message:INDIA FR LONG HS BEEN VIEWED AS A "SOFT STATE" BY THESE "EXTEMISTS"!
DID INDIA DO RIGHT BY RELEASING THE TERRORISTS - YES & NO - BOTH!
YES - ON THE HUMANITARIAN CAUSE!
NO - IT MADE US LOOK ALL THE MORE VULNERABLE TO THESE KIND OF ACTS!
BUT ITS TIME TO "ACT NOW" - "TWO SIGNALS - KARGIL & KANDHAR" .. GUESS THAT SHUD B ENUF FR OUR "MEDIA HOGGING & CREDITLESS POLITICAL PARTIES + SYSTEM " TO WAKE UP & TAKE ACTION.
STRIKE THE ROOTS - EXTREME STEPS TO EXTERMISTS - NO FUNDAMENTALISM SPONSORED ACTIVITIES - SHUD BE THE SIGNAL!
ERADICATE THE "DELAY" IN THE SYSTEM - IF PEOPLE LIKE MASOOD AZHAR ARE KEPT ALIVE THE THESE WILL HAPPEN!! WHY KEEP THESE ANTI HUMAN PEOPLE ALIVE FR SO MANY YEARS AFTER CAPTURING THEM? FINISH THEM THEN & THERE!
"DONOT" GIVE THESE ELEMENTS "RESPECT" BY CALLING THE "MAULANA" MASOOD AZHAR ... HE IS ANOTHER STRAY DOG IN ONE OF THE MANY WHICH PAKISTAN & OTHER GULF STATES ARE SEDING TO INDIA ON THE BASIS OF "SOME FALLACY" CLLED "JEHAD" .... DO THEY KNOW WHAT IS JEHAD .. OR IT MEANS ... CORRUPTING THE YOUTH ON THE NAME OF RELIGION FR YR OWN BENFIT???
DECALRE AN OPEN WAR WARNING TO PAKISTAN & SEVERE ALL CULTURAL + SPORT + ALL TIES WITH THEM .. NO PAKISTANI ALOOWED IN INDIA & NO INDIAN TO VISIT PAKISTAN!!!
& GET THESE KIDNAPPERS TO THE BOOK & TRIAL IN INDIA .. REMEMBER AMERICAN LIBYA LOCKBERIE ... FOLLOW IT TILL THESE GUYS ARE BOT TO THE BOOK!!
LET BE OPEN IN OUR "ANTI TERRORIST" STAND & "FIGHT" THOSE WHO COMEIN THE WAY OF SHEILDING THE TERRORISTS!!!
Name:Ram Ramachandran
Email:ramachan9@yahoo.com
Message:I am fully in agreement with
the outcome and the decision
to resolve the crisis. No matter
what one might say, valuable innocent
lives were at stake. You can not
equate the lives of terrorists
with innocent passengers.
I am suspecting that the
Talibans and the Pakistani regime
to a large extent were involved in
behind this whole episode.
If I were at the helm of affairs, I
would have put a vehicle tracking
device on the escape car and at some
point where it would be safe blow
the escape car with the help of US
commando group that can practically
strike from any point.
This would have atleast put a damper on
further acts of terrorism to some
extent and teach the lesson that you can not
get away with crime.
Name:Rakesh
Email:rdogra@myna.com
Message:NO. This was more of a political resolution to a problem.
Had the plane been held on Indian soil a military solution would have been
more apt one.
Also, since the government had failed to stop the plane at Amritsar, it was under pressure to
get the hostages released.
Name:Kumar Govind
Email:kumar_murugan@hotmail.com
Message:Now that the hijacking incident is over, the BJP government should focus on putting things together to bring the whole episode to light and justify its statements internationally, before it becomes another sad incident of the past in the hands of terrorists.
Name:Amit Paul
Email:ak_paul@rediffmail.com
Message:It was really heartening to see the hostages back to us., but its painful to think that we had to surrender before the terrorists.I think its enough now,we're wasting so much of money, humanlives and time, just to salvage our pride, in keeping Kashmir.We should go for a permanent solution, if necessary...plebisite.Let the people of Kashmir decide in which side they can lead a comfortable life.
Name:R. Amaria
Email:mikoo@email.com
Message:I am relieved to note the end of the hijacking crisis, however, I do not find it digestable that the Indian Government would let the hijackers run scot free. I do understand that it must have been awfully hard to work out a negotiation whereby the safety of those onboard was in focus, but it still does not seem sound to have let them run free. They should be punished and found guilty at all cost. I also feel that India should not lie still when it is a known fact that it was a hand of the Pakistan Government- a terrorist nation. The entire world at large has now witnessed the ugly nation it really is.
Name:rajashree
Email:rajashreec@hotmail.com
Message:India has not sold its national interest. It has done its best to save the
people in the aircraft. The Indian Government
has paid heavily by releasing the three
militants. Now that our people
who were on board are freed and safe,all
possible precautions should be
taken throughout the country to
keep a check of the notorious actions
caused by these militants. They may take Indian people by the same
sentiments or it can be even more severe. It is time for the Indians to awake and arise.
The Indian Government and social service people should bring in the awareness of National Unity and Integrity in our people.
we Indians should move hand-in-hand and extend all possible support to our government to fight against our enemies.
Name:s.p.shankar
Email:shanksinvest@netscape.com
Message:The Govt. was wrong in releasing the hardcore militants, in exchange for the hijackers.
Knowing fully well that the Taliban Govt., as well as the Pakistan Govt., were totally
hand in glove with the hijackers, the Indian Govt., should have, at a point in time,
told the Taliban officials that they (the Indian negotiators) were returning to India
and that the matter was now between the Taliban and the Hijackers. BUT, should a single
hostage be harmed, for every hostage harmed - three militants in Indian jails would be
mercilessly killed (ofcourse this would have to be told unofficially - moreso considering
that we have a totally irresponsible media and press in this country, not forgetting the
so called Human rights activists (who are actually enemies of the nation in disguise).
Name:Shrenik
Email:shrenik_shah@hotmail.com
Message:I really don't think that it is right for the government to release three hardcore militants. And i don't inderstand that if they were to do so than why didn't they release only one militant that the hijackers asked for initially. This militants are going to kill more of our indian soldiers. Isn't there lives valued. It is ultimately going to result in the same equation. If there was no option thet should have stormed the plane instead
Name:S Ifthi
Email:
Message:THE INDIAN GOVERMENT DID A SPLENDID JOB IN SECURING THE RELEASE OF THE HOSTAGES ABOARD FLIGHT IC-814.BUT NOW THE GOVERMENT SHOULD BRING THE TERRORIST AND THE HIJACKERS TO JUSTICE.WE SHOULD NOT BE SEEN AS A NATION THAT IS SOFT ON TERRORISM.AT THE SAME I HAVE
NOTICED THERE IS THIS TENDENCY
OF EQUATING RELIGON WITH TERRORISM WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY
ABNOXIOUS AND DIGUSTING BECAUSE NO RELIGON PERMITS KILLING OF ANY INNOCENT CIVILLIANS OR DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY.I HOPE EVERYONE REALISES AND UNDERSTANDS THIS.
Name:arun chaba
Email:arun_chaba@hotmail.com
Message:At no cost, the millitants should have been released. It has lowered the esteem of the county to a great extent. Had the outcome of the episode been 160 slain bodies, it would have kept our head up before the world. Otherwise also, the released millitants and the boosted confidence of their friends in kashmir will take more number of lives than we have saved.
Name:Indian
Email:shakthi.dharan@usa.net
Message:If the Hijacker's identity is not really known, what are the ways that any Government(including the hostile Pakistan)could take to identify them and arrest them. Is it possible for the Indian security agencies to check these thugs, if they come into any crossing in India with fake passports? No way!! We have let a golden chance slip by allowing the Taliban to let go these animals, who will again come back to unleash terror.
Name:mohnish.a
Email:auroratowers@usa.net
Message:the taliban had asked the hijackers to drop their demand for 200 million dlrs. and the body of afghani,saying it was unislamic.the hijackers promptly dropped these demnds. this raises two questions:does islam agree to torture and kill humans and isn't the hand of the taliban in this quite obvious?
Name:Sanjoy Banerjee
Email:sanban@singnet.com.sg
Message:Negotiating with terrorists always send wrong signals. What is the guarantee that there will be no such actions in future? And if there is, will the Government be able to do anything different after having set a precedence? If not, then twelve hijacks later all the thirty six millitants would be free anyway. And lastly, and most importantly, what about those guys who laid down their lives trying to catch these terrorists? How come their lives are considered less important than the ones saved now?
Name:rajesh
Email:simpex@emirates.net.ae
Message:India has sold national interest.
The hijackers and the prisoners should not have
been released. Any number of
lives is not important than the nation. It shows
that our jawans who have sacrificed
their lives fighting the terrorist and the pakis were stupid.
India should have killed the prisoners
immediately.
Now I hope that the security forces will see
that the politicians are cowards. They just want to
fill their house. The forces
should make a policy not to take any terrorist as prisoners but shoot
him immediately and the people
who talk about the human rights of terrorist
should be branded as traitors
and killed with terrorists
Name:Amrish Kumar
Email:Rahuli@excite.com
Message:The government should not have released the terrorists under any condition. One should realise that at such a time the hostages represent the entire Indian Nation and just as a soldier gives his life for the country so must a hostage be ready to sacrifise his life.
The scenes by their relatives were pathatic and the country will have to pay a great price for this miserable Government failiure.
Name:Thakur Vikas Sinha
Email:tvsinha@hotmail.com
Message:Enjoying the New Year with the released hostages or going on a high on Opium
Very often in our lives, we have to forsake an immediate benefit for a long-term gain. This is one trait that all successful people exhibit. In the book Emotional Intelligence, an anecdote about children in narrated, where those children who keep their immediate desire for sweet in check and are capable of waiting are found to achieve greater success in life over a period of time.
This is one of the time-tested wisdom that has been distilled over generations and is well accepted.
However, faced with a tough situation like the airline hijacking, Mr Vajpayee chose to act like a drug addict who forsakes his health for immediate gratification. Yes, we saw the hostages' families celebrating the new year, but did he think of the long term impact of his action.
In one stroke, he has managed to shatter the morale of the security forces and their family members. Their reactions have even started coming on the television. He has managed to embolden the terrorist to indulge in more such acts of terrors. He has managed to destroy the high pedestal of nationalism that his party had created.
As for his personal image, he appears to be a Teflon soldier, tough looking, but actually a weakling who would chicken out quickly. Fit only to make bold statements, but extremely weak and servile in his actions.
Sometime back, people were asking if Vajpayee was the right man in the wrong party. I think the correct question is if he is the wrong man in the right party.
Also, since it is a long-term war against terrorism that our nation faces and not a one off stand-off, we have to take a hard look at what steps to take so that we emerge stronger. What if Vajpayee is made to resign for his action of chickening out?
Since we know that politician, as a class is power hungry, the
Name:prashant singh chauhan
Email:prashant@yahoo.com
Message:I personally feel we should not have let the terrorists go scot free, whatever may have been the conscequences of not bowing to the highjackers demands. The armed forces / paramilitary / police have lost many a lives in the process of capturing these individuals, how can the lives of these men be so cheap???
I think though it may sound cold what would have been the worst case scenario... that all of 156 people on board would have got killed... i think it would not have been a great loss in the bigger picture... its time we civilians also gave up something for the good of the country
Name:calvin
Email:calvins@hotmail.com
Message:should have killed those hijackers
Name:Vearesh Sharma
Email:v_sharma26@yahoo.com
Message:Hijacking event exposed that India has to review two aspects, one, airlines security systems (that covers entire gamut of intelligence and counter intelligence as well as ground security systems) AND second, the way India deals with arrested people termed as 'militants'. Indian government must ensure that as soon as a militant is arrested on fairly solid evidence of being involved in anti-India activities, he should be liquidated, with or without trial. This too may sound an 'extremist' step and not in line with human rights conventions, this policy becomes fair when we consider the sufferings of innocent people (like in hijacked plane) and no voice of protest comes from the watchdogs of human rights worldwide. If India considers the now released militants from Indian jails, so dangerous, then what was India doing keeping and feeding them all these years in the first place?
Read what other readers said:
'Get into Afghanistan and kill the hijackers'
'The Govt should directly talk with the hijackers and release the passengers without succumbing to their demands'
'Distract the hijackers, storm the plane, shoot the criminals and rescue the hostages'
'An SOP must be in place, formulated without a second's delay'
'We should do an operation a la Entebbe whatever the consequences'
'The Govt should avail of all diplomatic means to get the passengers released'
'Never give in to terrorist demands'
'The relatives' behaviour is understandable --- they are under emotional pressure'
'It is scary to think what the 35 terrorists would do if they were released'
'Indian are and will always be ready to sacrifice their lives for the nation'
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