The Rediff Special
'Why can't we retaliate like Israel?'
Nightmare of Flight 814, Message Board. Views verbatim, edited lightly.
Name:Prakash
Email:prakash@net.com
Message:The government should have
met the hijacker's demands
on the very first day. It is NOT
for the government to decide
if the passengers could live
or be killed by the hijackers.
My personal opinion is that,
when the government does not
know if the lives of passengers
could be traded with that of
the militants, the benefit
of the doubt should go to
the passengers, regardless of
the public opinion. If I were
a passenger on that plane, I would
want to live. I would
want the government not to
expense my life, even if
I were the only passenger on
that flight. I would want
the government to do anything
and everything possible, kick out
the militants, shell out US dollars,
and dig out the dead bodies,
to save my life. The government
does not have the right to
decide anyone's fate and cannot
make assumptions about
putting innocent lives
at stake.
The national interest has not
been sold out. I believe the
government has lost the
credibility of the passengers,
other citizens and the armed
forces to be able to make
tough decisions, one way or
the other. The government
has also been proven to be
very unprepared and unable to
solve emergency problems.
The national interest
does not lie in keeping
the three militants alive in
the jail. It lies in providing
peaceful life in Kashmir.
If nothing else, this incident,
at the expense of the 8-day trauma,
the lives of the soldiers and police
who fought to capture these
three terrorists and the life of
Rupin Katyal, should wake
up the government. This can't
be overemphasized. The government should step up the
efforts beyond all their puny
imagination to pursue
he national
interest.
Given the current situation
and the observed reactions
of the government, if there
are no further actions by
the government to solve the
fundamental problem of terrorism
within its borders, I should
be very very frightened that
these militants might even
win and grab the power some day.
Name:Satish
Email:wbsat@yahoo.com
Message:First of all,i express my
profound happiness and relief
at the release of the passengers.The government
had little choice after
the plane landed in
Taliban land..Still the govt
and the officials should have been bold and imaginative enough at amritsar considering
this was not the first hijacking in this part of the world..All plans should have been made earlier considering
emergencies like this.
Failure to learn from past lessons is not a good sign at all.If Nepal is a weak link,
then why didn't the IA have
security agencies clearing
the passengers like the israelis?..If i can think
of ideas like this as 23 yr
old student,how come
our anti-hijacking officials
found themselves stumped?
After all Prevention is better than cure.There is no succour whatsoever for
Katyals and Rachna....
I really feel for them though
i have nothing to do with their family..I don't like
the release of the three
hardcore terrorist leaders
at all...Considering the
uplift they have been having
in recent months,i thinks its most important that our security forces strike hard
with an operation to damage the rising morale
of the kashmir militancy decisively...I hope the government does not fail atleast here..Its most important some ignorant kashmiris are given
a beffiting reply for this
vile act right now!..
violence in the valley should
be made to pay a heavy price..
Name:ANIL REDDY
Email:reddy_anil@hotmail.com
Message:I REJECT AN INDIA THAT RENOUNCES ITS FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM AND HOLDING HOSTAGES AT GUN POINT! THE RELEASE OF THREE CRIMINALS IS TANTAMOUNT TO THAT. WHITER ALL THE SACRIFICES OF OUR BRAVE SOLDIERS HAVE GONE...HARE RAM :-(
Name:forom mehta
Email:forom@satyam.net.in
Message:I think the Govt did well in the given cicumstances. Kudos to A B Vajpayee and special kudos to Jaswant Singh who has shown the world that he is a statesman of the millenium.The congress and other opposition should keep quiet and stop critising after everything is over.They have not come up with any solutions but are cribbing now!!
Name:G.prakash
Email:gyan_prakash_99@yahoo.com
Message:Three terrorist are capable of taking more than 160indian lives,hence it is a bad decision by India govt.
Name:vivek
Email:lotusmaster@hotmail.com
Message:Why the known terrorists in jail from 1993? were they tried in courts any time. If they would have tried for murder or overthrowing the govt. they should have been no more or being deported. keeping top rank terrorists in jails is like keeping burning coals in your pockets. indian govt can keep quiet and wait for things to happen not the motivated people who are supported by inteligent agencies.
What govt done in short term for particular issue may be correct, but india have to improve overall approach.
Govt should not keep crying about pakistans involvement it should take up the fight at all levels on priority, every one will look at India as crying baby who can not take care of itself.
Name:Prasan.K
Email:hidamol@hotmail.com
Message:RESIGN VAJPAYEE RESIGN
------------------------
As i read with terrible horror( from US) the release of top terrorists for the exchange of hostagaes, my mind was filled with terrible images of the destruction these terrorists have brought and is going to bring to India.
Vajpayee has become a leader not capable of leading a strong India which has the capacity to take on terrorism head on. The cowardice exchange of terrorists to hostages, is indeed a terrible blow to each and every Jawan who is guarding India from kanyakumari to kashmir. It is a slap on the hundreds of military officers who has laid down life for India on various issues including kashmir.
C'mon Vajpayee if you have a single honor left in you, resign. You are the greatest coward India has ever seen. A bunch of evil hijackers has brought entire motherland, the world's largest democracy to its knees due to you.
So RESIGN. That is the greatest honour u will do you our ( no, it is no longer yours, since you have failed to safeguard India) motherland.
Name:shivshankar.s
Email:scorpionsaint@rediff.com
Message:Now that the passengers are safe,after the release of three hard-core terrorists, a nightmare ends.
The govt claims that it was successful in scaling down the demands,&making a breakthrough,but what i'm really worried is by doing this what is the message we are giving out? In the long run we need to be prepared for a very serious repurcussions.And ofcourse we need to settle down and think, how to handle a crissis like this&/or how this could have been averted.
Name:Sanjay Koppikar
Email:oasys_computers@yahoo.com
Message:Sir,
I feel that this release of Terrorists is Indian Govt's surrender. They have shown the world that we are cowards and we are 'Napunsakas'.
As it could be easily seen, it was a nexus between Pakistan,Taliban and the Hijackers. If I kill one person and my friend helps me escape...he is also equally guilty...right?
I think Govt lacked the inner strength to pull this out. They could have told Taliban that this negotiation is over and it is your responsibility to take commando action and release the Hostages. The pressure would have been on them to prove the world that they are not a party to this hijack.
Now that all the Hostages were released, if you were not a party to the Hijack, you could have always taken hijackers to custody after they left in the car. Is there any rule that you have to stick to your promise to Murderes?
I think our dear Armed forces personnel and Rupin Katyal and so many others' blood has been wasted.... we are failures and nothing else.
I thought only in Cricket we lacked the killing instinct, but no we do not have enough 'Mardangi'. This is enough.... now if Govt fails to take any action against Pakistanis (be it creating same kind and amount of insurgency in Pak or getting them 'Terrorist state' label internationally and banning them) I feel ashamed to be part of this India as I had voted for this Govt.
Now that this is over, there is a solution for all our problems. Do you want to make the Govt hear your problems? ... Yes, Hijack a plane... and your prayers are answered.... simple.
Thanking you,
Sanjay
Name:Sanjay K
Email:sanman00@my-deja.com
Message:I am appalled that a grinning idiot like Vajpayee can repeat the failures of his forefather in idiocy, VP Singh, and release murderers due to blackmail from other murderers.
Vajpayee must forfeit his office. He must step down. He must relenquish leadership of his party, and step aside to let a better person take the helm.
After seeing the stuporous myopic gullibility of both Vajpayee and Jaswant Singh -- which directly led to the loss of hundreds of soldiers' lives at Kargil -- I wouldn't let either of them drive my car, let alone steer the country.
I am furious with those two incompetents. Let Advani take the helm. His spine isn't so weak.
Name:LATIKA
Email:LATIKA@MAILEXCITE.COM
Message:The government should never have bowed down to the terrorists demands. All the hard work that our soldiers did to protect the country has been sold out.
Name:ABC - USA
Email:ABC_USA@yahoo.com
Message:After 6 days of drama, the govt has exchanged the militants with the hostages.. Fair enough. Any goct. would have done that and showed that we have benn able to reduce their demand substancially., But what is the action they are taking now to get back those criminal. If it would have been country like Israil (In place of india), The hijakers would have been dead by now.. Of course India is different.. Our intilligence bureo is engaged in tapping opposition parties telephone.. Practically I feel what inida should now (something which is possible with our govt) is that thru UN or anything lets not allow that plane to land anywhere.. Trace it and blast it where ever you find it.
Name:vehshi
Email:
Message:Cowardly captain? The captain of the plane should be put to death for his cowardice in taking off from Amritsar. He should have been brave enough to die. He is a traitor.
Name:sivapullaiah
Email:siva@civil.iisc.ernet.in
Message:The government of India should not have released the terrorists in exchange for the lives of crew and paassengers. Definitely it adversely effect the kashmiri insurgency. India sold out national interest.
Name:Pratik Parikh
Email:pratikparikh@hotmail.com
Message:Government has compromised national interest.
India has to see its horrible results. And government willbe fully responsible for these results.
Name:Atul
Email:a_luthra@yahoo.com
Message:NO, They should not have left the three terrorists as we will see more flights similar to IC-814. We should now be ready for worse. We understand they were not on indian soil and was very difficult to handle the situation but handling over the the three dreaded terrorists will only encourage them more nothing else. they now know that if they are able to take planes outside India they have won the battle totally.
Name:Sharad
Email:s@hotmail.com
Message:I can understand the relief of the released hostages and their relatives...
but the BJP govt didnt look at the larger picture..in exchange for the hostages it has compromised the security of all indians..
they couldnt have commited a bigger blunder..
what kind of a message are we sending to our security personnel in kashmir and other parts of the country...
Name:prabhu
Email:prabhun@rediffmail.com
Message:it is a major setback to india. ithink mr. vajpayee should notr have released the terrorists. they shouldnt have let the hijackers dominate this act. they should have planned to rescue the passengers by some other means.
hijackers won the game.
Name:Amrita Chakravorty
Email:amr83@usa.net
Message:After listening to hijacker's demands the govt had no other choice as the passengers lives were in danger.But the mistake on the govt's part was that the criminals were simply imprisoned for so many years instead of giving them death penalty immediately.Had they been killed the matter would have ended years back.
Name:A common man
Email:indian@indian.com
Message:though i know that the people on board the flight have been through hell and back. i feel that the indian government did a very very and i stress very wrong thing by accepting the terrorists demands. What this has done is to show all the criminals that its ok , just go kidnap someone or hijack a plane and your compatriots will be released.. i strongly condemn this act of the Vajpaye Govenrment and have lost all respect for this government who dose not care for the people killed by the terrorist and the lives of our armymen who with great danger to their lives capture such terrorists and then see them being left free..
Name:Milind Ramesh Kotwal
Email:kotwalmr@excite.com
Message:There is nothing wrong in releasing 3 terrorists in exchange for innocent passengers, however we should have killed all balance 35 terrorists in our custody, on the night of release of hostages by the highjackers. This would have nullified the gains the terrorists have made.
I am sure that every thoughtfull Indian citizen will agree for an allout war with Pakistan as this proxy war is proving to be exceedingly costly in terms of a) money spent on internal security b) lowering morale of our security forces and local administrative set up.
Name:Gowri Ravichandran
Email:gowriblr@rocketmail.com
Message:It was so shocking first of to learn that we let such an incident happen and secondly to agree to their demands. If it was only the release, then I feel it should have happened immediately rather after a 8 day long drama and the trauma the passengers and the crew had to put up with. Why should we ever accept such a thing happen? One thing this incident proves is, our neighbor knows a sure way of making us come down on our knees.... We should never ever let this happen again. We all share the grief of the family of one passenger who was killed.
Name:Krishnan Swamy
Email:krishnanswamy@hotmail.com
Message:The government clearly released the terrorists on pure humanitarian grounds and cannot be faulted for the course of action that it finally was forced to adopt.
The indications must have been that the forces behind the hijackers in the current context are too well placed for the Indian state to retaliate effectively.
I guess we as a nation need to learn a few things. All of us need to re-affirm ourselves to our respective duties as citizens of a society that desperately needs commitment from its people. Commitment to rise to a level of excellence, to strengthen our security, to become a power to reckon with in the world, where we are not dependent on the ministrations of a lame-duck US president or a non-significant UN secretary-general.
This may be one battle we lost, but the war against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism is to be won, and no cost is alrge enough for that.
One another point, why are we sounding so grateful to the Taliban when they have let the perpetrators of this crime go away scot free, and did not allow the Indian state to take any direct action on the hijackers?
I think the Taliban is as big, if not, a bigger accomplice as Pakistan in this entire affair.
Name:J.Senthil Kumar
Email:senthilsuganthi@yahoo.com
Message:the government can release the terrorists in exchange for the lives of passessengers
Name:ravi p singh
Email:ngdsdg@aol.com
Message:weas anation have again betrayed our jawans. how deploable was protest march of relatives in front of p.m'residence.we never expected such a cowardly actby leader of bjp, now i can not differentiate them from congressis.what ashamefull way tostart new millenium
Name:Rajeev Pawar
Email:Rajeev_Pawar@hotmail.com
Message:ASHAMED TO BE AN INDIAN
Rediff,
I would like to complement you on your excellent coverage of the hostage crisis.
It is a sense of relief that the pasengers and crew have returned safetly to their homes.
However the release of terrorists makes me for the first time in my life feel ashamed to be an
Indian. We have shown once again that all our military power, nuclear weapons and diplomatic
abilities are worth NOTHING in front of a couple of guys brandishing knives and pistols.
We acceded to the terrorist demands meekly. In fact if we were so keen on releasing militants,
sorry murderers, we should have done it on day two when only one murderers' release was
demanded. Atleast the hostages would have been spared the trauma of eight days.
I know everyone would say, 'you did not have loved ones on the flight and can therefore say all
this'. Perhaps they are right.
But the fact remains that we as a nation we have come out as a bunch of losers. The US launched
punitive strikes on Laden's hideout in Afghanistan after the embassy bombings. Would India ever
DARE do this.
The Taliban and its Afganistan is a terrorist state. Instead of being grateful to them we should
send a few missiles into Kandhar. They are protecting the hijackers aren't they ? This makes
them criminals under any law including India's
If there was just ONE American on the plane. The whole world and its media would have rushed
into Kandhar to report, mediate and do everything to save the person.How many countries came to
express solidrity with India ? This is because of the standing which the US has in the world
order.
We are far away from there but dammit we ARE a NUCLEAR power. Where is our self respect ????
Why can't we retaliate like an Israel.
We are a SOFT state and seem reconciled to being kicked around.
Wake up India you don't have to take this nonsense.
The ruling govt. has dug its own grave. If elections were held tomorrow they would get booted
out. Mr. Vajpayee you have let us down.
My country we have let you down.
I hang my head in shame and weep.
RAJEEV PAWAR
Name:
Email:satishcns@hotmail.com
Message:The day the relatives of hostages stormed the pms house,we have lost half the war against the hijackers. What can do governments when people put personal interests before the national interest. We tend to blame govts for all our problems , in todays world where communications are well developed public opinion forces govt opinion. sorry India you disappoint
Name:Magesh
Email:mmagesh@hotmail.com
Message:I feel that the Indian Government had taken the better decision. The crisis is not a game to comment who
won and who lose. It is the
matter of lives and it is
better to decide that the 150s lives are important.
Yes. It is painful to release the three terrorists. But with out these 150 lives, the
three terrorists are not going to add any value.
I would prefer India to be called as a corageless country but cares for its people rather than as a arrogant country to risk their people live for their security.
No point in investigating whether the Govt. has done the right thing or not. It is time to rectify the security lapses. I hope the government will do that.
Name:Utsav
Email:utsavm@rediffmail.com
Message:As with everything, there are two ways of looking at the handling of the crisis by the Govt. of India. It is indeed walking a very fine line. I think the biggest faux pas was letting the aircraft take off from Amritsar. Now is only the time for post mortem analysis. This crisis could have been resolved earlier with military action but in all possibility would have meant loss of lives. I don't know what would be the best thing to have done but what I do know is the handling of the hijacking by the pilot Capt.Sharan was exemplary and he and his crew should be congratulated .
Name:sumitra
Email:khushi26@yahoo.com
Message:I wanted India to enter the millenium with its head held high with pride. But sadly, it won't be so. The release of three militants is the most disgusting thing to have ever happened. Not only have we made ourselves more vulnerable to many such demands, but we have also insulted our martyrs who laid down their lives in the battle against militancy and not to forget our Kargil soldiers.
What I am surprised to note is the attitude of the relatives. Believe me, every soldier who died for the country had a family who loved him and wanted him near them but their love was never selfish so as to call him back . If every family thought just about their relatives, we won't have India. It would have long been plundered by the enemies. Every relative said that the government was wrong in not giving in to the demands, afterall it was just the terrorists they were demanding. But let me tell you, tomorrow it will be many more such demands and then, even Kashmir. What do these people care for? They just want their relatives near them.
I too was shocked by the hijacking. I too prayed for the well-being of the passengers and the crew and the relatives. Not anymore. I feel ashamed of the fact that nobody thought of India. I am not at all sorry to say that when I heard the news it was as distressing as it could be.
The picture the media and others painted for all these days is nothing but an illusion - pain is what the families of our dead soldiers feel everyday. And more so when they see that whatever the soldiers laid their lives for is so easily lost. Loss is what the families feel. And dignity is what the families showed even in their great loss. The soldiers and the families are just one of us and they do their duty towards their country and definitely towards the "Indians" for whom selfishness is the main thing.
The media played up the whole episode very well. The drama, tears, everything was used. But%
Name:Triyakshana
Email:triyax@chequemail.com
Message:Iam glad the hostages have been released by the hijackers atleast on new year's eve. I share the grief of the country at the loss of one innocent passenger. Given my secure lifestyle I can not even imagine the pressure the ministers were under during the whole crisis, but Iam against the release of the terrorists. I was indeed concerened about the passengers and their families, but I also did feel that without the hostages the hijackers had no say in the matter and that they would not have hurt them. I strongly feel that the 3 terrorists should not have been released.
Name:philip eipe
Email:y2k_phil
Message:the govt.was a clear loser by bowing down to the pressure of the militants.
they have shown the whole world that india cannot stick to their own word
and it is a shame for the whole nation.
Name:ALPHUS PATHROSE
Email:alphus@rediff.com
Message:THE MEEK SURRENDER OF THE INDIAN GOVERNMENT TO THE HIJACKERS CLEARLY HIGHLIGHTS THE INEPTITUDE OF THE VAJPAYEE ADMINISTRATION IN DEALING WITH EMERGENCY SITUATIONS. THE ORISSA CYLONE MISMANAGEMENT AND NOW THIS WILL BRING THE PUBLIC WRATH UPON BJP AND THROW IT OUT OF OFFICE. THEY COULD HAVE LEARNED EARLIER FROM THE ANNALS OF HISTORY. THE GREATEST SINGLE REASON FOR JIMMY CARTER FAILING TO WIN A RETURN TICKET TO WHITE HOUSE IN 1980 WAS HIS INEPT HANDLING OF THE IRANIAN HOSTAGE CRISIS.
Name:LEONARD SATHISH
Email:
Message:THE MAIN REASON FOR THE HIJACK
IS THE INDIA'S POSSESSION OF KASHMIR.
AS LONG AS KASHMIR IS THE HANDS OF THE
INDIAN GOVT. IT WILL BE A NEVER ENDING
STORY.
THE GOVERNMENT HAS TO RELEASE THE TERORISTS OR ELSE
THEY WILL START FIRING AT THE HOSTAGES.
I AM GIVING A BEST STRATEGY WHICH IS TO
BE ADOPTED BY ANY GOVERNMENT:
THE STRATEGY IS AS FOLLOWS:
AT THE TIME OF DEPARTURE OF EVERY AIRLINE, THERE SHOULD BE
ATLEAST 4 ARMYMEN WHO SHOULD TRAVEL IN MUFTI
CLOTHES TO AVOID REVEALING THEIR IDENTITY.
SO WHEN A PERSON HIJACKS THEY CAN COME TO THE
PASSENGERS' RESCUE.
THE EUROPEAN UNION AND THE U.S SHOULD NOT
BE BLAMED SINCE MOST OF THE HOSTAGES ARE
INDIANS.
TRAVELING IN THE GOVERNMENT OWNED AIRLINES ESPECIALLY
AIR INDIA AND INDIAN AIRLINES IS A RISK SINCE INDIA IS FACING
PROBLEMS FROM PAKISTAN,SRI LANKA,.....
Name:SYED KHALID
Email:S_KHALID@EMAIL.COM
Message:there was no other go.
This is the lesson for Indian Govt. They should leave the Communilism, support the people for there good will. Especially people abroad.Custom officers harassment,Comparing to international stardands we Indians in India donot have safty & security.
Name:nagesh
Email:nagesh_kp@rediffmail.com
Message:Why doesn't the UN put sanctions against pakistan and afganistan for the hijack as they had done for libya in the american plane hostage case. Why do these super powers like US sideline these facts. They take measures only when something happens to them and not to others. We Indians have to think on these issues and have to suitably modify our foreign relations. And in any case we should not have left the militants free since it will boost the morale of people ie pakistan which supports terrorism. Ban pakistan and ban afganistan or get the hijackers and make them to face the law for their crime.
Name:Suresh
Email:suri99_99@yahoo.com
Message:India has not sold it national interst.we have no options except to leave them
Name:G K ARORA
Email:linkers@vsnl.com
Message:India had no option. The Taleban was SURELY hand in glove with the hijackers.
The militia,tanks and armours deployed by Taleban around the plane were for protecting the hijackers and NOT the passengers.
Name:Bharat Anikhindi
Email:bharatanikhindi@rediffmail.com
Message:Yes.The safe comeback of passengers was & should be our foremost concern.
I do not think that we have tackled the Kashmir problem with sincereity & have kept national interest in mind.
All our problems are because we do not keep the National interest in mind.
If we sincerely approach the problems then I do not think
there is any issue that we are unable to resolve.
Name:sanjay
Email:sanjaynaik@rediffmail.com
Message:It Is Very Shocking to Hear the Release
of the Militants By The Govt
I dont know ,why had been the said militants were
not killed when they were held
4-5 years Ago.
If they had Been Killed Due to their
activities,this problem would not have arised
So i request the Govt To bring a legislation so that those people who
are held in such cases should be hanged publicly.
Name:Santosh
Email:santosh@hotmail.com
Message:Why did India keep the 3 militants in jails for so many years. It should have chopped their fingers, peeled their skin and make them a mass of living flesh...
Name:Ram
Email:ram133@hotmail.com
Message:I am glad that the passengers and crew of Flight 814 have reached back safe. My condolences for the Katyals on the loss of Rupin's life. The decision to let go three militants for the safe passage of the hostages was the best decision under the circumstances. It is easy for arm chair critics to talk of "not bowing to pressure" and "our pride" as long as none of their dear & near ones are involved.
If at all, the questions now should be, how could we have let one of our planes be hijacked in the first place? Everybody knows that, we as a nation is under attack from many fanatical & militant organisations(Islamic, Hindu, Naxalites, Sikhs, North East. etc... etc...) based inside as well as outside the country...not only in Kashmir but in different parts of the country. What measures had we taken to ensure that plane hijacks and such other anti-India actions are identified in advance and thwarted? What is the quality of our intelligence agencies? A huge percentage of our budget is spent on Defence. So is that money being spent in waste? Who is anserable to the nation?
Even after the hijack, what contigency planning did we have and what was our readiness to approach such sitiautions?
I would call this as a complete failure of the policy makers in the Indian administration as well as mis-management by a set of amatuers in ministerial & other decision making position. These people come across as a bunch of nincompoops, who did not know which direction to go and what strategy to adopt. The real effort in terms of the Governement's response started only after three days of the Hijack. This is unacceptable to me as a citizen of India. I have no confidence in the safety of my country and its people under this bunch of people. But what is our other option? The moment these people are out of office, another set of equally incompetent people will assume office. What we need is very strong and
Name:mohamed dastagir
Email:mohdgl@md2.vsnl.net.in
Message:this msg to our readers.
i do agreed the solution taken by ext.affair minister.
but this decission would have taken the very first day of hijcked flt 814.and would have saved the passengers restless nights and trauma and nightmarish lives.
i aksed the govt.that the socalled hardcore terrorist maluana masood azhar,was arrested 5 yrs ago.and jailed.the indian govt has feeded them knowing their crime as hardcore terrorist.above all 3 - 4 times attempts from their colleagues to release him.why indian govt is so sleepy and not acting fast as u.k. u.s.a and france govt treatment towards the terrorists. a final countdown ' encounter '
we (india ) has to learn more and more such lessons from this kind of events.
dastagir m
Name:Sumitra
Email:summee8@yahoo.com
Message:I wanted India to enter the millenium with its head held high with pride. But sadly, it won't be so. The release of three militants is the most disgusting thing to have ever happened. Not only have we made ourselves more vulnerable to many such demands, but we have also insulted our martyrs who laid down their lives in the battle against militancy and not to forget our Kargil soldiers.
What I am surprised to note is the attitude of the relatives. Believe me, every soldier who died for the country had a family who loved him and wanted him near them but their love was never selfish so as to call him back . If every family thought just about their relatives, we won't have India. It would have long been plundered by the enemies. Every relative said that the government was wrong in not giving in to the demands, afterall it was just the terrorists they were demanding. But let me tell you, tomorrow it will be many more such demands and then, even Kashmir. What do these people care for? They just want their relatives near them.
I too was shocked by the hijacking. I too prayed for the well-being of the passengers and the crew and the relatives. Not anymore. I feel ashamed of the fact that nobody thought of India. I am not at all sorry to say that when I heard the news it was as distressing as it could be.
The picture the media and others painted for all these days is nothing but an illusion - pain is what the families of our dead soldiers feel everyday. And more so when they see that whatever the soldiers laid their lives for is so easily lost. Loss is what the families feel. And dignity is what the families showed even in their great loss. The soldiers and the families are just one of us and they do their duty towards their country and definitely towards the "Indians" for whom selfishness is the main thing.
The media played up the whole episode very well. The drama, tears, everything was used. But%2
Name:nks
Email:nbf@hotmail.com
Message:
there was no alternative but to release the militants as a hard line wld have endangered
several lives.
however we must ensure that such instances are never repeated in future.
serious thought has to be given on all national security matters including counter terrorist strategy be
relooked at with a view to prevent upsurge in militancy.
it cannot be said we have sold out national interst. the kashmir problem is as serios as ever.the release of a few ultras may increase the threat of violence and increased militant activity in the valley of j andk.
adequate steps are to be immediately taken and the entire nation must be on its guard to fight terrorism at all times.
Name:c.singh
Email:
Message:The govt had no choice. But, where they went wrong is the intial reaction to the hijacking. It shows BJP as bunch of incompetant jokers.
Name:Suhail Ahmed
Email:suhail1074@yahoo.com
Message:Dear fellow Indians,
It is indeed deplorable that these dreaded scum bags are scot free now. What is more deplorable is that they have used Islam as a means to have their power hungry fancies fulfilled. Shame. These people are not muslims. They are worse than pigs.
I personally feel our Government takes things very lightly. I ask this government, why do we need to keep these people in jail for years together? Shut blow their heads off as soon as they are arrested. This will save our people traumas similar to the ones suffered on Indian Airlines.
I don't know why our Government never thought of this, but we should have released all 36 militants, maybe even more. However, inject them with slow poison which works within 24 hours. The hostages are freed and the blood sucking scum does not die in our holy land. Simple. This will be a lesson to anyone who'd think of repeating this kind of activity.
Name:Ruchi Mahajan
Email:avran@jla.vsnl.net.in
Message:I THINK THAT IT WAS A VERY WISE STEP ON PART OF THE PM Sh.ATAL BIHARI VAJPAYEE TO RELEASE THE MILITANTS AND GET THE HOSTAGES FREED;BECAUSE:
1. 159 LIVES ARE DEFINITELY WORTH MORE THAN 3 MILITANTS.
2. INDIA CAN MOST PERFECTLY SAVE ITS NATIONAL INTEREST BY TAKING CARE OF ITS TERRITORY IN THE COMING TIMES!
WELL DONE INDIA..!!!
Name:sudhir suvarna
Email:sudhirsuvarna@usa.net
Message:It was very heartening to see the passengers back home . But I think the Indian government was taken for a ride,cos I think the whole hijacking was very well planned. ISI and Taliban have worked together on this and they have got what they wanted.
It was surprising to see the hijackers comming out of the cockpit without any fears. This only happens when they know that no one on the ground
is going to harm them.
I personally feel we lost the battle when we allowed them to leave Amritsar. Where and what the hell was the so called crisis management group doing.
If during a crisis it takes them one hour to get together can it be called a Crisis management group?????????
Good wishes from Dubai to all the hostages .....
Name:NATARAJAN
Email:nat_padayappa@yahoo.com
Message:YES.INDIA PLEDGED ITS PRESTIGE.
SPINELESS GOVT.
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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