Readers' comments: Obvious anti-BJP bias in coverage of India-Pakistan conflict
I had a few observations about this article (' Four questions Indians must ask about Operation Sindoor ').
1. Ask questions: I completely second your argument that questions need to be asked to the Central Government of the security lapse or intelligence failure that led to the killings of innocent civilians based on their Hindu identity. It seems the government has deflected this as all the attention got transfixed on Pakistan.
2. Terror as a deterrent: It is a no-brainer that retaliation by any country to a terror attack is going to lead to a reduction in terror attacks. We as a country have to use all means possible to hit them back. Are we aware that the government and our agencies are taking measures (behind the scenes) to inflict damage on these terrorists? They may not want to showcase it to us as.
3. Chinese factor: I don't understand why it should concern us that Chinese weapons were used by Pakistan. Wasn't the United States their biggest supplier of weapons till not long ago? The US was still supplying Pakistan with arms when 26/11 happened. This is immaterial.
4. What did Operation Sindoor achieve: Nobody wants a war as its consequences can be dire. We can question the timing of the operation and subsequently the ceasefire but wasn't it required? The stance was made clear that we have attacked terrorist hideouts and launchpads. We must have known that the Pakistan military would respond and so we had no choice but to respond. It is at times necessary to engage militarily and that should be our last resort. In this case, it was the right thing to do. – Vikram Amin
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There is no proof that China is involved. Remember 26/11? We eliminated 20-odd Pakistan shooters, but in the end, the plotters were in Canada and the US. Till today, the mastermind David Headley is in the US. Pakistan's ministers have also confessed to carrying out terrorism on behalf of the US. The US controls the Pakistan military brass. Most of the former Pak military and ministers become millionaires and move to the US, Canada or UK, not to China. You need to dig deeper. – Mickey
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Your bias against the BJP is apparent. We know the problem of terrorist will not be solved, but India must make terrorism costly for Pakistan. India must retaliate, whatever the consequences, including Chinese involvement. I would like to think that I am a secular liberal person, but if I have to choose between the nationalism of the Congress and the BJP, I would choose the BJP. How the Congress-led UPA dealt with 26/11 was cowardly and disgusting. Mahatma Gandhi once said 'where there is only a choice between cowardice and violence, I would advise violence'. Neutral spectacles are better than leftist or rightist spectacles. – Samir Dholakia
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The question is not why a meadow full of tourists was without any security. The question is who opened the meadow to tourists without informing the security forces. – Ranjit Virdi
Armchair warmongering
Are all these warmongers who are whetting their appetite for a full-scale war ready to wear the uniform, join the Indian army on short commissioned service and actually be on the frontlines (' Why the India-Pakistan ceasefire is giving Modi supporters heartburn ')? Being verbose and warlike in a TV studio is different from facing real bullets. – Patricia Mukhim
Anti-national articles, obvious bias
Another stupid anti-national article by the obnoxious Scroll (' India hyphen Pakistan: US rhetoric revives New Delhi's nightmare '). Better stop your anti national-articles. The sooner the government of India shuts down your anti-national magazine the better for India. – J Radhakrishnan
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Your persistent and crude bias is very disappointing(' India, Pakistan agree to consider troop reduction from borders, forward areas '). – Atul Chandra
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Economic off-ramp
Another reading could be that India miscalculated the scale of Pakistan's response to its military adventure (' Why India was unable to stop IMF's $2.4 billion assistance to Pakistan amid escalating hostilities '). By not pushing for aid stoppage, India could be signalling to Pakistan that it did not want to escalate the war further and both parties needed to find an off ramp. A long-drawn war would dent the BJP's posturing of strong leadership with losses and economic effects being more visible every day, reducing its chances of giving a victory spin to its military response.
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