Terrorist attacks in Mumbai and rising tension between India and Pakistan dominated the print and electronic media, whose contents and presentation were at times belligerent. Let us face it. Despite Pakistan’s persistent prevarications and spurious scepticism about the material—do not call it evidence—provided by India, war is neither an option nor a solution. Indeed, it is fraught with horrendous consequences to both the countries and the region. Diplomatic and international pressure on Pakistan must be intensified, not forgetting however, that Pakistan is in reality a failed State and the Taliban is ready in the wings to take it over. Pakistan should not be given a pretext for its refusal to take meaningful action against the terrorists operating from its soil. In this context, Union Cabinet Minister Antulay’s statements regarding the death of ATS Chief Hemant Karkare, and particularly the timing of the statements, are inexcusable. As an intelligent person, Antulay should have known that Pakistan would distort his statements to India’s disadvantage. Antulay has got away lightly. Mrs. Indira Gandhi would have sacked him instantly. Unfortunately, electoral considerations and over-anxiety about ruffling some sections of the Muslim community have prevailed as in other cases. For example, the inexplicable delay in disposing of Afzal Guru’s mercy petition against his conviction by the Supreme Court for his role in the terrorist attack on Parliament.

Humour is needed during grim times to buoy us up. We must thank senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh for giving us a large dose of it with his statement that the Mumbai terrorists made monetary demands which were valiantly refused by the UPA, unlike the NDA’s pusillanimous act in releasing terrorists at Kandahar. Ironically it needed Home Minister P. Chidambaram to modify and in effect refute this ridiculous statement.

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