PAYING TRIBUTES TO THE MARTYRS OF PULWAMA

-Manasvi Vashisth

“He had just left for his duty on February 10 and we never even thought this would be his last visit to the family” mourns Ram Prasad, father of late CRPF jawan Shyam Babu, who was one amongst the 40 soldiers killed in the Pulwama attack on 14 February 2019. The lives of 40 families turned upside down when a suicide bomber of the terrorist outfit, Jaish-e-Mohammad rammed his bomb-laden car into a bus of the CRPF convoy. Today, while all of us are celebrating our loved ones, marks the third anniversary of the Pulwama attack. Let us all take out a moment of silence to remember the Bravehearts of our country, and stand in solidarity with their families. 

Photo Credit: PTI

UNFURLING THE ATTACK

On 14th February 2019 at 3:00 PM, a suicide bomber identified as a JeM terrorist ran his explosive-laden vehicle into a bus of the CRPF Convoy in Pulwama on the Jammu-Srinagar highway. The bus carried 40 CRPF jawans, who lost their lives in the terrorist attack. Other 35 Jawans were severely injured. The Pulwama terror attack sent shock waves across the country and worldwide, and was considered one of the deadliest and ugliest attacks on Indian state security personnel. 

(Picture Credit- Times Of India)

REACTIONS TO THE PULWAMA TERRORIST ATTACK

“I feel the same fire in my heart that’s raging inside you,” reiterated the Prime Minister of India in response to the public protests organised across the countries condemning Pakistan’s act of terrorism. Worldwide support flew in and countries across the world stood in solidarity with India. The United Nations and several other countries extended support to India in raging a war against terrorism. India’s foremost response was to get the JeM chief Masood Azhar, who took the responsibility for the Pulwama attack, designated as a global terrorist, which became a reality on May 1, 2019.

The Decision by the UN Security council 1267 came as a diplomatic win for India and as a backlash to Terrorism. Former Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations Syed Akbaruddin remarked “This is, for us, a significant outcome because we have been at it for several years. The first effort that we have made in this regard was in 2009. More recently, we have been persistent, diligent and in a subterranean manner, making all our efforts towards this goal. Today, that goal stands achieved.”

(Credit:https://qrius.com/jems-masood-azhar-is-finally-a-un-designated-terrorist-heres-what-it-means/)

A STRONG RETALIATION

The Pulwama attack had left a deep psychological imprint. The citizens and the leaders demanded a tough response to the situation. India broke its decades-long silence on 26 February 2019 by launching airstrike attacks on the terrorist camps of JeM, at Balakot in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region. This was the first time the warplanes crossed LOC since the 1971 war. “In an intelligence-led operation in the early hours of today, India struck the biggest training camp of JeM in Balakot. 

In this operation, a very large number of JeM terrorists, trainers, senior commanders and groups of jihadis who were being trained for fidayeen action were eliminated. This facility at Balakot was headed by MAULANA YOUSUF AZHAR (alias USTAD GHOURI), the brother-in-law of MASOOD AZHAR, Chief of JeM”, said the then foreign secretary later in the evening after the attacks. India’s retaliatory response gave the families of the 40 Martyrs of Pulwama a reason to rejoice and they were finally able to find some relief. 

REMEMBERING THE BRAVE HEARTS

February 14 2019, has registered itself as a ‘Black Day’ in the history of India. The sacrifice of the martyrs of Pulwama shall never be forgotten. Such attacks draw our attention towards the fact that terrorism stands as a grave challenge in front of the global community. With the increasing levels of global interconnectedness, the national borders have become porous and are vulnerable to such attacks. Thus, it is the need of the hour that terrorism is condemned in all forms and practices with international cooperation.  Efforts should be made to wipe off terrorism from the face of the earth to ensure global security and to ensure that human rights are guaranteed and upheld. 

SKCF sincerely mourns this Black Day. 

Must Read: https://skchildrenfoundation.org/in-memory-of-lata-mangeshkar/