It was a poignant scene as tricolour-draped coffins of the martyred CRPF personnel arrived at Delhi’s Palam airport two days after the February 14 Pulwama attack. The mood was sombre as the nation was in mourning. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was there to pay his homage when the last post was sounded. Rahul Gandhi and Arvind Kejriwal were also there to pay tributes. The presence of these leaders did provide some reassurance to millions watching the ceremony live.
The following day, all the political parties met to send a message to people and the armed forces that they can bury their differences for a cause. They had a common enemy: Pakistan.
But, the real trouble for the political parties is the anger building up on the streets. The Pulwama attack meant that the political capital the BJP derived out of the surgical strike has been nullified. Also, the party’s dalliance with a perceived hardliner, the PDP, had ended in a bitter breakup. There has been little gains in Kashmir, or with Pakistan—the two areas which the BJP harped on during the 2014 campaign. The rising number of body bags is trouble for any government, especially in an election year. The hindutva plank has suffered a dent, with no tangible delivery on Kashmir and Ram Temple.
For the opposition, especially the Congress, it is a different kind of dilemma. Soon after the Pulwama attack, some Congress leaders had ridiculed the prime minister, reminding him about his “56-inch chest”. However, the party soon recalibrated its response. Congress President Rahul Gandhi and former prime minister Manmohan Singh addressed a press conference to say that they stood by the soldiers and their families, and were with the government in whatever measures it took to counter terrorism.
“This is a time of mourning, this is a time of sadness, this is a time of respect. We are fully supporting the government and our security forces. We are not going to get into any conversation other than the fact that our most beloved people have been killed. Their families need us and we are going to stand with them,” said Rahul.
Manmohan, who had earlier witnessed terrorist attacks during his tenure, said now was not the time to raise contentious issues. “Our sympathies are with those who have lost their near ones and we will do all that is necessary to keep this nation united in support of anti-terrorism measures,” said Manmohan.
Any criticism of the government, or about the intelligence failure, would have been met with skepticism by the people, who were demanding action. It would have also led to comparisons between the internal security records of the UPA and the NDA governments.
The situation, in some manner, is similar to the Mumbai attack of 2008. There was similar outrage then. Despite criticism over delayed action, the UPA government returned to power with bigger majority a few months later. In political sense, the electorate had reposed the faith in the government of the day as they saw continuity was better in tackling affairs of the country.
Modi, immediately after the attack, attended several functions and rallies where he made strong statements against terrorism and Pakistan. BJP chief Amit Shah said the government will not let go in vain the martyrdom of the soldiers. Though the BJP kept rhetoric controlled, it asked its leaders to be present among the people. First, all the ministers, MPs, and office-bearers were asked to be present during the funeral ceremonies of the martyred. On February 17, the party held demonstrations and candle-lit marches to express solidarity with the soldiers, across all the districts in the country.
The saffron party had tasted success on this plank before. It had seized the nationalism issue after the February 2016 JNU incident. The Congress, on other hand, is attempting a tight-rope walk on the issue, and the restrained response is the result of a realisation that any strident criticism of the Modi regime with regard to Kashmir or its stance with regard to Pakistan could be seen as politicisation of the issue, and it could backfire.
While the Congress is adopting a wait-and-watch approach, there is a worry that pro-hindutva forces might use the situation to polarise the electorate. “Those who were martyred belong to different religions, different castes and they are from different states. Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, they have all laid down their lives for the country. This shows India’s unity in diversity. Terrorism is an enemy of humanity. It has no colour. A few people will indulge in misadventures so that we fight among ourselves, and this is exactly what the terrorists also want,” said Congress general secretary Shaktisinh Gohil.
Other opposition parties have exercised restraint post the terror attack, the exception being West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who went on the offensive. “What action have you taken in the past few years?” she thundered. “When election is knocking on the door, you have felt a need to wage a war. You have felt there is a need to engage in a shadow war.” Her outburst against Modi has to be seen in the context of her recent run-in with the Centre.
The situation is likely to change in the coming days as the opposition will start questioning the government’s record on tackling cross-border terrorism. The social media has already taken the lead.