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The ‘Pakistani Terror Boat’: Is The Govt. Trying To Make Us Fear The Unknown?

By Youth Ki Awaaz in Politics
15th January, 2015

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By Niharika Singh:

On New Years’ Eve a fishing boat entered our country’s waters, allegedly carrying illicit material. When apprehended by our Coast Guard, it evaded surrender and after being chased for about an hour it blew itself up, killing its crew of 4 men and destroying all trace of itself. The fishing vessel was coming from Keti Bunder near Karachi and was intercepted and stopped at about 365 kms away from Porbandar. The Defense ministry applauded the effort and precision of our Coast Guards of preventing the second probable 26/11.

boat explodes

But who were these people? Could they be fishermen or small time smugglers? How did the Coast Guards’ ship take about an hour to chase a small boat? Is everyone coming from Pakistan a terrorist? What is the proof that they were carrying explosives? Why did they blow themselves up when caught by the Indian Coast Guard? Why isn’t Pakistan being approached through diplomatic channels on this incident? If they were carrying explosives on board, why didn’t the boat blow up in a blast and caught fire instead? Was it caused by a lubricant? And if it was a surgical, clandestine operation against infiltrators, why were its facts leaked in the public domain?

After getting to know about this incident and hearing the abysmal number of debates and discussions over it, these questions would reverberate in ever pragmatic mind. It looks like a murky affair and to be stuck between the cacophonies of our governments’ blame game and Pakistan’s typical denial techniques, it is difficult to take a stand on.

When Pakistan is reeling under the shadows of the heinous 16th December attack, can you fathom why it would send explosives to its estranged neighbors when its own skeletons are haunting it? But we are an anxious, scared and scarred bunch; any kind of suspicious prodding is enough to make us put our defenses up. The bullets of 26/11 have taken a firm holding in our psyche. And the failure of Pakistan to take appropriate steps against the masterminds of that nightmare have only exacerbated our vitriol.

But that doesn’t mean that we, the people of India and Pakistan, let the politicians take the better of us and politicize our entrenched wounds to their advantage. The people on the boat could very well be smugglers. But anything crossing over from the other side of the border is seen with a hostile, contemptible lens. And maybe the government is taking an advantage of that. By making us fear the “unknown”, they are trying to score brownie points and want to show how strong India is under our new and able leader to counter an act of belligerence, whether it exists or is made up.

Dissent in the government is very easily attacked and labeled as anti-national, or in our case it can be “Pakistani”, because whoever says anything against India (read the government) is being anti-national and would be what else but a Pakistani. We live in a world of simple binaries.

The opposition on the other hand has tried to make the most of this incident by heating it up and sensationalizing it to a point where amidst bureaucratic crossfire, the main argument is lost, that of government transparency and accountability, stronger border surveillance and developing trust in the citizens which goes beyond jingoistic garble.

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  1. Aditya

    Should our Security Forces protect us?….

    There were serious questions raised on our forces as 26/11 happened. Now it seems that they have seemingly foiled an attempt, so they are being questioned. What should they do?..

    The government cannot share everything with the public. There are things that have to be secret.

    I will try to answer your questions. Hope you have enough time to read the answers.

    Q. But who were these people? Could they be fishermen or small time smugglers?
    Ans. They could be. But fishermen and small time smugglers will not commit suicide if chased. And fishermen will not go for fishing in a bad weather.

    Q. How did the Coast Guards’ ship take about an hour to chase a small boat?
    Ans. Things can be made fairly advanced without looking very aesthetic. What if this was made in some juggadu way and given more powerful engines.

    Q. Is everyone coming from Pakistan a terrorist?
    Ans. No, but someone coming in a bad weather and foggy night might not be a fisherman. They can either be terrorists or smugglers. Even if they are smugllers, still they would have harmed. They are simple nuisance.

    Q. What is the proof that they were carrying explosives?
    Ans. Well since they blew themselves up, it can be something sinister for sure. You should be happy that it did not reach our shore.

    Q. Why did they blow themselves up when caught by the Indian Coast Guard?
    Ans. That is what shows that they were not some innocent people who were lost.

    Q. Why isn’t Pakistan being approached through diplomatic channels on this incident?
    Ans. Are you sure there are no clandestine diplomatic channels working or worked.

    Q. If they were carrying explosives on board, why didn’t the boat blow up in a blast and caught fire instead? Was it caused by a lubricant?
    Ans. They might have been carrying explosives on board and those explosives would have got waterlogged so they did not blow up. Or they would have blown up but you just saw flaming pictures before explosion. Most probably they exploded as the remains of the boat are difficult to find, that could have spread due to a strong explosion.

    Q. And if it was a surgical, clandestine operation against infiltrators, why were its facts leaked in the public domain?
    Ans. Might be a PR initiative to get respect for security forces who work round the clock for to protect the nation and so many people in India tend to hate them. Mostly the leftists and pseudo-seculars.

    Q. can you fathom why it would send explosives to its estranged neighbors when its own skeletons are haunting it?
    Ans. Oh yes I can. There is a good taliban who attacks India and there is a bad taliban who attacks pakistan. Now the bad taliban has acted so the good taliban must do something to prove its worth. Also the planning of this thing could have been much old and since it was planned it was executed.

    1. Niharika

      I don’t think anyone hates the army. Everyone is proud and thankful for the work that they do. And however categorically you tried to answer my questions, most of your answers lacked substance. In my opinion every situation has two sides and because of the heavy propaganda machine at play we try to overlook that. Which shows a warped version of events to the public. If the diplomatic channels are clandestine and army operations as well then why release half cooked versions of them to the public. And why are all voice of dissent and objections labelled as leftist or secular or anti national?

  2. Sandeep

    some how every article in this website has certain political hue if so please be open about it ..afterall Outlook says they are Pro congress and Hindu says they are Pro CPM same with NDTV they are open that they Pro congress dont call yourself youth ki awaz etc i support and defend your right to disagree with me and i am not Modi bhakat but just be open about political affiliations

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Now as an MH Fellow with YKA, she’s expanding her impressive scope of work further by launching a campaign to facilitate the process of ensuring better menstrual health and SRH services for women residing in correctional homes in West Bengal. The campaign will entail an independent study to take stalk of the present conditions of MHM in correctional homes across the state and use its findings to build public support and political will to take the necessary action.

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Let’s Talk Period aims to change this by

Find out more about her campaign here.

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A former Assistant Secretary with the Ministry of Women and Child Development in West Bengal for three months, Lakshmi Bhavya has been championing the cause of menstrual hygiene in her district. By associating herself with the Lalana Campaign, a holistic menstrual hygiene awareness campaign which is conducted by the Anahat NGO, Lakshmi has been slowly breaking taboos when it comes to periods and menstrual hygiene.

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