The sad case of dying in combat

Every death is sad. Whether it is by an accident or execution or just by natural cause or for that matter in combat. Death is harsh and difficult on the family, we all have experienced it sometime in our lives.

That being said. The death in combat of the SP in Punjab, during the terrorist strike, shook the entire country. The same way as the citizens of the country mourn the death of soldiers dying in wars and on borders. It does right?

The incidents that unfolded after the death are sad. The family said they wouldn't be cremating the body until the government guarantees government jobs to his family members. I understand the emotions here. The insecurity the family feels after the death of the earning man of the family. The hardships they went through throughout his service, as these people are never there right, they are always on the line of duty, 24*7 serving the society. Even the citizens' tribute is limited to some odd candle marches and some TV talks, beyond that are we really concerned about the institutional problems with the system? We all know the answer, we are not. 

The problem I feel in these things of making such demands, especially when you say you won't cremate the body and all is this, when people join forces, they know what they are getting into. The risk, the uncertainty, the problems, along with the perks, respect, and facilities. The brave SP knew all this, as he joined the force after his father was killed in combat. This reflects the passion for service and honor for the job, but I feel his family is ruining it. This doesn't mean that they should die for nothing and their sacrifice has gone waste. No. May be those emotions and feelings are their personal, but for that why should the family suffer. Patriotism doesn't feed empty stomachs.

I tried to understand the situation they are in, but still I feel it is not acceptable. This is also in conflict with what I have been seeing throughout my life. I have seen the defense forces closely and I cannot recall a single incidence of Army families making such demands. Maybe they are conditioned in such a way that they can't think of these things. This disparity between the defense forces and police forces has always shocked me. Maybe the policing lobby is more strong and politically well connected than the armed forces. Whatever it may be, the governments attitude is more shocking above all that. All they do is give condolences and the same politics continues, isn't it?

Frankly, when I think of it, I cannot really oppose it. The families of people dying in combat should be compensated for. There is no second opinion about it. They risk their lives knowing what is in it for them. That takes sheer courage and devotion. I feel such thing should be rewarded better. We know the poor sate the polices and defense personals are, especially the lower level ones. When you look at it this way, it seems that there is nothing wrong with the demand the family is making. 

It should be for a blanket policy, compensation and/or jobs fir the family of people dying in combat.

I know it is more dangerous to drive or walk on the road these days, but then you don't expect something to happen every day. Unlike the scenario with the armed forces, where death is like a shadow!   No one wants to die right, but like these people those who willingly take the risk for something greater than themselves, shouldn't this act be honored?

When you look at the sad state of the government of India, which is keeping the people who served the country their entire lives hanging for something which they deserve. One Rank One Pension. Wouldn't it would be naive to expect the government to bring a blanket policy to compensate the families of people dying in combat. The sad truth of people and politics being, people are the last thing that matters, they only do during elections...

Anand Mangnale

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"Above all, always be capable of feeling deeply any injustice committed against anyone, anywhere in the world"

    

Why Peshawar was different

Since the attack I have been thinking that it was not just any other attack, of course the brutality, sickness, impotency and disregard for even the harmless and purest lives of children makes it different from all other attacks, but I was thinking there was more to it, not just that.

The thought slipped away somewhere in my mind. The recent attacks in France on Charlie hebdo made me rethink about the Peshawar attack. Attack on Charlie Hebdo was a desperate act by Al-Qaeda against the alleged disrespectful cartoon of Muhammad which is blasphemy for some fanatics, had another angle of competition, a competition against another terrorist organization ISIS which is becoming more notorious than them. This was in a way other than the killings and making a point, a message to the fellow Al-Qaeda fanatics and also to the world that we are still in play and it’s not only ISIS. There are several other analysis about freedom of expression, intolerance of Religions, the political and social angles of France, social seclusion and all but this is also prominent I think.

The Peshawar school attack was undertaken by the Tehrik-i-Taliban (TTP) that is the Pakistani Taliban. There is an Afghanistan Taliban and Pakistan Taliban. The same Pakistan Taliban which was “Good Taliban” for the United States, the same which was responsible for attack on Malala. This attack similar to the Al-Qaeda’s attack on the Charlie Hebdo office was a response to the competition between the Afghanistan Taliban who was gaining popularity to be more brutal and notorious, so they came back in action with this. Also they were feeling less important or less covered by Media because of the rise of ISIS. The tactical aim of attack at the school being showing that they were more ruthless and brutal than the other Taliban and strategic aim being that it was an Army school, sending a message to the armed forces that let them operate freely till recently and now had started resisting them, that they have more power than them, and won’t accept the resistance.  

This was I guess the wake-up call for USA to realize that there is no “Good Taliban” left, or never was and on Tuesday 13^th January Us declared Pakistani Taliban leader Mullah Fazlullah a "global terrorist".

So now the bad state of the world fight against terrorism is that it is not just that the terrorists are fighting against the one they consider Infidels, but also are in competition among themselves. This makes them more dangerous and more unpredictable as their response is not solely dependent on the enemy but also the competition with similar terrorist organizations which is a dangerous development.