Tough balancing act for government

The savage massacre of tourists by terrorists in Kashmir's Pahalgam and its aftermath are the toughest challenge yet for the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government in its 11 years of being in power.

- RUHI TEWARI

Not just because it was a brutal and brazen attack on helpless civilians, or because it reflects a degree of security lapse and intelligence failure or because it punctures the government's claims of a significant reduction in terror-related incidents in the Valley. This is the Modi government's biggest crisis so far, even bigger than the 2019 Pulwama attack, as it puts it in a sticky spot with respect to three fronts - domestic, international and messaging to Pakistan.

On the domestic front, the government, known for its muscular and hardline national security stance, must send out the right message and be seen to be doing something significant to assuage the collective anger. On the other hand, however, it has to escalate the situation without crossing a certain line and risking alienating the global community that has so far overwhelmingly thrown its weight behind India. And most importantly, as it tries to pacify its domestic audience while balancing the international front, it has to be extra cautious not to allow its brand of majoritarian politics to become the dominant message, thereby playing right into the hands of the enemies.

On April 22, as many as 26 civilians—25 Indians (including one local) and a Nepali citizen—were killed in a terrorist attack at Baisaran, a popular tourist spot in Pahalgam. The Resistance Front, a shadow group of the banned Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror group, claimed responsibility. With that, India began its diplomatic offensive against the neighbouring country. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Modi at a key security meeting is believed to have said the armed forces have "full operational freedom to determine the mode, targets, and timing of India's response to the attacks", indicating it was not shying away from a military offensive.

But, even as the Modi government weighs its options, it is aware that it faces its most daunting challenge since entering the national scene in the summer of 2014.