The recent face-off between India and Pakistan well and truly exposed the unfortunate situation of the Indian mainstream today. The online vitriol spewed by Indian celebrities, especially those who had visited Pakistan on numerous occasions and taken full advantage of our hospitality, had the audacity to badmouth Pakistanis. A name that comes to mind is Javed Akhtar, who was treated like royalty on his visit to Lahore but had the nerve to hurl abuse at Pakistanis during the recent showdown between the two neighbours. A befitting response was given by Bushra Ansari who answered him back in his own coin.
As Bilawal rightly said in one of his speeches: "Osama bin Laden might be dead but the butcher of Gujarat lives and in fact is the Prime Minister," referring to the hundreds massacred during the riots in Gujarat in 2002 while Modi was Chief Minister. This anti-Muslim rhetoric is used by the BJP government to fan the flames of hatred and extremism, especially before elections, and is a guaranteed tactic to curry favor with their vote bank.
During the recent confrontation, Pakistan made it very clear they would leave no stone unturned to protect the honour and integrity of their motherland. When India attacked in the dead of night, the reprisal was swift and deadly. A number of Indian drones were shot down, and Pakistan proved once again that any attempt to hurt the dignity and sanctity of their country would have severe repercussions. India made several abortive attempts and went so far as to target major cities but withdrew swiftly when they faced the wrath of the Pakistani armed forces, who in an impressive display of unity and courage proved they would not tolerate any transgressions or violations.
The power wielded by BJP in India and the slavish adoration that far too many Indians have for Modi is downright frightening
And so it was that the Indian military beat a hasty retreat. Of course, America, as always, maintained an extremely diplomatic stance and finally negotiated a ceasefire between the two warring nations. After all, Trump is a true businessman and war is bad for business.
So where do we go from here? At least Pakistan has sent a clear message to the international community that it is a military force to be reckoned with and is armed with all the ammunition needed to protect and safeguard its interests. India has come across as a spoiled child who throws tantrums when things don't go its way. Pakistanis have handled the entire episode in an extremely mature and judicious manner, making it clear they are open to negotiation and would like peace with India. However, as long as Modi is Prime Minister, that is a remote possibility, as the flames of animosity and hatred need to be stoked every now and then for him to stay relevant with his vote bank.
Pakistani and Indian celebrities who chose to stay mum or maintained a diplomatic stance were massively trolled and roasted online. Social media wields so much power and influence that it can make or break careers, which is why quite a few celebrities have decided to steer clear of it. Fake news also spreads like wildfire, and during the face-off, the media on both sides had a field day. The Indian media, in particular, went berserk and continued fanning anti-Muslim rhetoric to create a media frenzy and vilify opponents to add fuel to fire.
India was founded on principles of secularism, democracy, equality and justice but has become a hotbed of extremism under Modi. The future looks incredibly bleak for Pakistan-India relations. If Congress had been in power, it would have been different, but BJP openly proclaims India is only for Hindus. Like Bush said after 9/11: "You are either with us or against us" - there is no middle ground. After all, if India makes peace with Pakistan, Modi will no longer have a solid mandate to secure votes because his entire election campaign revolves around fanning anti-Muslim rhetoric which ensures his long political innings.
As long as Modi is in power, these cross-border skirmishes will continue unabated. Despite India claiming to be a democracy and advocate of free speech, anti-BJP voices are swiftly crushed. Muslims find it increasingly hard to survive in India - take Aamir Khan who mentioned considering moving abroad as he no longer felt safe. The reprisal was swift: his film Laal Singh Chaddha bombed at the box office due to anti-Muslim rhetoric perpetuated by right-wing fundamentalists. The message was clear: dare speak against us and we'll end your career.
The power wielded by BJP in India and the slavish adoration that far too many Indians have for Modi is downright frightening. The fanaticism held in check by more secular parties like Congress has been unleashed by Modi and engulfs the country like wildfire. Under his leadership, this will continue unchecked as long as it serves his political interests.
All we can do is wait and watch, but after Pakistan's befitting response in the recent face-off, India will think twice before attacking it again.