Reporter's diary: When India claimed 'surgical strikes'
There was nothing odd about the day, at least till 10.57am when a WhatsApp message got me excited.
It was an invite from the ministry of external affairs (MEA) for a press briefing, which was slated for 11.15am. It read, rather innocuously, "Certain defence related issues will be covered. Defence journalists may attend the same."
At a time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi had publicly stated that Uri will not go unpunished; at a time when "all options" against Pakistan were on the table; and at a time when there was really nothing else happening, why on earth would the two ministries (MEA and defence ministry) be conducting a hurried joint press conference? I began dialling my contacts to seek an answer.
No response.
I retraced my steps. Earlier in the morning, I had reported a ceasefire violation committed by the Pakistani troops in Jammu's Poonch region. My colleague Ashwani Kumar, from our Jammu bureau had confirmed Pakistani troops started the ceasefire violations at 4.35am using mortars and small arms from posts 3 star, New Pak on Indian posts Rosani and Maan. Could that hold the key? Some digging revealed hints about an Indian response, but it was still all too vague.
The briefing got postponed to 12.15pm and I made it in time.
The moment I stepped into the media briefing hall at the Jawaharlal Nehru Bhawan, two words hit me - "surgical strikes" coming as they were from the resolute Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Lt Gen Ranbir Singh.
I waited for him to complete his statement, but the Indian Army took no questions, provided no clarification on anything.
Because not a minute was provided after General Singh spoke, no one even had the opportunity to seek "proof" of the action or any other detail.
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| DGMO Lt Gen Ranbir Singh at the press conference in New Delhi on Thursday. (Photo credit: PTI) |
Much later, one learnt that a jawan had suffered from an injury in the operation. He was fortunately in stable condition.
A senior defence ministry staffer shared with me some details, as provided by the Army: there were nearly 40 terrorist casualties, even though "nobody stood there waiting and counting". I was also told that the "proof" of Army's attack was available and would be shared soon.
The government, meanwhile, unleashed all its articulate speakers and ministers to pay tributes. What was significant to note was the absence of those actually handling the issue - neither defence minister Manohar Parrikar nor his deputy Dr Subhash Bhamre appeared before the camera. Express orders to their staff were to keep the press corps at an arm's length.
I must admit, I was rather impressed by the stealth the government managed to achieve. From the time of the operation was launched to when the DGMO spoke, none of us knew what had taken place.
I can also share that even those deployed on the Line of Control (LoC) were equally perplexed. Given how the Indian system "leaks", to keep this under the wraps was no mean achievement.
As the day progressed, the Pakistani denied reports of a surgical strike. Their media later came up with varying reports of Indian "casualties". In the end, the Indian Army clarified that a soldier had indeed strayed, but this had nothing to do with this strike. The Army has asked the Pakistanis to let him return safely.
Through the day, many asked if "this operation actually took place", or was it a part of a muscular narrative devoid of action on ground? After all, in the absence of evidence, questions would emerge.
At one level, this did not surprise me.
When I was at the LoC last week, men from across the ranks confirmed they had "been preparing" for something. More man power, resources, better defences were being piled up. Reporting from the villages near the LoC convinced me was that a crisis was developing.
The locals told us they had suffered at the hands of those seeking indefinite bandhs in the Valley as even rations were not reaching them. They, quite naturally, feared that any escalation would choke them.
Images from Punjab, where an evacuation actually was underway, tell you about the terrible price conflicts impose.
While the focus will shift to what Pakistan will do, for which India says it is prepared, it is time to also strengthen the internal security apparatus.
More than 400 terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir and several sleeper cells in the hinterland will pose a significant challenge for our police and intelligence machinery. They have kept India safe so far and there should be no let up.
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