The army had decided to observe Vijay Diwas, July 26, when the Indian army won the Kargil war for us. There was no sign of the government even pretending to remember the martyrs. It got into the picture by fluke - in one more incident that demonstrates the power of the media.
How it unfolded: A couple of television channels relayed the causal comment by a former navy chief in the course of another conversation he was having with the anchor. This comment was taken forward to former army chief, V P Malik, who too lamented the lack of even a token appreciation by the government.
Soon, television channels took it upon themselves to criticise the very 'decent prime minister Manomohan Singh who, if you recall, recently sold the country in what has become a very lucrative trade-off for a Pakistan last week. (He issued a joint statement which literally tells a sniggering Pakistan,'Look, you need not do anything about the terror attacks or any other problems you have thrust upon us but we are with you all the way and we accept every single ridiculous accusation--Baluchistan, for one-- that you decide to fling our way).
So, where were we? The channels talked of how the government is shamelessly ignoring the one conflict that brought India together and which marked a turning point for most of us in the way we view the defence forces.
Soon enough, the government PR juggernaut swung into action and while it still did not bother to attend the Drass commemmoration arranged by the army, the decent PM paid homage at Amar Jawan Jyot.
And the media, which is amazingly adept at playing hero and villain in the same breath, dutifully flashed streamers all day telling us that the PM paid his homage to the Kargil martyrs. Anyone who is unaware of the background, as most of us would be, would be thrilled that he voted this sweet and decent PM in. Every single channel mindlessly kept playing up the homage through the day. His wreath got more importance than the real, elaborate ceremony at Drass.

Really, when the hell are we going to apply our minds to what we report and how we cover an event? Is the half minute gesture so important just because he is the PM. And if it is, why not give the precious readers it the context and thereby, some value to their own coverage? It does not require any intelligence to do so, a simple application of mind, as I said. Don't you agree?

Just a btw point: George Fernandes would have certainly driven to Drass to be with his people unlike the defence minister today- what's his name?

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The Kargil event brought back horrible memories of the war. I remember keeping my fingers crossed every single day, worrying whether an Indian soldier was dying that particular instant. I remember rushing home to switch on the TV at night to get the toll, and crying at the sight of the tricolour on the martyrs' coffins which were taken to their hometowns, a spectacular decision by the Vajpayee government that stirred up an entire nation into giving a rousing welcome to the slain heroes.

I remember meeting some of the injured soldiers in Pune, who were incredibly matter of fact and uncomplaining about their pain or loss of limb. And, believe me, each one of them was willing to go right back to the dreadful heights to root out the roachers the moment their commanding officers agreed.

I dig one point made by Marouf Raza on a TV channel that the killed Pakistani soldiers who were shamelessly dumped and disowned by Pakistan were given a decent burial by the Indian army. A maulvi was called and the soldiers were given a dignified burial-- notwithstanding the fact that they were slimy intruders, who had sneaked up the peaks behind our backs, that they were disowned by their own home country (sounds familiar, haan? remember Kasab? It's a habit with these slimeballs).

These soldiers laid down their lives for each one of us, every single one of us. So, the least we can do is appreciate their sacrifices. One way of doing it would be to ensure we do NOT tolerate any more of these needless attacks--no 26/11, no 7/11 and no Kargil - by cracking the whip on our 'elected' government.

It wont help to pretend that so long as others are laying down their lives for us, we don't have to care. If we continue to be so singularly short on decency, nobody wil be available to do this job for us. As it is, there is already a 30 per cent shortage of officers in the defence forces. The wise guys prefer to save their skin. And money.