Young minds at war

Sir, did the Indian army actually win the Kargil conflict?'' asked a 12-year-old innocently. For a moment, I was dumb struck. Was this ...

8220;Sir, did the Indian army actually win the Kargil conflict?8221; asked a 12-year-old innocently. For a moment, I was dumb struck. Was this a trick question? Having witnessed the victory march of the Army in the Kargil theatre of conflict, I could not believe that anyone could have doubts.

But this youngster at the Scindia School in Gwalior where Praveen Jain, our photo editor, and I had been invited to talk about the Kargil conflict, had doubts. During the six-hour-long drive to Gwalior and even on the majestic, winding and steep driveway to the fort, I was thinking of all sorts of questions that students might ask. Young questioning minds 8212; but not this one. Why did the student have this doubt? 8220;Sir, actually we saw all the photographs you brought and also saw the war on TV. But some politicians say we have not won the war and it is actually a defeat,8221; he stammered in response.

The school had arranged a hectic schedule for us. Soon after we reached, there was a photo display at the junior school followed by a question and answer session. The children were excited about the photographs. Despite a unit test the following morning, the youngsters of class V and VI gaped at the photographs and wanted to hear more and more stories about the war.

8220;Children, dinner time,8221; the master announced twice before they went for dinner after securing a promise from him that they be permitted to return for more. Some senior school boys also came down to the junior school to see the pictures. The questions that followed were intelligent and pointed and were clearly articulated by well-informed students. The talk to a cross section of students followed the next morning too in their classrooms after the morning assembly.

Why did we suffer so many casualties initially? Why were helicopters not used more often to attack intruders ensconced on our peaks? Why did soldiers not have snow boots, goggles, food and ammunition? Was this just an intelligence failure or even an operational failure? Was Brigadier Surinder Singh being made a scapegoat or were senior generals also responsible? Was the government also responsible for the setbacks? And finally, did we actually win this war? And during the interactions with the generation next, they found their own answers.

Their questioning minds and ability to think freely and comprehend were impressive. But their deductions scary. Not just for us as journalists but for democracy and the nation. 8220;You know sir, these politicians are ruining the country,8221; said a 14-year-old. Even his seniors in class XII agreed. 8220;Kargil, you say, is a victory for the soldiers but we have heard so many politicians saying it is not a victory and in fact is a defeat. It hurts us,8221; he added.

Several to-be voters echoed similar sentiments. In informal discussions outside classrooms, those students who will be eligible to vote soon said, and rather firmly, that they will never vote. 8220;This existing generation of wily politicians with no moral values, no principles and no love for the nation has to go.8221; 8220;It is high time that the younger generation got into politics.8221; But then these boys are not prepared to do so themselves. Though they have an ideal in the form of their own Maharaja as Madhavrao Scindia is known there, the students say they are certain that politics is getting far away from the people, and the nation.

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In several informal gatherings, both Praveen and I tried our best to explain that Kargil was indeed a victory for the jawans. And yes, politicians had no right to either claim credit for it or call it a defeat. These politicians were insulting the Army by making it a political shuttlecock.

Though students were against joining politics, they were not averse to the idea of joining the armed forces. But, they said, Army life does not mean death and sacrifice. The nation has to make the armed forces an enviable career option with more money, promotions and perks.