This Republic Day, we had a chief guest in our apartment, a Colonel in the Indian Army who had won several national awards for bravery. He was of course welcomed into our midst with great fanfare and excitement, and admonitions about posting photographs on social networking sites.
He spoke articulately and volubly about his experiences in Kargil and Siachen. The low pressures that could be fatal if not dealt with properly, the severely low temperatures that could cause hypothermia, the high altitudes that could make you go crazy. The separation from family, the palpable fear that one could very realistically leave the barracks and never return. The normally hyper-bratty tots listened in rapt attention as we all tried to imagine all these conditions sitting in our comfortable apartment surrounded by food and sun and fun and friends and family and freedom.
One piece of information was demanded, shared, repeated many times, and applauded. "We killed 23 Pakistanis in one takedown, and then another, and then three more," he announced and talked of a letter received from a 4-year-old boy beseeching him to kill at least one Pakistani for him. Applause and indulgent smiles. And the Colonel announced that he had obliged the child- 28 times over. More applause.
And then some time later after, a question from one rather inattentive child in our complex - or perhaps he had not learnt how to add yet - "Uncle, how many soldiers did you kill totally?" Applause again. "Well, let's see 23+ 1 + 4, that's 28." Deafening applause.
Maybe it's just me, maybe I'm not patriotic enough, but I found that exchange very very disturbing. Granted, securing our borders and keeping our troops safe entails killing - I know that. But I always thought it was a means to an end, not an end in itself. And sitting in our little amphitheatre, surrounded by chortling and well-fed children whose greatest worries were report cards and getting their hands on the latest gadget, hearing them baying bloodthirstily for the blood of another human being was deeply unsettling.
But not more unsettling than the applause that these questions received from the adults who are supposed to teach them respect and love and tolerance.
He spoke articulately and volubly about his experiences in Kargil and Siachen. The low pressures that could be fatal if not dealt with properly, the severely low temperatures that could cause hypothermia, the high altitudes that could make you go crazy. The separation from family, the palpable fear that one could very realistically leave the barracks and never return. The normally hyper-bratty tots listened in rapt attention as we all tried to imagine all these conditions sitting in our comfortable apartment surrounded by food and sun and fun and friends and family and freedom.
One piece of information was demanded, shared, repeated many times, and applauded. "We killed 23 Pakistanis in one takedown, and then another, and then three more," he announced and talked of a letter received from a 4-year-old boy beseeching him to kill at least one Pakistani for him. Applause and indulgent smiles. And the Colonel announced that he had obliged the child- 28 times over. More applause.
And then some time later after, a question from one rather inattentive child in our complex - or perhaps he had not learnt how to add yet - "Uncle, how many soldiers did you kill totally?" Applause again. "Well, let's see 23+ 1 + 4, that's 28." Deafening applause.
Maybe it's just me, maybe I'm not patriotic enough, but I found that exchange very very disturbing. Granted, securing our borders and keeping our troops safe entails killing - I know that. But I always thought it was a means to an end, not an end in itself. And sitting in our little amphitheatre, surrounded by chortling and well-fed children whose greatest worries were report cards and getting their hands on the latest gadget, hearing them baying bloodthirstily for the blood of another human being was deeply unsettling.
But not more unsettling than the applause that these questions received from the adults who are supposed to teach them respect and love and tolerance.
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