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By:

Correspondent

23 August 2024 at 4:29:04 pm

Red Romance

For long, the Naxalite in news was recognisable by the gun. But the more insidious version of Naxalism has never needed a rifle. It has thrived in varsity classrooms and newspaper and magazine columns, fostered by men and women sympathetic to it. These academics and other members of the so-called intelligentsia have long enjoyed their status as ‘respectable dissenters’ even when their politics offered intellectual alibis for Naxals carrying guns. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent...

Red Romance

For long, the Naxalite in news was recognisable by the gun. But the more insidious version of Naxalism has never needed a rifle. It has thrived in varsity classrooms and newspaper and magazine columns, fostered by men and women sympathetic to it. These academics and other members of the so-called intelligentsia have long enjoyed their status as ‘respectable dissenters’ even when their politics offered intellectual alibis for Naxals carrying guns. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent Independence Day warning about “dimaagi Naxals” should therefore not be dismissed as another political label. His larger point was that an insurgency does not survive on ammunition alone. It survives on ideas and people willing to make violence appear morally fashionable. The most revealing feature of India’s Maoist movement was never simply its brutality. It was the strange attraction it exercised over sections of the metropolitan Left elite. The Naxalite with an AK-47 could be transformed into a romantic revolutionary while the policeman he killed became an instrument of an oppressive state. This was not merely naïveté. At its ugliest, it was the intellectual laundering of political violence. The fantasy of the romantic revolutionary has always been seductive. In this narrative, amplified through sympathetic media priding itself on telling ‘truth to power,’ India was not a constitutional democracy struggling with inequality and corruption but an inherently illegitimate state waiting to be overthrown. In the minds of this elite Left, Maoist violence has often been recast as resistance while attacks on infrastructure as blows against capitalism. The armed overthrow of the Indian republic was the liberation they craved for. Some of India’s most celebrated intellectuals have flirted dangerously close to that moral inversion. The issue here is whether intellectual prestige can be used to sanitise an ideology whose practitioners have murdered civilians, policemen and public servants and terrorised some of India’s poorest districts. A university cannot be the place where Maoist romanticism acquires the legitimacy of a fashionable campus cause. Professors who turn armed insurgents into heroic revolutionaries are not merely exercising academic freedom. If they knowingly excuse violence, they are helping to construct the moral vocabulary that makes violence possible. Let’s be clear here. A professor who criticises the Indian state is not a Naxal while a journalist who exposes state excesses is not an enemy of India. But an intellectual who repeatedly excuses, glorifies or rationalises political violence cannot hide behind the word ‘dissent.’ India has paid an enormous price for the Maoist fantasy. Thousands have died. Entire regions were held back by fear while development was obstructed. The people supposedly being liberated were often the first to suffer. The armed Naxal is now being pushed towards extinction. But the Indian republic cannot afford to leave behind the romantic mythology that made the gun respectable. A democracy can tolerate dissent. It should never be expected to tolerate the glorification of those who seek its violent destruction.

Brave Soldiers and the Brave Women Behind Them

Bravery isn’t just born — it’s built through discipline, resilience, and duty. But even deeper runs the quiet courage of the women who stand behind our soldiers.

Colonel Sofiya Quresh and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh
Colonel Sofiya Quresh and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh

Recently, the nation has witnessed fear, tension, and anguish. Anxiety lingers over the continuous firing, shelling, and ceasefire violations by Pakistan at the border. Our brave armed forces, who responded with strength and precision successfully intercepted missiles aimed at 15 Indian cities. Their courage is deeply commendable, and we remain forever indebted to them for risking their lives to protect ours. Their valour is beyond words — a sacrifice we honour with gratitude and respect.


Are soldiers born brave?

Bravery is a combination of both natural and developed characteristics. While each soldier is inherently courageous, military training, discipline, and instilling a strong sense of duty enhance their innate courage, which enables them to be highly receptive to challenges.


The training includes physical and mental conditioning to combat difficult situations, along with "duty comes first" over anything developed. Here’s a look at the essential traits that define a soldier’s preparedness and performance:

  • Resilience: The ability to recover from setbacks and maintain a positive outlook in adverse situations.

  • Focus and Concentration: The skill of staying sharp and executing missions with precision, even under intense stress.

  • Adaptability: Soldiers must adjust swiftly to unpredictable conditions, from shifting terrains to volatile weather.

  • Self-control: Emotional regulation is critical to making sound, timely decisions during high-stakes operations.

  • Persistence: A soldier's grit and perseverance push them to meet objectives despite numerous challenges.

  • Conquering Fear: Training instils the strength to overcome fear of injury or death in pursuit of mission success.

  • Teamwork: The armed forces thrive on collective learning and mutual support, fostering unity, inspiration, and strength.


The High Price of Duty

While their courage is visible, the personal cost borne by soldiers is often unseen. Their sacrifices go far beyond the battlefield.

  • Constant Physical Risk: Soldiers face life-threatening danger in combat zones and high-risk deployments.

  • Harsh Conditions: From scorching deserts to icy outposts, they endure extreme climates with limited resources and no room for complaint.

  • Mental and Emotional Strain: Continuous exposure to danger, trauma, and loss takes a deep toll on mental health, often leading to anxiety, PTSD, and other challenges.

  • Social Isolation: Long deployments leave little time for personal life, leading to isolation from society and friends.

  • Separation from Family: Extended absences mean missing out on birthdays, anniversaries, and major life moments — sacrifices made silently for the nation.


Brave women behind brave soldiers

Women play a vital role in a soldier’s life — as mothers, wives, and family members — contributing to his well-being and, in turn, to national security. Their strength sustains the spirit of service.


A soldier’s mother is a warrior herself, showing immense courage by sending her son to serve the nation. She instils bravery and patriotism from the very beginning, knowing the risks yet embracing them with pride. She is truly a brave heart who deserves our deepest respect.


The wife, too, shoulders multiple roles, managing the home front with quiet strength. Despite anxiety and long separations, she remains resilient, waiting, hoping, and holding the family together. Her unwavering spirit makes her a pillar of support, embodying courage and sacrifice.


Support extended by women is never-ending, but to summarise, here are a few:

Managing the Home Front

Women take primary charge of the household, ensuring the family’s needs are met while their sons or partners serve the nation. Their steady presence keeps life running smoothly in the soldier’s absence.


Providing Mental Strength

They offer deep understanding, immense patience, and unwavering emotional support — a source of strength that uplifts morale during testing times.


Love and Trust

Their unconditional love and steadfast trust help maintain a strong emotional bond. This connection brings both comfort and a shared sense of purpose, fuelling resilience and unity on both sides.

Here are a few ways to show gratitude to our bravehearts:

We as citizens can show gratitude to our soldiers and their families not just by acknowledging or appreciating their sacrifices but by an act of kindness in the form of various contributions, like raising funds to assist with their children's education or family health care, or we can even associate and get involved with organisations that take care of all these needs of their families.


If we ever get an opportunity to make a difference in their lives, we are truly blessed.


It's a powerful gratitude. This act of kindness will resonate with our inner selves and help ignite benevolence.


Alongside this, we should teach our children the essence of patriotism and enlighten them with the stories of our real heroes, which will help shape their lives in a larger way to be perceptive.


We salute the bravehearts, the strength and courage of brave women behind the scenes who play such powerful roles in national security and our peaceful life.


Jai Hind!


(The author is a tutor based in Thane.)

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