An insult to the brave

The verbal assaults on the armed forces by a section of politicians deserve all-round condemnation. It is not a matter of constructive criticism for leaders like SP’s Azam Khan who make derogatory statements to make headlines.

His recent remarks — in keeping with the steady lowering of the bar in public discourse — have transgressed the limits of civility. Khan, in the most distasteful way, had targeted the slain CRPF men who were ambushed by Naxals in Chhattisgarh. Curiously, the SP strongman calls himself patriotic, claiming to have the country’s best interests in mind.

Civilians rarely possess an understanding of the extraordinary circumstances in which the men in battle fatigues operate. Be it in the Red Corridor, the hotbed of Naxalism, marked by dense forests, or at the outposts in Siachen where temperatures plunge to -50°C, or in the hostile Kashmir Valley where they have to battle both civilians and militants, the extraordinary courage, sacrifice and resilience these men demonstrate comes from an abiding love for the motherland.

Needless to say, Khan, or politicians like him, aren’t the sort capable of surmounting such odds. Yet, they will seize the slightest opportunity to vilify these men who keep us safe from enemies both within and outside the country.

Such political opportunism won’t help the SP leader to score brownie points, not this time, at least.