‘Want 100 Pak soldiers killed for my son’s death’ Visa for Jadhav’s mother under review: Islamabad
CALL FOR JUSTICE Families of two soldiers killed in crossborder ceasefire violation seek retribution for their loss
A pall of gloom descended on the suburban countryside of Jammu after the news of two soldier deaths on the Line of Control (LoC) in Kupwara’s Keran sector broke early on Thursday.
At Kotbhalwal’s Burn village , Lance Naik Ranjit Singh’s wife Neha Devi sought nothing short of vengeance. “I am proud of my husband,” she cried. “He died for the country but I want justice… I want revenge for my his killing.”
His mother, Veena Devi, echoed a similar sentiment. “Mere iklaute bachche ki jagah unke 100 nikalne chahiye. Mujhe insaaf chahiye (I want 100 Pakistani soldiers killed for the death of my only son. I want justice),” she screamed. “I want nothing from this government, only a bullet for myself. My family has been ruined.”
However, their two children – Kajal and Kartik – harboured nothing beyond a burning aspiration to serve their nation when they grow up. “My father wanted me to become a good human being, probably a police officer. I will fulfil his dream and fight on the side of the law,” said the girl, who is still in Class 5.
Kartik, a Class 4 student, wants to follow in his father’s footsteps and join the Army.
The scene was no different at Gurasinghu village in Shamachak, which lost 20-year-old Satish Bhagat to the sniper fire.
“Three days ago, Satish called us up to say that he was heading to the LoC. He said mobile phones don’t work in that area, but asked us not worry. But we never thought something like this would happen,” said Rashpal, an uncle. He and another relative – Tara Chand – expressed regret over nobody from the government coming to visit Bhagat’s family in their time of grief.
A classmate of the martyred soldier said Bhagat always wanted to join the Army like his father. “But nothing can be done now. It’s time for revenge. India should teach Pakistan a lesson,” he added. The other villagers seemed to be in an equally retributive mood, shouting slogans like ‘Pakistan murdabad’, and ‘Bharat Mata ki jai’.
Islamabad said on Thursday it is reviewing New Delhi’s request for granting a visa to the mother of Kulbushan Yadav, the former Indian Navy officer sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court for alleged espionage.
Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria told a weekly news briefing, “The pending visa application of Jadhav’s mother is currently under review.” He did not say when a decision is likely in the matter.
Jadhav’s mother, Avantika Jadhav, had submitted a visa application at the Pakistan high commission in New Delhi soon after her son was sentenced to death in April. She also sent a mercy petition and an appeal for her son to be freed to the Pakistan government through the Indian mission in Islamabad.
External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj has written a “personal letter” to Sartaj Aziz, Pakistan’s foreign policy chief, about Avantika’s visa application. On Monday, Swaraj used strong words to hit out at Aziz for not having “the courtesy even to acknowledge” her letter.
During a news briefing in New Delhi, external affairs ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay said there was “no progress” on India’s request for consular access to Jadhav.
The Indian government has not heard from Pakistan through diplomatic channels on the request for a visa for Jadhav’s mother, he added.
Baglay was responding to a question about the Pakistan Foreign Office’s comment that the visa request was being considered. Pakistan has repeatedly turned down India’s requests for consular access to Jadhav.
At the briefing in Islamabad, Zakaria expressed regret at what he described as India’s “strict restrictions” on granting visas to Pakistanis who wanted to travel to India for medical treatment.
Under new Indian rules, medical visas will be issued only if the applications are endorsed by Sartaj Aziz, the Prime Minister’s advisor on foreign affairs.