Pahalgam Terror Attack to Test Modi’s Muscular Nationalism Pivot

National Outrage over Pahalgam Attack Builds Revenge Hysteria

By Manish Anand

New Delhi, April 23, 2025: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday morning held a brief meeting at the airport on his arrival from Saudi Arabia. He cut short his visit in the wake of the savage Pahalgam terror attack, which left 28 civilians dead.

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Union Minister for External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, and others joined Modi in the huddle at the airport. Union Minister for Home Affairs Amit Shah is camping in Srinagar to oversee the “security response”.

Prime time television is egging on the Modi government for an instant revenge. Strategic analysts have linked Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir’s April 17 speech in Islamabad to the Pahalgam terror attack. Munir went vitriolic with his “Kashmir is our jugular vein” rhetoric.

Lt. Gen (Retd) KJ Singh in a post on X said that “terrorists & controllers may have shot their bolt. Will tourist dependent Kashmiris rise in protest? Will Mirwaiz & clergy issue Fatwa?”

The former commander of the western command also asserted that “international opinion (is) further alienated. Strong Indian response (is) assured.”

In an apparent message to the gung-ho gang of television prime slots, Lt. Gen (Retd) KJ Singh said, “trust forces and the government”. “Let them handle it (Pahalgam terror attack) methodically. Avoid hyping hysteria and panic. This is ‌design of terrorists. Retribution (revenge) (is) best served cold,” added Singh.

He also cautioned the people against building hysteria. “Remember, Kandhar – too much panic, forced the government into avoidable exchange,” cautioned Lt. Gen (Retd) KJ.

But Modi may face pressure to respond within a quick time span in manner in which India carried out the surgical strikes in the wake of the Pulwama terror attacks. Already, demands are being raised to suspend the Indus Water Treaty and also withdraw from the ceasefire agreement on the line of control (LoC).

Vikram Jit Singh, who has covered Kashmir militancy for decades and also the Kargil War, wrote on X that “after Reasi bus massacre of June 9, 2024, I had stated that GoI must review decision for LoC ceasefire to establish a degree of deterrence in the Pak proxy war mindset, as Pak Army is virtually untouched after ceasefire. While we are losing heavily.”

But merely suspending the Indus Water Treaty and withdrawal from the LoC ceasefire agreement may not prove sufficient for the muscular nationalism image of Modi. He may face demands for visible actions on the ground within a short span of time, argued political observers.

They recalled that the national executive meeting of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Kozikode in Kerala after the Pulwama terror attack had faced the media lens on Modi’s likely response to terrorists.

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About The Author

Manish Anand

Manish Anand is a senior journalist with more than two decades of hardcore reporting on beats such as Prime Minister’s Office, Parliament, BJP, Congress, Planning Commission, NITI Aayog, and scores of Union Ministries.

His past has been with The New Indian Express, The Asian Age/Deccan Chronicle, and The Statesman.

For about 15 years, Manish was also a regular commentator and host for talks on AIR on foreign affairs.

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