People living in the border villages from Kathua to Pargwal, where Pakistan has been continuously on an offensive for the past more than 10 days, are fed up with the situation and want 'a final decision' once and for all.
Sarpanches and panches, who talked of firing from across the border and damage suffered by them over the past many days, are of the opinion that either government should come up with a comprehensive plan to restore peace or go all out against Pakistan to teach it a 'final' lesson.
Though their priority is peace, given Pakistan's act of repeated violation of ceasefire and continuous mortar shelling and firing, they are not against a 'war' with the enemy to teach it a lesson.
"We have been suffering since the 1999 Kargil conflict and are now fed up with the government's policy, as there has been no substantial reprisal to Pakistan's misadventure. Though we all favour peace, if the situation doesn't remain hopeful India needs to give it a befitting reply," said Tejinder Singh, sarpanch of Ramgarh, where Pakistan showed its aggression recently and attacked 52 posts along the international border in one day.
His view were seconded Om Prakash, sarpanch of Channi village at Chamliyal -- a village known for Indo-Pak friendship as it hosts Baba Chamliyal Mela. He said Pakistan's mischief is continuously on the rise for the past few days and after union home minister Sushilkumar Shinde's visit, they have returned with more vengeance. "It is high time India taught Pakistan a befitting lesson," he said.
"Diplomatic attitude doesn't work all the time and after going through the ground situation here, the Centre and the state government have got enough evidence about Pakistan's continuous aggression on the border. We fail to understand what the government is thinking or waiting for? There needs to be a strong rejoinder from India, which is not there. Our people, forces, cattle and crop are being hurt and government is just waiting," said Om Prakash.
His view were seconded Om Prakash, sarpanch of Channi village at Chamliyal -- a village known for Indo-Pak friendship as it hosts Baba Chamliyal Mela. He said Pakistan's mischief is continuously on the rise for the past few days and after union home minister Sushilkumar Shinde's visit, they have returned with more vengeance. "It is high time India taught Pakistan a befitting lesson," he said.
"Diplomatic attitude doesn't work all the time and after going through the ground situation here, the Centre and the state government have got enough evidence about Pakistan's continuous aggression on the border. We fail to understand what the government is thinking or waiting for? There needs to be a strong rejoinder from India, which is not there. Our people, forces, cattle and crop are being hurt and government is just waiting," said Om Prakash.
Darshan Singh Kala, a sarpanch from Khour Nandpur, another seriously affected village on the border near Pargwal, said until a strong and effective retaliation is not meted out to Pakistan, it would carry on with its mischief.
"As long the snake is not stepped upon its tail, it does not hurt. India's situation is like a snake stepped upon its tail, but it is not retaliating, which is very unfortunate," Darshan Singh used the metaphor while talking about the border situation on the international border vis-a-vis India's nonchalance over Pakistan's offensive.
Regarding the recent statement of chief minister Omar Abdullah, in which he said people of India do not want war against Pakistan, all sarpanches were of the view that the central government is the decision making authority and it needs to act fast.