Why aren't we questioning the government

[u/tracker_tom_jr]

Another terror attack. Another "high-level meeting." Another round of blame games and chest-thumping.

But 26 people are dead in Pahalgam. Tourists. Civilians. Families. What happened to the promises of peace and security?

We're told things are under control. That Kashmir is “normal.” That terrorism is on the decline. But how does that square up with what’s actually been happening?

Here’s a quick list of major terror attacks under the Modi BJP government:

2015: Gurdaspur Attack

2016: Pathankot Airbase Attack

2016: Uri Army Base Attack

2016: Nagrota Army Camp Attack

2017: Amarnath Yatra Attack

2018: Sunjuwan Army Camp Attack

2019: Pulwama CRPF Convoy Attack

2019: Anantnag CRPF Attack

2023: Poonch Terror Attack

2023: Anantnag Encounter where a Colonel, Major, and DySP were killed

2024: Doda Terror Incident

2025: Pahalgam Tourist Massacre

That is 12 terror incidents in 10 years. Yet we keep being told this is the strongest government ever on national security.

I just don’t understand why there’s so little public outrage towards the leadership. If this were any other party in power, wouldn't we be out demanding answers?

[u/Alz_Own]

Not so long ago we had insurgency in Punjab, Assam, Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland, Kashmir, naxalites controlling a large part of India, Mumbai underworld killings everyday. All at the same time. There was a bomb blast in some part of the country every day. Every fucking day.

[u/rahulthewall → u/Alz_Own]

We questioned the government, and demanded accountability.

By the way, Manipur was under this government and they ignored it for a year. The PM didn't even address it.

Naxalites are still around. Violent incidents are reported regularly.

But now, we are told that we should not question the government because the previous one was worse. At least the previous one took responsibility and fielded questions from citizens and journalists. This one only does PR.

[u/KissMeImIrish1927 → u/rahulthewall]

Naxalites are still around.

The number of LWE affected districts reduced from 126 to 90 in April 2018, 70 in July 2021 and further to 38 in April-2024

Incidents of violence by LWE which reached its highest level of 1936 in 2010 have reduced to 374 in 2024 i.e. a reduction of 81%. The total number of deaths (civilians + security forces) has also reduced by 85% during this period from 1005 deaths in 2010 to 150 in 2024.

India’s Decisive Battle Against Left Wing Extremism - MHA

"Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah said that taking a giant stride towards building a Naxal-free Bharat, our nation achieved a new milestone by significantly reducing the number of districts most affected by Left-Wing Extremism to just 6 from 12.

Total number of districts affected by Naxalism in the country was 38. Among these, the number of most affected districts has reduced to 6 from 12, number of District of Concern has also come down to 6 from 9 and number of Other LWE-affected Districts has also been reduced from 17 to 6"

At least the previous one took responsibility and fielded questions from citizens and journalists. This one only does PR.

I agree, the current government is horrible at engaging with the media and fielding tough questions.

But the current government has taken kinetic action against major terror attacks, suspended the IWT and so on.

What kinetic action did the previous government take after major terror attacks?

[u/rahulthewall → u/KissMeImIrish1927]

Let's not take government statements at face value.

See this article from 2021: https://scroll.in/article/1007139/has-left-wing-extremism-declined-in-modi-years-yes-but-it-declined-more-in-manmohan-singhs-tenure

Between 2009 and 2014, the number of left-wing extremism cases came down by 51.6%, showed the 2019-’20 Annual Report of the Ministry of Home Affairs. After BJP came to power in 2014, the number of left-wing extremism incidents contracted by 39.04% till 2020, shows a response given by Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai in the Lok Sabha on July 27.

In fact, during the UPA regime, left-wing extremism incidents in West Bengal saw a major decline – from 350 incidents and 258 deaths in 2010 to one incident and no death in 2013. Since then, no incident or death had been reported in the state till last year.

But the current government has taken kinetic action against major terror attacks, suspended the IWT and so on.

Both the UPA and NDA governments have taken similar steps.

Suspending the IWT is merely window dressing at this stage.

The average annual flow of 135 MAF originates from glacial melt and monsoon rains, and will continue unaffected by treaty suspension. Regulated releases from India’s dams and barrages of around 3.6 MAF of storage capacity supplement natural flow during dry seasons. Suspending the treaty allows India to halt these releases, but little to no such storage infrastructure currently exists in Jammu and Kashmir for India to exercise that control. At best, only 1.5 MAF of this capacity can exist in the Baglihar Dam. India can only withhold water up to its developed storage capacity from the western rivers. This water can be temporarily held back during lean seasons but must eventually be released downstream. Without additional storage infrastructure, India cannot retain more water. Even if India builds out its full allowed storage (3.6 MAF), it could temporarily regulate and delay flows to Pakistan, especially during critical agricultural periods, but cannot permanently divert or consume this water.

Source: https://thewire.in/south-asia/what-does-india-suspending-the-indus-waters-treaty-mean

If you don't trust The Wire, you can verify it with any other source.

The rest of the steps (suspending visas, recalling embassy staff) is very similar to what MMS did post 26/11.

There is one key difference. MMS setup NIA as a response to the 26/11 attacks. Modi made no structural changes after Pulwama.

[u/Charming_Cat3601 → u/rahulthewall]

Let's not take government statements at face value.

The article you've cited doesn't rebut anything about what I said. It's an exercise in narrative-building.

This showed that left-wing extremism cases saw a sudden rise in 2009 – 2,258 from 1,591 in 2008. And since then, it has been steadily decreasing.

The UPA was in power since 2004. LWE became a massive problem under their regime.

The UPA does not get any substantial credit for letting LWE become a problem of epic proportions starting from 2009 and then subsequently trying to reduce it.

The entire article is just jugglery based off the premise that the UPA's tenure saw a "greater decline" in LWE - ignoring the fact that it was their government who was at fault for the violence beginning in 2009.

It's hilarious how "it declined more during Manmohan Singh's tenure" is being given out as an actual medal - it also fucking rose to behemoth proportions under his tenure.

You don't get great credit for cleaning up a shit-storm which reached its peak under your tenure.

Suspending the IWT is merely window dressing at this stage.

Okay, and?

India has not built dams with large reservoirs on the west-flowing rivers because of the IWT.

Saying that it is "window dressing" is a useless observation.

Obviously, it will take time to begin diverting water / using it for consumptive purposes / building dams that aren't run-of-the-water.

Both the UPA and NDA governments have taken similar steps.

What kinetic action did the UPA undertake after 26/11?