JK News Today Commentary
Operation Sindhu launched by Government of India to safely evacuate Indian citizens from conflict-hit Iran, fostered a special connect with Kashmir worried over fate of its children studying there. Each missile hitting Tehran and other cities in Iran added to their anxiety. But, all of them had singular faith in the Modi Government, with all saying in unison, “our government can do anything under any circumstances.”
The Modi government lived up to their faith. Hundreds of Kashmiri students are back in their homes in the Valley with their families – feeling the relief after having spent nightmarish days and nights in Iran incessantly pounded by Israeli missiles, drones and other weaponry.
Iran was retaliating to the Israeli strikes that had started hitting the country from the intervening night of June 12th and 13th. But that did not make the life of Indian citizens in Iran any safer.
This conflict brought Kashmiris studying medicine and other sciences and religion face to face with death in the literal sense. Each missile hitting Iran added to uncertainty, and increased heart beat of their parents.
But there was a singular hope that their Government back home will not leave them in that dangerous situation.
And that happened. Government of India launched “ Operation Sindhu” to bring to ensure safe evacuation of its citizens from the Persian Gulf nation caught in one of its worst conflict since Iraq-Iran war that lasted for nearly eight years, from September 1980 to August 1988. Though Iran had been in the center of high tensions with the US and Israel over the decades. The tensions with the US started, after the Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi regime was toppled by Islamic fundamentalists on February 11, 1979.
Kashmiris were always attracted to Iran because some of the most revered Islamic shrines, particularly for Shia Muslims. They also used to send their children for studies over there, because of the religious bonds and opportunities to study and serve in that nation. Of late the attraction for studies in Iran had grown. One of the factors was the turbulences in Kashmir because of Pakistan sponsored terrorism.
This background is necessary to understand why Kashmiri were there in Iran. Though they were not the targets of Israeli missiles as such, but then missiles make no difference between the natives and others.
Sensing the sensitivity of the situation and the dangers in which the Indian citizens were caught, Government of India’s Operation Sindhu started from the word goes. The citizens were rescued and brought to Armenia via land border and then the flights brought the Indians back home. Kashmiri students constituted more than 85 percent in the first flight itself- 90 out of 110. .By Thursday night; 500 Kashmiri students out 600 Indian citizens were on the flights back home.
This reaffirms Government’s commitment to rescue and evacuate every Indian citizen from dangerous situations. All the students who returned from Iran profusely praised the Government and in particular Indian embassies in Iran and Armenia. “They treated us like a family.” These words of students are echoing all across Kashmir.
