The Rediff Special
'Never give in to terrorist demands'
Nightmare of Flight 814, Message Board. Views verbatim, edited lightly.
Name: Ramesh Krishnan
Email: ramesh_k@bigfoot.com
Message: It is sad that we take too long to arrive at a final decision. The problem we over do our discussions which not only takes away valuable time but also lost oppurtunity. Both of which can be got back. We have done this again but with a difference, we have now but the traumatic people's lives at stake. The babu's sit in comfortable offices and think. Many a voices have been raised against such bad decision making process. The babu's in the govt should awaken. May god bring back all the passengers and crew back home safe. Regards. RK
Name: Dr.JAGDISH AGGARWAL
Email: PUJESI1@AOL.COM
Message: First of ll I cngratulate Rediff on excellent coverage. I scanned all possible sources on the net. You gave most upto date reports with details. You DONE GOOD SERVICE TO INDIAN COMMUNITY IN USA. REGARDS
Name: Shyam
Email: Shyam_mohan@hotmail.com
Message:NO
Name: S Patel
Email: patel@rediffmail.com
Message: Collect all prisoners in jails all over India (including all named) related to the Harkat-ul Ansar- take them to Khandar and line them up outside the aircraft(on one side). Ask for the release of all passengers immidiately- and start shooting the prisoners one at a time. Meanwhile, have the comandos storm the plane. The terrorists have 3 options: 1. Watch their friends/relative get killed on the tarmac and start killing passengers. 2. Fend off the attacking commandos- while watching their friends/relatives get killed. 3. Surrender unconditionally. There will be casualties, but with 2 pistols, a couple of grenades and a few knives- how many can they kill- if commandos can storm the plane in a few minutes. Additionally, why haven't they used the pistols yet? Maybe they do not have enough ammunition- or maybe they're worried about cracking the hull of the aircraft- and afraid of loosing their lives. Either way, they don't appear to be very organized or intelligent. Killing all the terrorists and those named in the release will set a precident for future terrorists acts. Its also lets all terrorists know that these dastardly acts will only dimish the members fighting for their cause. Letting any prisoner free will only invite further terrorist acts.
Name: GVSHARAVAN
Email: GVSHARAVAN@HOTMAIL.COM
Message: The first world countries such as US with a non-negotiable policy wouldnt have met the demands of the terrorists as it cannot afford its economy being threatened by a bunch of terrorists. Thousands have lost their lives in Kargil, 150 passengers may be another sacrifice in nations concern, while 7 militants have been released in the past in exchange of a minister's daughter the issue is a matter of speculation, India should have applied its breaks earlier.
Name: Shyam
Email: shakalakababy@rediffmail.com
Message: The prisoner should be released so that the trauma of the passengers,crew,their relatives and the whole of india is done with.....
Name: sudip bhattacharjee
Email: sudip@civil.iisc.ernet.in
Message: the quesion of releasing Maulana Masood is out of question. also as india does not have a diplomatic relation with the government of Taliban there is also no question of sending troops to their country to carry put operation. but what our government certainly can do is to contact with the hijackers as soon as possible and start talking with them and send a hog level team of experts there. but as it appears they are in no mood of doing either of that, it can only be reagarded as an act of absolute callousnes from the part of our government.
Name: manish pal
Email: manu28@usa.net
Message: It is undestood that the families of all passengers are going thru the most traumatic time of their lives, but they must and will have to realise that all the brave soldiers who laid down their lives to get those animals behind bars will go in vain. I feel that the govt. must not release them and instead work on a miltary solution. Though the lives our fellow nationals is at stake we must realise that we cannot bow down to senseless demands by people who cannot even think for themselves. The saddest part is that the govt. is yet to involve the defence personnel, in taking decesions on this issue. At least officially their involvement is not known. If the bureaucrats think that sitting on their backside and holding meeting upon meeting will solve this crisis...Then God help this nation. On the other hand i accept that my knowledge is limited to that provided by the media..so i join with all Indians in praying for those onboard IC-814..that they come back safe and sound.
Name: vinaya
Email: vinaya_chat@hotmail.com
Message: NO NO NO and NO See what one hijaching has done. By releasing a militant do we want one hijacking for each jailed militant. The government should look at the big picture for the future.
Name: Jb
Email:
Message: Will anyone please tell me as to why India is not talking to them at all..Isnt it the first thing to do in such a situation ....No need to agree to their demands but atleast keep talking to them so as to wear them out??? What are they waiting for?..Taliban says no to any Entebbe attempts(obviously, they seem to be involved..)...Nor are willing to engage themselves...Should'nt India take the responsibility now and DO SOMETHING???
Name: sheetal
Email: kumarsheetal@hotmail.com
Message: aab kya hot hai jab chiriya chug gayee khet?don't act heroic now(as there is nothing left)?we indians shouldlearn to be proactive.don't celebrate millinium by killing of 158 indians but by celebrate it with a "shapath" that terriorism will remain a word in lexicons and nowhere in reality in this world.releasing a terriorist now will not make a difference to india's izzat actually it already made a difference when 5 people with little ammunation have flown the plane to 5 destinations. be brave accept the situation and then work on it.khayali pulao se pet nahi bharta!!
Name: giridhar sarma
Email: g_giri@hotmail.com
Message: YES. one suggestion ... why can't they drug the food supplies ( abit ) that are given to the damned hijackers ??? or ask for international hijack couter attack forces ?????
Name: K S
Email:
Message:
Name: R Bantwal
Email: rbantwal@rediffmail.com
Message: Yes we should trade the Maulana for the hostages. After all when we are being governed by criminals, would one less in the jail make a difference? By trading the terrorist we would be saving 150 families.
Name: K S Kasi
Email: kailash@md2.vsnl.net.in
Message: Yes, the government should release Maulana Masood in exchange for the lifes of the innocent hostages.
Name: dr.t.g.balachandar
Email: tgbala66
Message:
Name: khushhal
Email: khushhal@hotmail.com
Message: This is all conspiration by some Paki and Afagani agents. If TAliban is acting up on humanitirian grounds why dont they allow to storm the plane when now its known that they have quite less weapons then thought of. Govt shouldnt nudge under pressure but should do everything to get innocents released. And Govt should understand that by just pin pointing blames to pakistan or kashmiris.. it cant hide from responsibilities. Now is time govt should start thinking what they can do to stop innocent killings instead of just blaming pak after every unfateful events. May god bless us indians
Name: Chetan Bothello
Email: cbothello@hotmail.com
Message: No..Shoot them...after rescuing the hostages..
Name: kavita gavankar
Email: vrush14_4into4@hotmail.com
Message: WELL I AM NOT QUITE SHURE IF THE GOVERMENT SHOULD LEAVE MAULANA AZAD.. BUT YES IT IS HIGH TIME THAT THE GOVERMENT TAKES SOME ACTION .I MEAN THAT THE PEOPLE WHOSE RELATIVE R THERE ABORD ARENT EVEN INFORMED ABOUT WHATS GOINING ON OUT THERE.I THINK TAHT MR.PRESIDENT SHOULD NOW REALLY OPEN HIS MOUTH N SPEAK ATLEAST TELL THE PEOPLE HOW THEIR RELATIVES R .I KNOW THAT INDIA IS IN A MAJOR PROBLEM BUT DONT THEY KNOW THAT ITS NOT GOINING GET SOLVED BY JUST MEETINGS..THERE HAS TO BE MORE TO IT ,R THEY GOINING TO SPEAK UP AFTER EVERYBODY ABORD DIE OUT OF JUST FEAR N MENTEL TENSION..PLEASE I REQUEST THE ENTIRE GOVERMENT TO HURRY UP NOW AS THE WATER LEVE HAS RAISED UP TILL THE NOSE.INDIA HAS ALWAYS BEEN A VERY SOFT SPOKEN COUNTRY BUT NOT NOW AS THESE PEOPLE HAVE TAKEN US FOR GRANTED....SO PLEASE SHOW THEM THAT WE CAN..I BEALIVE WE WILL TEACH THEM THEIR LESSON....WELL THANK YOU..I LOVE MY COUNTRY N CANT SEE THIS HAPPENING TO IT....
Name: Rajesh
Email: rajesh2@hotmail.com
Message: The Government cannot release Masood as that would mean that they would have let down the masses while not caring for 150 odd people in the aircraft and their kin. Whatever action they take, they are aware that is going to be criticized by both the public and the opposition.They may well choose to play a wait and watch game.
Name: Vivek Shukla
Email: vivekshukla@hotmail.com
Message: The government should not bow to the demands made by the hijacker-terrorists, though it is indeed ironical for this message board that all who would post such brave, confident comments would be sitting outside Flight IA-814. India must at this hour get together some cool practical heads from countries like United States and Israel who have dealt in the past with such situations to handle bad-blood , be it from Algeria, Afgjanistan, Iran, Iraq or from any other country. Act with caution, but firm. - Vivek
Name: Pattabhiraman
Email: pattabhi@vsnl.com
Message: The life of all innocent passengers are precious.Hence it is a must that we save the lifes of these people at whatever the cost may be. Mrs.Sudha Nagarajan.
Name: Ravikanth Avancha
Email: ark@iastate.edu
Message: The least the government could do is put together a crisis mangement team - no, not made up of bureaucrats but smart people from the air force, army and navy and then proceed from there. also, the government officials including the prime minister could do a huge favor by keeping their mouths shut - so as to not let out a probable strategy; and instead of pointing fingers at pakistan look at our stupid security lapse at the airport. if the white uniformed morons (officials at the airports) are as enthusiastic about checking baggages of people embarking a plane as much as they are in checking the baggages at the customs site things would not have come to such a pass. And we are supposed to be spending millions (billions) of rupees on our defence budget, right. if we cannot defend our people and our nation where in the hell is all this money going. And most of all, i commend rediff on your optimism that our responses might indeed influence the government.
Name: DR K P Shankar
Email: shankar@rediffmail.com
Message: The goverment should not release maulana masood because it will send wrong signals to terrorists and hijackers.
Name: verma/USA
Email: verma@theitgroup.com
Message: How stupid could one be to let the plane fly away from Amritsar. Even if my wife or mother was flying in that plane, I would tell the government to do whatever they have to do. Throughout our history thousands and thousands of people have sacrifised their lives for the sake of principles and national pride. Some say 60000 people have died in Orissa recently. Are these high flying people more important than those dead in Orissa. So this is what I say: (1) Take the most stearn actions even at the cost of lives of those 160 people, including the use of IAF,commandoes, and Agni and even the nuclear capabilities to destroy Talibans, terrorist bases in Afganistan, and such possible future events. (2) Punish those who are resposnible for not able to take timely decisions when plane was in Amritsar. (3) Amend the laws so that in the future if you catch a terrorist who has killed or planned to kill innocent people, must be hanged in public view. (4) And for God's sake get rid of corrupt and insincere people who are capable of let the opportunity like that at Amritsar go by and who are liability to the India's progress.
Name: RKRao
Email: rkrao@ibm.net
Message: No! We will be naive to imagine if this type of hostage taking and blacmail will stop. This will trigger another round of hostage taking. If our army could be brave enough to retake Kargil, its important to frustrate these designs by the Taliban and the terrorists Pakistani masters to say NO. However the option of negotiation should be kept alive so that a rescue operation can be mounted. Casualties will happen whether we like it or not. The important thing is to minimize it and send a resounding NO to them and if possible catur them alive and watch them hang in India. Suggestion for Air India and Indian Airlines, let the next plane bought be renamed Rupen Katyal in honor of an Indian who would not bend. We have forgotten the story of Gurdwara Sisganj, where our Sikh guru said Sar diya par sis na diya! RKRAO
Name: RAJNISH JALUKA
Email: rjaluka@hotmail.com
Message: yes! the govt should release them in order to save so many innocent people who r there in the flight..... i pray for their lives. thank you.... Rajnish,
Name: nagendran
Email: saravana@sch.ge.com
Message: The government should not succumb to the threat of the terrorists.
Name: bhagat
Email:
Message: try to recognise taliban govt. I think WE don't have choice
Name: Lata Ram
Email: laram@hotmail.com
Message: Indian Govt. has already created a precedence in Mukti Mohamaed Said's daughter case. 160 people's live is precious. Our officials stupidity has let the plane leave Amritsar. Now the plane with 160 precious lives is in the enemy's hand and in ENEMICAL terrritory. India , stupidly pushed itself into a defensive position and wheather we like it or not we have to play by the rule as an defensive person. No false pretence or prestige is going to save the situation. YIELD IMMIEDIETLY TO the terrrorists demand and realse that prisoner. FIRST SAVE THE LIVES. Then BE FIRM WITH terrorism. We now know very clearly who is behind this cowardice act. Afgan taliban Binladden / Pak and its mischivious ISA must be delat with firmly. Message must be clear that INDIA With all INDIANS are firmly against any form of terrorism. A lot of house cleaning is to be done. Vajpayee Government should keep out people like George Fernandes, Karunanidhi, Vaiko, Mansing, and supporters of cross border terrorisms. Islamic fundamentalists/ N-E terrorists/ Tamil terroistsLTTE and all are like virusus in a healthy democratic society like India. They get political credence to these violent maniacs. Beef up our security machinery. The cream of the best securty personnels are protecting corrupt politician's like Jeyalalitha than protecting the precious life of ordinary citizens. Our precious resources are drained out un-necessarily. PAK_Afgahan's have pushed this hijacking to bring the UN into the picture with the mischivious design of internationalizing this Kashmir issue. They might have won this time. India must be firm and careful in future. Our soverignity is in danger. India must mobilise world public opinion against the criminal states PAKISTAN and AFGHAN and out cast them as much as possible. For this heineous crime both the countries must be punished millitarily, diplomatically and politically. AT THIS TIME INDIA NEEDS COMPASSION, FIRMNESS, AND
Name: Arjun Arora
Email: ajuarora@hotmail.com
Message: Not at all. This is the same mistake which Indian Govt. did when they released the terrorists for Rubaiya Sayeed. Let we have few more martyrs, If the terrorists want they can exchange me for some other passenger. Don't release him.
Name: Gautam Hattiangadi
Email: hattiangadi@roltanet.com
Message: Govt.should release him.. immediately for the lives of the crew and passengers No other option or else storm in like Israil had done years ago when the aircraft was hijacked to Uganda ...But Act Fast .. Time is running out for passengers and crew...
Name: never
Email: hcdhir@vsnl.com
Message: if 1 militant is released they will continue such operations in the future to release other militants.they should not be succesful in achieving their aim m
Name: arin
Email: arin_ghosh
Message: The answer is an emphatic NO. Any soft pedalling now will lead to many such incidents in near future.
Name: Zaigham A. Kazmi
Email: kzaigha@hotmail.com
Message: The lives of people aboard is more important than anything else. Indian govt should do everything to save those lives even if it means releasing millitants. These millitants can be caught later and next time don't imprison them, simply kill them. After all most of the millitants released in rubiya incidents have been killed.
Name: Suresh Nayak
Email:
Message: Noble Idea To Release as it could save lives. But are you not encouraging further Hijacking. So the answer is No. Negotiate but Isolate them. Bring International Pressure. Isolate Pakistan and Afganistan so that the Hijackers become weak. I would not like to be on that flight but..
Name: vora
Email: vora@urbanet.ch
Message: No It is time that India became tough and hard and fast in performing.
Name: Rakesh Anand Raizada
Email: raizada_anand@email.com
Message: This is pathatic on the part of human race.Even If they are even considered freedom fighters(as they are not)trading human lives as they are non living thing.They can't get what they want .They are not on right path for even worse destination.
Name: pnkjr
Email: pnkjr@hotmail.com
Message: No Maula Masood should not be released.
Name: Sameer Dubey
Email: Sameer_Dubey@yahoo.com
Message: There are no good choices on the table. If we let go off Masood he will definitely kill more innocents (>150). Further, like the Rubaiyya Saeed case, it will make the terrorists feel stronger. I would vote for an attempt by our NSG to free the hostages. Wake up Indian Govt.!! have a Standard Operating Procedure to handle such events. Our forces are capable...it is the sluggish decision making that reduces our options. Sameer Dubey
Name: Nationalist Politician [a non existent breed :o( ]
Email: pmo@india.gov.in
Message: Never give into terrorist demands. Threaten the Taliban with an invasion in tandem with the northern alliance to make them buckle into giving permission to launch a commando operation. Back up the threat with military moves. Launch the commando operation and rescue as many passengers as possible. Treat this as a war on us. Last but definitely the most important, once the rescue is over, try the Crisis Management Council members, Prime minister and Home minister for treason, endangerment national security, and incompetence.
Name: Ritika
Email: ritika77@yahoo.com
Message: It's almost a living nightmare for the helpless traumatised passengers as well as the crew and the Government should ensure the safety of the precious lives which is hanging by a thread,instead of entering into fallacious arguments regarding the compromise.
Name: sujatha balakumar
Email: sujathab@aol.com
Message: One life for 150 lives is not a bad bargain. Let the terrorist go and get the passengers back. To avoid such future incidents, eliminate all such dreaded terrorists the moment they are captured. Do not hold them in jails - that just gives his accomplices the time to stage a kidnapping/hijacking to secure his release. As for the Human rights organisations - ask them to go take a hike!
Name: Captain Picard
Email:
Message: When Hindutva bigots killed innocent Christians, the Prime Minister simply said that there should be a nationwide debate on religious conversions! So, I guess now he will propose that there should be a nationwide debate on airplane hijackings! That said, many of the messages on this board are downright hilarious. "Make the hijackers release the passengers, and then kill them". How funny! And then there was someone recommending that one should watch "Air Force One" to get some ideas on how to deal with this! :-)
Name: samai
Email:
Message: yes definintely.
Name: aditya
Email: sneditya@chequemail.com
Message: I dont think that the terrorist must be released as this will only encourage others to take this easy way out to get their demands accepted.I also know that the relatives of those on baord that aircraft will not agree with my view but if they look at the crisis in a wider frame they will have to agree with me that releasing a terrorist will mean only bowing down to terroeism as will encourage such barbaric acts in future again.
Name: Suhail
Email: samroze@hotmail.com
Message: What is the Indian government going to answer to the families of the hostages if the hijackers blow up the plane. Vajpayee not clebrating his birthday or Jaswant singh pointing his finger at Pakistan is not going to give comfort to these families.
Name: Mac
Email: mmhetre@yahoo.com
Message: 1. Govt.Of India is never able to manage any crisis. We are just not prepared or imaginative enough to tackle such issues. 2. We should have sent our External Affairs Minister, immediately to negotiate with the hijackers.This delay in acting has caused our people a lot of stress. 3. If outcome of negotiation is that govt. release this militant..then govt. should do so. 4. Our intelligence agencies should be capable of finding these militants again. *Only our government can help our people and they should do so without any delay and without waiting for UN help.. After all its a government for the people !! Let us be united like Israel.
Name: Krishna Soundararajan
Email: krishnaa@hotmail.com
Message: Why is that Massod Azhar guy still alive in prison? We should've executed him a long time back. That way, his bro wouldn't have come asking for him. Good luck to the government.
Read what other readers said:
'Get into Afghanistan and kill the hijackers'
'The Govt should directly talk with the hijackers and release the passengers without succumbing to their demands'
'Distract the hijackers, storm the plane, shoot the criminals and rescue the hostages'
'An SOP must be in place, formulated without a second's delay'
'We should do an operation a la Entebbe whatever the consequences'
'The Govt should avail of all diplomatic means to get the passengers released'
'Please for God's sake save those 150 people'
'The relatives' behaviour is understandable --- they are under emotional pressure'
Want to tell us how you feel? Click on to our Message Board on the Nightmare of Flight 814
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