Let All Peace-Lovers Seize the Day!

Friends, the dramatic announcement of the ceasefire between India and Pakistan yesterday, just when we all had the ravenous shrieks of the Demon War bursting our eardrums and his terrible jaws opening wide to swallow up our children's futures, feels like nothing less than a miracle.

The relief was echoed in Pakistan by all sensible people, whose thoughts and sentiments were in tandem, beat-for-beat, with the thoughts and sentiments of all sensible Indians during the last four dreadful days. I have posted below messages exchanged with my dear Pakistani girlfriends, whom I studied with between the ages of 6 and 8 in Karachi when my father was posted there as Consul General of India.

Exchange of messages with one of my Pakistani friends. She was the first best friend of my life from around age 6. I have cut out names for privacy. I hope she will forgive me posting this - I am trying to make things better for our kids, dearest "X".

From my other Pakistani friend's profile. At the time I did not dare re-post anything with a Pakistani flag on it - this is how the war machine effectively gags the voice of peace. I just shared the hashtag. Identity masked for privacy.

Same friend. Same spontaneous reaction of joy and relief as mine on the ceasefire announcement.

Friends, it seems that the ceasefire is still somewhat fragile and we must do something to make this moment whole and fixed, or it will indeed be what it feels like - a mirage of peace in the barren deserts of rage and revenge. It was a great shame that Indians, citizens of the largest democracy in the world, did not take out a single Peace March during this terrible episode. But it is also not surprising as between the repression of dissent by the Modi Regime and the ugly mood in the country, an appeal for peace or restraint was vulnerable to being labelled as anti-national and subjected to police action.

We also learnt, watching events unfold, that in today's India no Opposition Party and no career politician finds it possible to stand up for peace, and that they feel constrained to give their endorsement to the Modi Regime on the question of how to engage with Pakistan. Given that the Modi Regime's Pakistan approach is to shoot first and think later, this makes the position of the ordinary Indian citizens and their children very clear - FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE, WAR, BETWEEN TWO NUCLEAR ARMED STATES, WILL BE A CONSTANT AND IMMINENT THREAT TO OUR LIVES AND OUR CHILDREN'S LIVES.

Friends, in this situation, where Indian democracy, as an institution, has reached the limits of what it can give to us in terms of peace and stability, we must take the responsibility for securing our peace and stability in our own hands. We must strengthen the voice of peace, give courage to our politicians to stand up for peace, by robustly, unambiguously and openly standing up for peace ourselves, and we must do so now in this unexpected moment of respite from hostilities with Pakistan, where the dogs of war have officially been called off. We must act fast before the war machine is re-activated and our mouths are shut once again.

FOR THESE REASONS, I APPEAL TO ALL LIKE-MINDED PERSONS AND ORGANISATIONS TO COME TOGETHER ALL OVER INDIA TO ORGANISE MASSIVE PEACE MARCHES. WE MUST SHOW THE POLITICAL LEADERS OF ALL PARTIES THAT WE ARE HUNGRY FOR PEACE AND THAT WE SUPPORT ALL OUR LEADERS, OF WHATEVER PARTY, IN THE MOVE AWAY FROM WAR THAT HAS BEEN INDICATED BY THE CEASEFIRE ANNOUNCEMENT OF MAY 10, 2025.

We had a small and joyous celebration yesterday already on the Ring Road of New Delhi at Munirka. Please write to the address below if you are interested in coming together to hold a Massive Peace March.

thinkindia2024@gmail.com

Jai Hind! Aman aur Chaman Zindabad!

Suranya Aiyar