In an exclusive interview with The Lede, counter-terrorism and South Asia studies’ author and expert C Christine Fair said that the full truth needs to be divulged by both governments if terrorism needs to be contained

Deception and exaggeration on both sides of the LoC marked the aftermath of the Indian Air Force air strikes on Balakot in Pakistan, says C Christine Fair, counter-terrorism South Asia studies’ author and expert who is an associate professor at Georgetown University. She is a known India-phile and in her own words a “well-wisher of India”.

As she speaks exclusively to The Lede’s Sandhya Ravishankar on the Balakot affair, Fair talks about why the truth and the knowledge of this truth matters, especially to Indians, in the wake of charges by Modi and senior ministers that asking any questions to the government about the air strike was tantamount to questioning the armed forces and therefore anti-national.

“It’s not anti-national to want to know the truth,” says Fair.

She also throws light on the why the “two-nation theory” is still relevant today and how it benefits the leadership in both India and Pakistan, especially ahead of elections.

(This article was originally published in The Lede)

First Published:Mar 6, 2019 6:10 AM IST