Guwahati, May 7: As sirens wailed across 23 locations in Assam on May 7, a familiar and uneasy feeling spread across the state. These were not the sounds of war, but of preparation—a nationwide civil defence exercise triggered by the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam. The drills simulated scenarios of potential conflict, with air raid sirens, blackout procedures, civilian training, and evacuation protocols—all part of a readiness test in an increasingly tense national security environment.
The response to the Pahalgam attack, reportedly orchestrated by Pakistan-backed groups, has been swift. While Delhi ramps up security measures, Assam is taking no chances. In the state’s capital, Guwahati, the civil defence drills became more than just a routine procedure. They opened a window to the past.
“I remember the fear of ’71,” said Hirambeswar Kataki, a Guwahati resident who lived through the India-Pakistan war. “Nobody wants war. It brings nothing but suffering. But these terrorists—what they did in Pahalgam—how can we just sit quietly? Even going out feels unsafe now.”
For many senior citizens in Assam who remember the war that led to the creation of Bangladesh, the echoes are eerie. Back then, it was trenches and transistor radios. Today, it’s drones and digital alerts. But the anxiety? Unchanged.
Maidul Mirel Quddus, another 1971 witness, voiced a sobering perspective. “The weapons have changed. The stakes are higher. But the pattern repeats. Pakistan had allies then—America, China—and it still does. We may be militarily superior, but we must not underestimate them. Preparedness is not just strategy—it’s survival.”
Their words serve as a cautionary tale. The past warns against romanticising war. It urges diplomacy, without dismissing the need for strength. As India tightens its internal security network, the drills in Assam remind us that vigilance is not just about readiness—it’s about remembering why peace matters.
Also Read: India names retaliatory strike ‘Operation Sindoor’ in tribute to Pahalgam victims
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