Sir — This refers to the editorial, “Making the enemy pay” (May 4). The nation is anguished by the killing and mutilation of two soldiers, but passions were unreasonably inflamed when the mortal remains of the two bravehearts, reached their respective villages for final rites. The Ajay Vikram Singh committee, learning lessons from Kargil, where ageing battalion commanders struggled to perform, had lowered the age for officers in combat. One would want to know why two middle-aged soldiers (one was 42 and the other 50) were in frontline combat operationsIJ
Perhaps, this issue will come on the front-burner whenever the nation gets a full-time Defence Minister. Till then, it is best to rely on the Indian Army to even the score, which it has always done.