By Justice Markandey Katju
It required a super madman in America to mediate between two madmen of our subcontinent.
As regards India, Modi has harvested huge political dividends from this war ( as in the Balakot strike in 2019 ), ensuring sweeping victories in Bihar and other forthcoming elections. Prolonging the war would not yield any more dividends . On the contrary, it could even decrease them because of lives lost , planes downed, etc. Hence, this was the right time to stop.
The same holds true for Gen Munir, whose popularity in Pakistan had sunk to the lowest point, but has now risen high, as the army is perceived as Pakistan's saviour.
As regards America, China and some other developed countries, this war would increase sales of their weapons in the underdeveloped countries, yielding further profits.
Very shrewd calculation by the concerned leaders! So they are not really mad.
The people, of course, can go to hell.
(Justice Markandey Katju is a former Judge of the Supreme Court of India, and former Chairman of the Press Council of India. The views expressed are his own.)
