India has again stopped the familiar sweet‑sharing ritual with its Pakistani counterparts at the border, this time just before Diwali. The Home Ministry ordered the Border Security Force (BSF) to skip the tradition this year, so the towns of Sriganganagar, Bikaner, Jaisalmer, and Barmer saw a quiet, no‑food exchange.
For decades, Indian and Pakistani soldiers have traded sweets and greetings on major holidays—Independence Day, Republic Day, Holi, Diwali, and Eid—to show goodwill even amid tense relations. That gesture paused after the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, where 26 people were killed by Pakistan‑based militants in Kashmir’s Baisaran meadow. In the aftermath, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government adopted a firmer stance on cross‑border terrorism.
The “no‑sweets” policy began on August 15 and now covers Diwali. A senior security official said the message from New Delhi is clear: “As long as cross‑border terrorism continues, such symbolic gestures will remain suspended.”
Traditionally, the BSF and Pakistan Rangers meet at the zero point near the border, greeting each other with trays of sweets. This Diwali, the border line in Rajasthan stayed quiet. There were no handshakes, no sweets, just heightened vigilance—underscoring India’s firm position that peace gestures cannot coexist with terrorism.
Officials reiterated that after August 15, India will continue the no‑sweets policy amid rising cross‑border tensions.
Source: ianslive
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