In the year 2019, on this date (February 14), the infamous Pulwama attack shook the nation. A convoy of vehicles carrying CRPF personnel on the Jammu–Srinagar National Highway was attacked by a vehicle-borne suicide bomber at Lethapora in the Pulwama district. As many as 40 CRPF personnel were martyred.
#BlackDay has been trending on Indian X (Twitter) today. Commoners and leaders alike are remembering the day solemnly.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a tweet, said, "I pay homage to the brave heroes who were martyred in Pulwama. Their service and sacrifice for our nation will always be remembered." Several other dignitaries have also been putting out messages addressing the nation.
Twelve days after the attack, India retaliated. The Balakot airstrike was conducted. The airstrike was a "bombing raid conducted by Indian warplanes in Balakot, Pakistan, against a terrorist training camp."
The Pulwama-Balakot issue threatened to play a major role in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. And it actually did. Pollsters and political observers believe that the NDA government's handling of the situation and the retaliatory attacks played a crucial role in its staggering performance at the hustings in the Hindi heartland, where the Hindu nationalist vote is strong.
