In August, INDIA TODAY unveiled a path-breaking series, the Making Sense of India Challenge, to build public opinion by involving the vast number of its readers. The eight-article series addressed pressing issues, ranging from India and Pakistan's brutal relationship, solutions to Ayodhya, and speedier justice. Readers were provided five options, developed in consultation with experts, and requested to rank these options in order of priority.

The first Challenge, "Can India and Pakistan ever be friends?", attracted 1,06,265 responses between August 19-September 9, 2002, tracked by Delhi-based NFO-MBL India Ltd. Though not a scientific opinion poll, the informed response from a universe several times larger than the most comprehensive of polls provides an insight into middle-class India's thoughts, an emphatic indicator of choice for Indo-Pak detente.

The verdict is out: India should talk peace with Pakistan-but not before India's military crosses the Line of Control in Jammu & Kashmir and destroys terrorist camps. Of the 1.06 lakh readers of India Today who responded to the Challenge, 44 per cent opted for this move over others.

Of the rest, 29 per cent preferred as first option the acceptance of the loc in J&K as the international border; and 14 per cent thought the best beginning would be made by declaring a cease-fire in the Siachen Glacier and withdrawing troops. Addressing one of the stickiest issues, a not insignificant 11 per cent prefer holding a plebiscite in Kashmir Valley to decide if the people wanted to stay with India or opt for Pakistan. Less than 4 per cent ranked India's accepting international mediation to solve terrorism and the Kashmir mess as a first option.

The verdict is revealing, backed by enormous strength of opinion. At the very least, it could weigh on India-Pakistan engagement, locking India's posture to standing firm to combat terror.

There is enough background. Suspicion rules bilateral relations despite announcements of troop withdrawals to peacetime positions. Moreover, Pakistan continues to abet cross-border terrorism and President Pervez Musharraf has given no indication that it's about to end. The violence-racked elections in Jammu & Kashmir and the attack on the Akshardham Temple in late September only underscores it. Pakistan's own elections on October 10 has led to cementing of extremist Islam in the political mainstream with emphatic gains by hardline parties.

It is significant that responses to the Challenge were recorded before the Kashmir elections and Akshardham. The black mood from incidents like last December's attack on India's Parliament clearly leads a majority of readers to choose an aggressive option. Such a strike, called "Operation Salami Slice", is already on the radar of India's military planners (see graphic). The logic is that if Pakistan's leadership loses its terror army, it will be more amenable to peace.

Anger is pronounced among younger respondents, up to 35 years, that make up 52 per cent of the total (see charts). Older readers prefer the relatively sedate first option of recognising the loc as the international border in Jammu & Kashmir, followed near unanimously with the option of cross-border strikes. The pattern is mirrored across regions as well and, tellingly enough, in Jammu & Kashmir.

It seems India wants peace—at any cost.

-Sudeep Chakravarti