KOLKATA/HOWRAH: A Pakistan-backed terror attack claimed her husband’s life less than a fortnight ago. Now this young Howrah

is having to contend with trolling — from compatriots — who have not liked her sane, “war-cannot-solve-every-problem” stand.

For Mita Santra, whose husband, Babloo Santra, was one of the 40

jawans who died in the

terror attack on February 14, grief has been followed by abuse on the social media. She has been trolled on various websites and social media platforms and pulled up for being “cowardly and self-centred”.

While a few posts have been downright offensive, Mita — an English teacher from Bauria in Howrah — is not ready to buckle under pressure. For a start, she has scores of Kolkatans rallying around her. From housewives to university students, academicians and even prominent intellectuals, many have lauded the teacher for her anti-war stance.

“Right now, I am not in a position to watch social media sites. But I still stand by what I said about war. People have their own opinion; it is the individual’s freedom of speech. I am no different,” she told TOI.

Explaining why she is against war, Mita said every death in the battlefield ultimately leaves numerous in the soldiers’ families devastated. “As a teacher and a student of history, I know war can’t bring any permanent solution. A wife loses her husband, a mother loses her son, a daughter loses her father,” she said.

“I have read and experienced harrowing tales of losses. But it is not the individual alone who ends up losing. The country, too, suffers. A war seriously damages the economy and social development comes to a standstill,” she said.

The martyr’s wife said she may have been misunderstood by some who interpreted her anti-war statement as cowardice. “I support the great bravery of our Air Force, Army, Navy and the paramilitary forces. What they have done on Tuesday is highly appreciable. I totally agree on the methods adopted by the IAF to eliminate terrorists without killing civilians. What I only oppose is a full-scale war. Terrorists are the enemy of our country and the society. My husband is a victim of brute terrorism.”

Mita repeated that the security of the CRPF was not fully impenetrable on February 14 when the attack took place. “Intelligence agencies had warned but the precautionary measures were not in place. If there were jammers in convoy, it could have prevented the attack. I think there were many failures and

gap, “she said.

Several Kolkatans, who witnessed the trolling on social media, decided to take on the trolls directly. “She has spoken correctly. Let us defend her space to tell what she wants to tell. As a martyr’s wife, no one can probably understand her pain as much as Mita herself. It is universal truth that peace is more permanent than war. Let us at least patiently listen to her,” wrote Kabita Banerjee, a housewife sharing Mita’s comments on her profile.

When one Utpal P attacked her stating that Mita was “after a job and making politically correct statements with an agenda,” Sangita Paulnandy, a teacher like Mita, immediately corrected him: “It is not that Mita will decide if we are going to war. But before trying to dissect her statement, just try and put yourself in her shoes. Will you be comfortable if personal attacks come your way in a similar fashion?” wrote Paulnandy on Facebook.

The student community and the intelligentsia in the city, too, closed ranks with the common people to protest against the trolling.

Writer Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay stressed that her suffering has made her realize the futility of war. “I think the war widow has summed up the pathos so very well. She has suffered like no one else and she knows how wars leave people maimed for life. I don’t think we have reached the stage where a war is unavoidable. May peace prevail for the benefit of all,” he said.

Filmmaker Buddhadeb Dasgupta said Mita was only trying to highlight the futility of war. “This reminds me of Satyajit Ray’s landmark film where the song goes: tora juddha kore korbi ki ta bol! It is futile to fight wars because it does no good to anyone. But sometimes situations go out of control and you are left with no choice,” he said.

Several students felt the trolling was only adding to Mita’s agony. “Everybody is entitled to an opinion and so is she. Before even thinking of trolling her, one should think of her immense sacrifice and grief. Her husband was martyred and therefore she knows the ramifications of a war. Trolling is the worse form of mental torture and humiliation and she just does not deserve it,” said Ayan Chakrabarti, who is pursuing his postgraduation from Presidency University.