Kashmir, the prism that need not be
SEPTEMBER 19,
2013
Daya Sagar
What message and
to whom Government of India wanted to send through Zubin Mehta’s
‘Ehsaas-e-Kashmir’ concert are still unanswered questions. As the Opposition
leader, Mehbooba Mufti, said at Regal Chowk last Friday, Delhi has to rework on its approach regarding
J&K affairs. “If the Centre and the J&K government won’t change their
attitude and polices towards Kashmir and its
people, they should prepare for a big disaster. In the past five years, hearts
of youth have been filled with hatred by the government.” Contexts may be
different but opinions seem to be converging and convey the same message that Delhi has to relook at the
policies.
The
question is not that who is responsible for the emotional and blood stained
environment that prevails in Kashmir whether
or not the government feels responsible for the life, property and honour of
the people of the State. Can simple expression of sympathies or a compensation
of a lakh or two to the victims of violence relieve the common innocent
Kashmiri masses of the injuries being inflicted at social, ideological and
emotional strata?
It
is a hard reality that in a democracy the reins of governance and policy
planning have to remain with the politicians. And the reality is that for
politicians their first preference is winning elections. Kishtwar suffered of
communal clashes after some people raised slogans and Muzaffarnagar (UP)
suffered of communal clashes after some youth protested against abuse of a
girl. But some politicians did not lose any time in to cash on the situations.
Even the pioneers and patrons of women rights movement made their presence
felt. Such power hungry ‘well wishers’ are far from owing their allegiance to
any religion or faith. So it is not only state policies but also the intentions
of those in the seat of governance that need to be checked.
It
is a myopic view to look at J&K as a state that has only six MPs. Had it
not been so Delhi
would not have branded the separatist ideologies in J&K only in economic
and employment related issues. It has become a compulsion for the local
mainstream leaders to raise questions atleast due to deliberations by Indian
Government, if not India.
Any senior
Indian leader, may he be from J&K or from any other Indian state, whenever
addresses J&K affairs the focus remains to be the Kashmir Valley
only. But unless the vision extends to other areas outside the valley the
solution to J&K turmoil would be a distant dream. A lot of people outside
the valley and in the near regions are living miserable lives. In Kashmir Valley every day a life is lost; there
can not be any thing more worrying than this.
On
September 8, Janta Dal (U) leader Sharad Yadav said in Srinagar: “I tell you with authority that
there would have been no militancy, had elections not been rigged here”.
Similarly it was on June 25 that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, while
addressing a gathering in Srinagar after the
launch of postal stamp in memory of Kashmiri poet Pirzada Ghulam Ahmad Mehjoor
at SKICC, said: “Even in 1947, the father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi could
see a ray of hope for communal brotherhood in Kashmir
only.” The PM added that Kashmiris have been a symbol of social values and
morality.
When
almost all senior Indian leaders have been trying to express their concern for
the ‘cause of Kashmiris’ and when the allegations leveled by the separatists/
social groups/ mainstream leaders have not been negated, what is the reason
that Delhi have not been able to earn the faith of the people and only talk of
need for winning the hearts and minds of Kashmiries after six decades of
accession?
What ever
problems are there in J&K, the solution only rests with those who are
holding the reins of in Delhi.
But to achieve anything they will have to make a paradigm shift. Ideologies
need to be markedly defined and the mainstream elements will have to be
encouraged. The policies of putting a lid by treating separatist ideologies
with employment generation and economic assistance will have to be shed. The
fatal attraction of the vote-hunting politicians will have to be checked by the
social organization. Must need is to understand the genesis of the problem.
J&K
Cabinet had on Sepetember 12 (this month) expressed deep sorrow and concern on
the killing of 4 persons in CRPF firing at Gagren Shopian. The government
appeared to be in a firefighting mood and it has been understood that that the
Chief Minister has directed the Director General of Police to replace the CRPF
personnel at the Gagren Camp in Shopian with a contingent of the Jammu and
Kashmir Armed Police. Such actions cannot help in restoring peace and faith,
since simply defusing an explosive situation is not enough, we have to also
undo the “charge”.
The
culture of allegations and counter allegations has flourished all these years
in Kashmir valley. Even leaders from
mainstream do not hesitate in putting the blame on security forces. The leaders
from out side Kashmir
Valley appear to be
interested only in who forms the local government and hence the world opinion
on J&K is formed on the basis of what Kashmiri leaders say. Under such
circumstances, the genuine sentiments get buried deep down with all kinds of
secondary and tertiary problems.
So, in case Delhi does not agree and
the government led by Omar Abdullah still is of opinion that disturbed conditions
do not exist in some districts of J&K, Governor may declare such areas
undisturbed and only local police be employed there. Process should be started
with relieving the central security forces from the duty. But a cat simply
closing the eyes can not disfigure the presence of the ‘big cat’.
The author is a
social activist and can be mailed at dayasagr45@yahoo.com
Source: http://www.risingkashmir.in/
Shopian: My
bleeding home
Shopian has been
the gateway to the Valley on the Moghul
Road from a far too distant past. Its historic
importance as a political and trade route was never lost. Historic events and
the scenic geographic terrain as also the men of great eminence defined it in
glowing terms. This was the place known by the birth of great men of learning
like Mohamad Amin Kamil, Mohamad Yousuf Teing, Shourida Kashmiri and Mohamad
Ayub Betab : dedicated political and social workers like Kh. Ghulam Hassan Khan
Pinjora and Pt. Saroop Nath: highly enlightened and respected religious leader
like Moulvi Mohamad Amin; and by the emancipated journalists like Shamim Ahmad
Shamim and Mohammad Sayeed Malik. Its Ambri apple spread fragrance where ever
it travelled. Pure ghee produced here made every dish sweet spread across a
dining table anywhere, be in a home or in a hotel. The warmth of its blankets
kept both pleb and a prince going in the chilly winter months of the Valley.
Majestic Rambiara added to its scenic charm. The roads of Gagran and Memandhar
wound around a hillock ( Lahanthoor ) which immortalised Bollywood movie
Kashmir Ki Kali and launched Sharmila Tagore to the cinematic heights.
Rambiara, in lowered head as a
grieving witness, mourns the death of two brutally ravished daughters of the
town. The blood littered roads of Gagran and Memandhar no longer take pride in
having carried Shamila Tagore to the great artistic heights. They grieve over
the death of the innocents whose lives oozed out in their laps. Adult and
teenagers dread to come out. Roads wear a deserted look. Curfew here firing
there, tell a sad tale. This is today's Shopian - my home town.
Till
yesterday, Shopian defined itself in a very positive manner. Unfortunately, the
positivity in its definition has vanished, only to be replaced by a despair,
gloom and sorrow. Merchants of death, howsoever high administrative position
they are occupying, who have given bad name to the town, must be named and
shamed. Some may ponder- what has gone wrong with the place. Well, the answer
is simple : same that has been the case with rest of the Valley. Malaise is
manifest. There is no need to get over the data. Facts lay bare. In short
terms, one may say that there is a total governance deficit. What adds to the
tragedy is the complete vacuum in civilised politics. Mainstream politics is as
absent as, perhaps, that of the separatist kind. Rogues in uniform and the
lumpens in the streets have a field day. The circumstances have become so
bloody that everyone amongst us must feel compelled to do something and speak
out. It will be naive of us if the problem is considered a local one. In the
long run, Shopian problem cannot be dealt with in isolation or opposite side of
what happens in the Valley. Peace, here, has to be embedded in larger framework
that improves atmosphere in the whole State. State government, being in a
dominant position, has a great responsibility in this regard. Though, it has
been our experience so far that it has only made a bad situation worse.
Fundamental
changes are required. Finding a way out in bits and pieces put together won't
work. Relocating a CRPF Camp from here to there is no solution. Security forces
footprint has to be reduced in size across the State. Local dialogue must
begin; government has to take greater action to prevent human rights abuse and,
at least, do the job of governance. Shopian has a vibrant civil society. It
rose to the occasion in 2009 when two young women fell victim to the ravishing
eyes of the brutes and awakened conscience of whole world which resulted in
universal condemnation of the gory act. The civil society will have to act
again. If not for anything else, but to ensure that no innocent life is snuffed
out. And when we talk of a local dialogue the government, apart from reining in
its forces, will be best advised to take this civil society on board for the
restoration of semblance of peace and order in the turbulent area. Every one of
us must put weight behind the civil society and help our home place regain the
past. Shopian must invoke its inherent defining qualities. We owe it to our
birth place.
(The author is
Former Pr District & Judge)
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