Vijay Hashia
With the spate of terror strikes in Hiranagar, Kathua and prolonged gun battle in Ahmednagar, followed by the killing of three men including a sarpanch in Tral and a polling officer, an army officer and a jawan in Shopian, the situation cannot be construed as conducive but festered in a climate of uncertainty. While the election galore is on, the Hizb, LeT and separatists have issued threats against casting votes to create panic and disturb election process. Fear looms large across the various sections of society and for those who want to get on with normal routine without fusillades, intrusive searches for shrouding aliens, shutdowns and interrogations. Six terror strikes within a span of two months indicate that J&K is still precipitous and therefore, reduction of security forces or repealing of AFSPA could lead to explosive situation.
Valour of a soldier fighting against terror has been test of time but a soldier is not free from churning out rants against him. No army would like its soldiers and officers to patrol and storm into houses of own citizens unless it is indispensable. Though, endless complaints keep pouring for human rights violations, his marching boots never trample a peace loving resident. Without grudge or grouse, a soldier’s duty is to flush out aliens from the infested soil. He is meant to retain a tight strap over any activity that conjures his valour and hurts nation’s pride. A minor compromise of duty could disproportionately lead to high political raucous and repercussions. If, there have been a few instances of violence within camps due to the high stress levels caused by long duty hours and protracted separation from families, these hiccups are bound to happen in any camp and on any soil, where his valour is subject to challenge. ‘Be Ye Men of Valour ‘ was wartime speech on 19 May 1940 by Winston Churchill. The speech concludes with quotation from Apocrypha, “Arm yourself, and be ye men of valour, and be in readiness for the conflict, for it is better for us to perish in battle than to look upon the outrage of our nation and our altar…” J L Nehru said, “Without peace all other dreams vanish and are reduced to ashes.” Sayings of these great men are apt illustrations for a soldier dedicated in the service of nation. Over and above, he simultaneously assists civil administration in bringing peace. His focus is never on killing own countrymen but the endeavour is to win hearts and minds of people. In the course of ongoing battle, several developmental programmes launched are ‘valvet glove’, ‘sadbhavna’ (goodwill) for empowerment and emancipation of local populace, ‘civil and military liaison conference’ is to work out measures and strategies for the welfare and address issues of affected people. The propagation however, is, solely against foreign and hardcore elements while affording a fair chance to indigenous to shun violence, surrender and join the mainstream. Though, it may seem cynical to the vexed but the boom for humane and people centric approach hasn’t gone bust. Nostalgic as he is to return to barrack, but craving is for never shirk duty, at the same time, upholding ‘country first and self later’ are strikingly his indefatigable mottos.
Politicians pay lip service and sometimes shoddy in hailing their services. To quote, recently, Bihar politician Bhim Singh’s remark “people join armed forces to die,” in the wake of the killing of five Indian soldiers on the line of control, is symptomatic of the bitter reality. Although forced to withdraw his remark, the Bihar politician symbolizes how politicians view soldiering. They have no regrets, for even corruption in public distribution remains untraced and unpunished. Funds allocated to win the hearts and minds of affected people, splurge from political gimmick to the reservoir of deceits.
Genuine complaints against forces for human rights violations have not been closed without investigation. Reportedly, more than 90 percent of allegations of human rights violation filed against security forces have been found to be false. The Indian forces agree that only 3.59 percent of the allegations leveled have been found to be true and investigations into 72 complaints were still going on. It has punished 129 personnel including 59 in J&K and rest in NE after they were found to be guilty in various charges.
Strictly speaking, people are tired of blatant and brazen environment that is of barbed fences, intermittent barrel shots, intrusive searches and interrogations etc. They are fettered and sapped of patience as their woes go unheard. Their poignant memories of happier days are bound to squeal for troops pullback and repeal of AFSPA but their vexing is satirical. Let one keep in mind that 750 km LOC is highly volatile and Kashmir still disturbed. Will, therefore, the clamour provide space for democracy to flourish or will it remain rhetoric of an imaginative show? The answer may be yes, if efforts are sincere without any strut of dirty politics. Believed this time is, better turnout to pave the way for the whiff of peace is eager to blow the summer in the Vale.
There is no doubt, Kashmir continues to fester in a climate of uncertainty. Amidst chaos and conflict, one is hopeful, the next PM, if Narender Modi, on the legacy of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, will adopt a pragmatic approach as both Hurriyat and PDP have indicated positive signs and a comprehensive peace deal with Pakistan with a political succor to separatists would yield better results. Will then the valour of a soldier waft through serene mountains singing the intonations of victory over evil and will then the vex of a common man fade into fresh climate for everlasting peace.
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