Col J P Singh, Retd
When a brilliant young Kashmiri lad, who could be a role model for others, is killed by those who are school drop outs, is a Doomsday for Kashmir. To me it means demise of Insaniyat. When the killers of humanity are legitimised by the society, the very idea of the objective is doomed. When good people are killed, the criminals survive. Criminals in any case have a short shelf life. Nothing is thereafter left in the society. Horrendous killing of a young Kashmiri army officer, Lieutenant Ummer Fayaz, at Shopian on 9th May 2017, to my understanding is final burial of Kashmiriyat and Insaniyat. The news was shocking. It raises lot of questions on the idea of Azadi movement and its survival. Seeking Azadi by indiscriminately killing own people, you are doomed right from the start. Are the Kashmiris going to take it lying down. It is for them to decide. The nation is grieved and disillusioned. I am grieved too but not disillusioned because the nation is with the bereaved family. All the serving and ex-servicemen of J&K, most importantly those living in the valley, must rise, share the family grief, stand as wall against the militancy and help resolve the pestering problem. A message must go from them that a soldier is not a mercenary who dies for money but an institution and pillar of nationhood. A message must go that he dies so that his countrymen live in peace. And those who come in their way are not the ones for whom they will lay down their lives. It is time for the countrymen to uphold soldier’s resolve and empower him. Let me remind agitating youth that Indian army entered Kashmir in 1947 to save the lives, properties, honour, and self respect of the people. They and their families too deserve these courtesies.
Struggle for freedom by Kashmiri is apparently right but its hijacking by the murderers is wrong. Agitation is right but the ingress of militancy in it is wrong. Marching in protests is right but carrying an enemy country flags is wrong. Stone pelting on security forces is right but killing an unarmed soldier serving far away, while on leave, is wrong. I am not giving a certificate to the militancy or agitation in the valley. It already stands legitimised. It has been allowed over the years by successive state and central govts. When those who are leading the seditious agitation in the valley over the decades are VVIPs with Z plus security, state guests on arrival at Delhi, allowed to travel to enemy country, considered key to K issue and most sought after, the agitation they are leading gets legitimacy. Only youth can’t be held responsible for the bloodshed while the criminals are the judges. Paradoxically, yesterday former Chief Minister Dr. Farooq Abdullah was with violent agitators (Jihadis), justifying Jihad as fight for a nationhood, calling stone pelters nationalists, asking his party men to join the agitation, today is guest of the Prime Minister for a solution. This hypocrisy has sustained the agitation. When a criminal sits in judgment the crime gets legalized. Therefore in various rights there are more wrongs for which the Kashmiriyat is destined to pay the price with blood.
No denying that there is strong Azadi under-current in the Valley. Reasons were different when it started in late eighties. That time it was a rigged election and Farooq led govt. Today it is alienation turned to armed insurgency. Today it Islamisation and radicalism. To some it is a war foisted on us by Pakistan. Their stand is realistic because whatever is happening in the valley is happening as per the ground rules laid down by ISI. Had their view point been heard, instead of reinforcing security set up in the valley with three to four army divisions in eighties, the force should have been sent across the LoC to capture POJK. The loudly trumpeted integral part would have been in own hands. Instead of being fatigued out in the valley, army would have been knocking at Islamabad doors. The terrorist training camps and launch pads would have been far away from the valley. That would have changed the narrative of Kashmir issue. Later also army’s will to fight was crushed by keeping it in readiness for 14 months for ‘aar-paar ki larai’ during ‘Op Prakaram’. Pakistan didn’t have the much dreaded nuclear capability then. Time, opportunity and resources were wasted indiscriminately twice. Someone must answer for the blunders. Those who want Modi to solve the problem, must explain why they allowed it and now legitimise it to seek a settlement on their terms. The blunders committed in the past, seditious activities allowed unabated, CRPF ordered to use lathis against armed militants, bunkers removed, all put together legitimise the struggle which security forces continue to fight with hands tied. We are staring at the institutional breakdown of the security forces and are on the way to becoming a banana republic, brought down to this level by own politicians.
Coming to the strife and wanton killings, there are ways and means to tackle it. First to the electronic media, the visuals shown, whether they are hoodlum attacking security personnel and security personnel exercising restraint or the hoodlums carrying Pakistani flags shouting anti-India slogans, all are consequential. Media must realize that they add fuel to the fire. Least we expect from the media under the circumstances is to douse the fire and help resolve the problem. Security forces know their jobs.
Agitations are not wrong. Students agitate for better education, better infrastructure but anti India and violent overtures are wrong. J&K has Article 370, own constitution and flag. J&K is already more independent than any other state. We enjoy more freedom than any other state subjects. Hence fight for freedom does not make any sense. On top of that Pakistan or Islamic State flags make the agitation untenable. India is a secular state. India will cease to be a nation if it is dictated by religious fanatics as is being done in the valley. If they don’t wish to carry national flag, they can carry State Flags, should they agitate.
How to right the wrong. We have to find a solution even if there is none in sight. That can only be found in Srinagar. Hurriyat doesn’t represent Kashmir, they represent Pakistan. Hence agitating students are the stake holders. Elected representatives and govt agencies must talk to them and their parents. Their grievances must be heard. So far as Pakistan transgressions are concerned, they should be tackled at different level. Let us not worry about much threatened nuclear threat. Pak Generals are not naive to start a nuclear war for a turbulent territory as big as their farms with pollution lesser than Balochistan and add to their problems. They would not risk another division of Pakistan. Kashmiris must understand that independence is a dream never come true. Moreover their future in Pakistan, if ever, will be like Baloch, Sindhis, Pushtuns, Dards and Batltistanis.
In the long term, the prime minister must come forward and resolving K issue for which Mahbooba Mufti must take the lead. 70 years war by other means must end. It will end once the policy of appeasement and military restraint ends. Both Modi and Mehbooba have the mandate to resolve K issue. They must show the political will. They must take bold step together despite ideological differences because it a national problem. Henry Kissinger, renowned guru of geopolitics, has said, “In a crisis the most daring action is often the safest and whatever must happen ultimately should happen immediately”.
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