Friday incident outside Jama Masjid in Nowhatta, Srinagar was no doubt covered by most of local print media including this paper. But it was not commented upon though it deserved good space keeping in mind the history of militancy in Kashmir valley since 1990. The broad pattern of militancy was that the gun-wielding youth who had received training and indoctrination from across the border spread fear among the civilian population in Kashmir which forced them not to retaliate to their acts of barbarity. They gagged the mouth of ordinary people, severely crippled their freedom of movement and speech, turned them into mute spectators of subversion and atrocities, and hindered them from responding to the voice of their conscience. Under these circumstances the gun culture became a new phenomenon in Kashmiri society. Nobody could think of any person or group of persons confronting the gun wielding militants and demanding them not to violate human rights of the people, women and children. It is for the first time that in Nowhatta, a youngman after Friday prayers pounced on militants who had snatched the rifle of a policeman after hitting him on his head , making him unconscious and chased them in broad day light, and overpowered them This means that by and large people have come out of the fear psychosis that had been meticulously created by the militants so far. By this single incident, the civil population in Srinagar have realized the power which public wields when it means to challenge the people who are bent upon disrupting peace and normalcy. This is the original and real mindset of ordinary Kashmiris which if properly harnessed can retrieve its strength and determination. We hope that this incident will become precursor to the changed approach to militancy and lead to elimination of militancy in all its manifestations.
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