Kashmir Question Remains Unanswered
By Aijaz Nazir
24 October, 2012
Countercurrents.org
Late June this year, Kashmir again reverberated with the anti-India
slogans. Entire valley was mourning the blaze that gutted the revered
Dastgeer Sahib shrine at old Srinagar’s Khanyar area. Hundreds and
thousands of youths from different parts of the Valley came on
streets, protesting and pelting stones, following which authorities
deployed large contingents of security forces to take over the
situation.
The saga continued and only two weeks later on July 15 another shrine
of Sufi saint, Baba Haneefuddin (RA), was gutted in a mysterious fire
at Ratsuna village of central Kashmir's Budgam district. Some attempts
to set ablaze the shrines were foiled in several places of Kashmir.
The attack on Muslims religious places was against the sentiments of
majority people living here.
Again the situation of summer unrest was about to rise in Kashmir.
Curfew was imposed for several days in some parts Srinagar city.
Several debates held in public and several questions again arose among
masses.
Decades have passed now but Kashmir is yet to achieve peace and
tranquility. The emergence of new issues in the Valley has resulted in
troubles for its residents. For more than 20 years, the region has
been witness to killings, disappearances, encounters, detentions,
crackdowns, protests and stone pelting.
In 2008, when the whole Valley was on the boil, people of Kashmir came
out on streets to protest against Indian administration and after that
2009 and 2010 witnessed the mass protests in Valley.
The Amarnath land row marked the beginning of the 2008 summer
uprising, which then changed to Shopian Murder and rape case in 2009
protests and 2010 Intifada. Anti-India and pro-freedom slogans
reverberated through the Valley. The walls in Srinagar city and all
big towns of Valley were painted with “Azadi” slogans, most of them
shouted “Go India, Go Back!”
The continuous three years of mass protests resulted in loss of
hundreds of lives and damage to public property. Every individual of
the Valley was affected as a result of this protracted conflict,
including hundreds of children who bore the brunt of the conflict
most. These summer uprisings, from 2008 to 2010, affected the
educational and business fields most. However, that is not the end of
problems.
In 2010 schools, business establishments, and offices remained shut
for almost three months. The wave of anger was at its higher degree
among people all over the valley. People were restricted to move from
one place to another, cable networks were banned and most SMS service
have remain banned since the last three years.
Kashmir is witnessing emerging new issues, due to which people
continue to suffer.
As compared to these three years, 2011 seemed a peaceful year. On
December 31, 2011, J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah announced, “As
2011 draws to a close, my heartfelt gratitude to the people of J&K for
one of the most peaceful years in decades. It was all your doing.”
However, below this semblance of normalcy and peace, lies a tale of
unending violence.
According to the report of Jammu & Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society,
233 people lost their lives in the State including 56 civilians, 100
alleged militants and 71 armed forces personnel.” In the light of
these statistics, can a common Kashmiri call 2011 a peaceful year?
Recently separatist leaders warned the Government of serious
consequences and threatened to launch a massive public campaign after
Eid ul zuha, if the former did not stop the construction work on the
road to Amarnath cave in the environmentally fragile area.
This clearly indicates to revive the 2008 type protests. Will peace
then continue or will Kashmir witness another agitation?
“Question is still unanswered.”
Aijaz Nazir is freelance journalist in Kashmir. Can reach on
[email protected]
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