Naidkhai killing and Shinde’s 2014 promise

Unjustified and unjustifiable killing of yet another budding young man in Naidkhai made me remember Shinde’s 2014 promise. The promise was made some time back, while interacting with students from Srinagar based Delhi Public School (DPS).  “We believe in next two years Kashmir will be a different place and this security hazard will be over for you,” said Sushil Kumar Shinde—Indian Home Minister, adding however “We are careful; we don’t want to take steps in hurry. The vigil is to keep peace intact.” Some vigil indeed, as life after life withers away—victims of trigger happy forces.  Home Minister faced a volley by another student, “I am living under fear and this fear comes from security forces who are supposed to protect me. Why do I fear them?” The query, it is related was received with loud clapping from the booked auditorium.  Shinde, a shade sheepish, trying to put up a brave front, replied, “It seems you are undergoing security hazards and I hope it will be over soon”. How soon? The question would hardly get satisfactorily answered unless and until the power dispensing keeps up with evading ‘K’ conflict resolution and hoping for peace to prevail. Shinde’s promise that, “I will ask concerned agencies that children and students should not be frisked,” will remain unfulfilled, as long as security forces hold the brief of keeping the entire population in check. Even when a segment of the population is seen demonstrating peacefully, trigger happy security men often resort to pulling the trigger targeting the heart. That standard operating procedure entails aiming the limbs in worst case scenarios from security point of views is hardly operative in ‘K’ situation, as stands proven in multiple instances.

It has often been the plea of Delhi officialdom and the media that armed forces, paramilitary and central security forces only assist JK Police in maintaining law and order. The plea could be and in fact is widely taken with a pinch of salt. JK, the plea holds has an elected chief minister heading a council of ministers, a bicameral legislature, a high court—all the trappings that democracy entails. And constitutionally, law and order being a state subject falls within purview of the state.  Chief Minister being head of unified command council is a plea often advanced. The reality, however, unfolds that the chief minister, in spite of his public stand of AFSPA revocation is powerless in the face of armed forces refusal. Constitutionally, state legislature may declare the state wholly or partially undisturbed and revoke AFSPA in a particular part or in the entire state. The proposition has remained on paper, never ever to be attempted without Delhi’s nod. Hence, Delhi, Srinagar/Jammu remains in loop in operative power dispensing, with Srinagar/Jammu following Delhi diktat. Hardly anyone has any illusion on this count, the mental imprint and public perception is unmistakable.

In Kashmir, the peace which might look like holding on may come apart anytime, as proved by event after event.  In ‘K’ security scenario, there are too many cooks to prepare the broth, hence the taste is bitter…a case of too many cooks spoiling the dish. The unified command is unified in name, the take of security agencies forming the command varies by the hour. While as on the same day of the week, one agency may put one view of security situation including the state of militancy and number of militants, by the evening of the same day other agency provides a different view, a different state, a different number. It begs the question—how unified is the unified command? Yet another question crops-up—is every agency a fiefdom in itself with its own exclusive view of the situation, more of a contradiction than a consensus. Such a contradiction is not ‘K’ specific; India’s soft underbelly gets stretched to naxalite hit areas, northeast as well.

In DPS meet, another query by a student made news. The query related to headlines Kashmir gets in the rest of India and world, Shinde on his maiden visit to Kashmir as home minister, said North East and naxalite regions have insurgency problem while Kashmir deals with terrorism. “We have to make the difference clear that in North East and in Naxal-hit regions, we deal with insurgency while as in Jammu and Kashmir, we face terrorism,” so said Shinde. Is it meant to make out that insurgency may not be as grave an offence as terrorism. It might also be taken to mean that insurgency might have an internal element only, while terrorism might be taken to mean an act inspired by external elements. The pet India theme remains of painting ‘K’ conflict as inspired by extraneous elements. The diplomatic offensive did have a measure of success in a particular global situation; however, the truth may get partly shrouded over period of times, not for ever. More often than not it emerges—bright and sparkling. Those who tend to overlook the historical lesson do it at their own peril, notwithstanding the Nehruvian belief that a day will dawn, when Kashmiris will adjust to ground reality—that begs the question—have they, what Nehru seemed to believe in—a  writing on the wall, or will they ever take it, given the defiance, the existent resistance?

Yaar Zinda, Sohbat Baqi [Reunion is subordinate to survival]

By Dr. Javaid Iqbal : iqbal.javid46@gmail.com   

http://www.risingkashmir.com/naidkhai-killing-and-shindes-2014-promise/