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/
