Army and security forces have jointly launched the campaign of putting an end to militancy in the Valley in general and in South Kashmir in particular. For more than a year and half gun wielding terrorists and their external handlers have concentrated in three districts of South Kashmir especially Pulwama. One of the several reasons for their concentration is that the South Kashmir region has been the stronghold of Jamaat-i-Islami from the very beginning. Early followers of the teaching of Maudodi had laid out a widespread network of radical Islamic teachings in the entire region. It will be recollected that in early 1980s parts of South Kashmir had seen some ugly instances of communal tension also. In such situations vicious political parties try to capitalize on social disturbances by sensitizing religious sentiments among the people. In this historical background some Theo-fascists elements found encouraging local response and support in parts of South Kashmir. The fact is that security forces and army have acclimatized themselves to the social and political culture of South Kashmir. Most of the locals, now fed up with militancy and its consequences on normal life are distancing themselves from acts of militancy. They are unable to give expression to their revised thinking openly because of the threat of the gun. Secondly security forces have made intelligence bandobust very effective and local people are volunteering in large numbers to provide important intelligence to the army about the movement of armed gangsters of LeT or Hizbul Mujahideen or any other terrorist groups. This is an indicator that people are fed up with militancy and want restoration of normal life in the valley. Incidentally, the stern action taken by NIA to expose and prosecute those involved in hawala illegal transfer of money has also immensely boosted the moral of the sections of people who want return of normalcy to the Valley.
Army in close cooperation with police have accelerated anti-terrorist operations and as many as 5 top commanders of LeT or HuM have been gunned down so far. Army has pledged to eradicate militancy in the State and as a result militancy in South Kashmir is now on receiving end. Many of them are surrendering and many others are coming forward with lot of sensitive information about the movement of terrorists across the Valley. Incidentally, the US has designated Hizbul Mujahideen as an international terrorist organization. This has dealt a death blow to this outfit known for its brutal killings in Kashmir. We salute the army and security forces particularly Kashmir Police for launching an effective and well planned campaign of eradicating militancy from entire valley. The winds of change are already in sight.
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel