Javaid Beigh
The stark reality of Kashmir is that every one knows everything and yet Kashmir continues to burn to ashes. There is hardly any aspect of Kashmir’s destruction that has not been discussed and yet an already destroyed Kashmir inches towards even more destruction every single day and the unfortunate carnage at Pulwama is yet another extension of the same that has raised many questions that need to be answered.
The unfortunate and ghastly carnage of CRPF security personnel at Pulwama and the turn of events afterwards has not placed any one – neither Indians and Pakistanis nor Kashmiris into positive and sympathetic books of anyone in the world and the ensuing warmongering is only leading to an atmosphere of fear and panic, all around, escalating an already tense and volatile situation in Kashmir.
The tragedy that happened in Pulwama is something that has been equivocally condemned by every peace-loving Kashmiri but the disproportionate response of angry and revenge seeking fringe elements in different parts of India against Kashmiri students, traders etc. has put serious question mark on the “idea of India” that seeks inclusiveness, accommodation and tolerance. Most Kashmiris feel the pain that families of CRPF soldiers are right now undergoing as they themselves have endured so much suffering in last three decades, but Kashmiris are also aghast, shocked and disappointed at disownment shown towards them in various parts of India.
While the Indian state must ponder over the growing and spiteful chorus of hate and revenge against Kashmiri Muslims in the wake of Pulwama tragedy, the people of Kashmir must also introspect as to how the world is today looking at Kashmir and the people of Kashmir? The carnage at Pulwama has made words like “terror attack” and “massive suicide bomb” synonymous with Kashmir, something that used to be reserved for conflicts in Afghanistan, Syria and Iraq. One may call it a journalistic exaggeration, but post Pulwama, most reputed international media reporting in western and Arab world is equating Kashmiris with Taliban of Afghanistan and Pakistan. The immense damage that Pulwama carnage has done to the “idea of Kashmir” as some kind of blood thirsty, dangerous, lawless and violent place like Afghanistan, Somalia and Syria will take a long time to get erased. The global empathy for Kashmir, which was already in short supply has dented massively in view of the extreme and grotesque nature of Pulwama carnage.
Just like India and Kashmir, the nation of Pakistan must also reflect as to what gains and dividends were earned for her through Pulwama massacre? Pulwama carnage has made Pakistan answerable to the global community for actions of its non-state actors, even as it stands diplomatically isolated, with even resolution passed in the United Nations Security Council (signed by all five permanent members including China) condemning the Pulwama violence and indirectly holding Pakistan responsible for it. The fact is that Pulwama carnage has painted India, Pakistan and Kashmir – all three stakeholders in an extremely poor light, with no “winners” in this latest episode of Kashmir conundrum.
Unfortunately, the conduct of Kashmir’s political class has not been anything to boast about either. All mainstream political parties of J&K have only exacerbated an already bad situation by trying to “cash in” the suffering of Kashmiris, who are facing public backlash in different parts of India. Except for mostly “sharing” the “help line” numbers and claiming on twitter that they have “talked to” local officials to “help” Kashmiris, the political elite of Kashmir has mostly taken action on twitter with sole eye on capturing “sympathy” vote. And as if things were not bad enough, Pulwama carnage has also provided a golden opportunity to J&K’s political parties to indulge in rampant communalism. While Kashmir based political parties are talking only of Muslim residents of J&K and avoiding non-Muslim residents of J&K like a plague, the Jammu based political parties have become sole spokesperson of only Hindu residents of J&K. The Hindu – Muslim communal division in J&K, which was already at its peak even before Pulwama, reached its zenith after the carnage in Pulwama.
So, the question arises that in view of escalation of tension between India and Pakistan in the aftermath of Pulwama and the shameless politicking by the political class of J&K to “earn” political dividends out of the tragedy, what is the way forward for Kashmir?
I think, Kashmir has never been in such a worst position of being in a state of total hopelessness and despair in last thirsty years as it is today with fear and panic writ large on the face of the unfortunate populace of Kashmir. Rather than living in denial and self-created cocoon, we must accept that Pulwama carnage is turning into a watershed moment in Kashmir’s unfortunate modern history. The mainstreaming of grotesque form of violence like suicide bombing will not only be detrimental to Kashmiri society with proud history of Islamic Sufism and Hindu Shaivism but it will pull global community even further away from empathizing with the pain and suffering of Kashmiri people.
The Indian state must also introspect that alienating people, whom it claims to its own, disowning them and painting the entire community with the same brush for actions of few people are not the way to win “hearts and minds” of the people of Kashmir, who have seen so much pain and suffering. Pakistan must also rethink and reevaluate its policy of supporting non-state actors, whose actions are neither benefitting Pakistan nor the people of Kashmir valley. Lastly, both India and Pakistan must immediately put an end to relentless warmongering and aggressive posturing and work towards deescalating tensions between two countries, whose ill effects unfortunately gets played in Kashmir valley. Pulwama carnage was a human tragedy and if anything, that must teach us to resolve our dispute peacefully rather than use the tragedy for creating even more disharmony and discord. Doing that will be an insult to those who lost their lives in the unfortunate Pulwama massacre.
(The author is a political activist)
feedbackexcelsior@gmail.com
Follow our WhatsApp channel