Large scale militancy let lose in Kashmir for last twenty – seven years could not be sustained without strong financial support. In the beginning, it was the ISI which provided funding besides training and logistics to the militants in Kashmir. But after the Islamic Revolution of Iran, the Sunni-Wahhabi chapter in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf countries became proactive in supporting Sunni Wahhabi uprisings in many Asian countries. For militancy in Kashmir, with large Sunni Hanafi population, financial support was largely propagated by Kashmiri Muslim Diaspora in the Gulf countries and most particularly Saudi Arabia. It is learnt that Kashmiris have made a good foothold in Saudi Arabia’s foreign office.
As hawala money mechanism became known to the police and income tax agencies, they tried to take punitive actions. But the money laundering mafia is too well connected that it could easily devise new channels of remittances which neither the police wings nor the Income Tax Department could detect. The result is that huge monies have poured into Kashmir and it is utilized for the radicalization of Kashmiri Muslim society. A large number of new mosques and seminaries have come up which are generally attended by the youth that is trained and brainwashed in the new-found seminaries. Radicalization process has become widespread so much so that ISIS flags are now fluttered at many places in the towns of Kashmir. Luring the youth to militant organizations has been revived on a large scale and anti-India hatred has spread among the youth without discrimination. At the same time the youth now well-trained in radicalized Islam shun and abhor the Sofi traditions as anti-Islam and hence reprehensible. This has also creates division of sorts in the Kashmir Muslim society.
The results of radicalization are dangerous for the State and for the people also. Radicalized segments look for the “other” for targeting as the victim of their wrath. With Pandits having already left the valley who else could be the prospective “other”? This is the danger to which we are alluding.
For finding a sensible solution to this growing situation, the question is that first of all the Government has to have a strong will to face the radicalization programme of the Wahhabis and the separatists. Once it makes a firm resolve to fight the elements, the ways and means can be found. Everything depends on the mood and policy of the Government.
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