Shiban Khaibri
While a chosen theme of a political nature of national import was being attempted by this writer , the tragic news of an innocent and ”harmless” Kashmiri Pandit having been shot at in Shopian Kashmir was heard. It was thought about that, perhaps, the poor victim would survive the shoot out from close range as that was the tone of the news telecast from the TV Channels. However, soon thereafter, the news about him from the District Hospital Shopian as having being been “brought dead” was shocking and stunning. The theme, therefore, got changed to the one as in the caption since those who hold the tiny but mightiest pen can react to such inhuman acts only by expressing and thus building an opinion in the society since the motive being only to stop violence and putting an end to spilling of blood , with that would result respecting the greatest religion of the world which is Humanity. May it be carefully noted that demeaning and undermining humanity in any form is tantamount to disregarding the Almighty who created this universe and made the most beautiful object – the man – taking birth and dying wherever ”found” pursuing any faith, ideology etc with no difference, growing and decaying in age with the same process, producing children and races by the same natural process, laughing and weeping corresponding to joys and sorrows in the same manner , the colour of blood and the rhythm and rhyme of heart beats being the same as also the natural rule that one who was dead could never ever be revived etc. The list of parity and similarities is like one entity tried to be split for the purposes of analogies and comparisons , there being no base of that and no sense in that as well.
When the Almighty – the unimaginably powerful God – made no difference of any sort, who the hell on this earth can defy Him and go on killing people mindlessly because the prospective victim was of a faith other than the one practiced by the killer? How can any human being justify killings of innocents by labelling them belonging to a particular religion, political ideology, race, colour or region? How many more would be killed in Kashmir and how long and who was going to gain what? The question remains and, perhaps , shall remain unanswered as to why the poor and harmless, totally innocuous and benign Kashmiri Pandits, one by one, are targeted and killed in the same way as to why the entire lot of the Kashmiri Pandit community was hounded out from ”their” Kashmir in 1990 preceded , during and following the exodus with selective killings even brutally executed massacres in Wandhama, Gool, Nadimarg and other places etc when there were ”popular elected” (local) governments in power in the then state enjoying the ”blessings” of powers under J&K’s Special Status on account of temporary provisions of Articles 370 and 35A. Today, how shamelessly any “mainstream” leader can link abrogation of that vexatious Article with killings or equally claim that post abrogation of Article 370 only a spurt in such killings of Kashmiri Hindus took place. Enough blood is spilled and now wails, tears, sighs and cries too are exhausted, “Khatam honaiy ko hain ashkoon kay zakheray bhi Jamaal; Roye kab tuk koyee iss shehar key veerani par”?
The question , therefore, shall remain unanswered as to why the thirst for ”Khoon-e-na-Haq” is still not getting satiated by these killers whose hands are deep soaked with the blood of the innocents in Kashmir all these 32 years at the behest of a Failed state of Pakistan, the world’s most dangerous country as certified by their friend, ally and alms giver, the US ? The question shall , again , remain unanswered as to how many – more are going to be mowed by bullets at the behest of Pakistan that was created on hard core hate and hostility against Hindus and Hindu Religion by M. A. Jinnah led All India Muslim League ? The question shall remain unanswered as to why the scourge of exclusiveness, separatism and mediaeval mindset of fundamentalism get fuller recognition and patronage in Pakistan so as to expand its tentacles wherever it finds religious card played with rather impunity.Take the elements of hate, playing religious card, interpreting it to suit their interests , hard core fundamentalism from out of the structure of “militancy” (read terrorism), it will crumble like a pack of worn out cards in no time.
Those leaders in the “political mainstream” in Kashmir speaking loud rather shedding crocodile tears on the brutal killings of Hindus in Kashmir must speak particularly as to who was in power in 2003 when in Nadimarg Pulwama Kashmir 24 Kashmiri Pandits, children, women, men, young and old, were lined out in the dead of night and killed in cold blood aiming and targeting parts from head to chest only. Late Mufti Mohammad Syed, the Chief Minister on seeing the massacred innocent Hindus fallen on ground uttered one sentence, “Goli say nahin boli say he baat baneygee”. Can anyone show him having uttered a word against Pakistan or Pakistan trained terrorists? In the same way, who was in power in Jammu and Kashmir when Wandhama massacre of Kashmiri Pandits took place where 26 Kashmiri Pandits were most savagely butchered, it was Dr. Farooq Abdullah , the Chief Minister who now says that “killings won’t stop “in Kashmir. Stop this blame game and playing with the lives of poor innocent victims of Pakistani bullets. No Police and no Military force can do wonders but only the people , the local people belonging to all shades of life- political, religious, social, academic and the clergy in particular can, by openly and vociferously coming out against Pakistan sponsored terrorism.
Therefore, unless the people in Kashmir valley renounce openly , rebel and revolt on roads , ostracise publicly those indulging in senseless killings- known as terrorists, mistakenly but unfortunately called as “Militants” – a very soft, gentle and sober term – or a totally flawed de-rigueur used for those who spill innocents’ blood – ”Khoon-e-na-Haq” , things will not improve and targeted killings of innocents, virtuous and sinless people will not stop. Everybody knows it and can be sincere keeping hands on chest that Kashmir valley in comparison to Jammu province has progressed economically tremendously , whether it is per capita income, per capita consumption, housing, no one going to sleep hungry, infrastructural development and turnaround, railways and extension of lines, trade and commerce, tourism, construction of residential colonies, fast urbanisation, medical care and general prosperity. General peace too is returning fast and frequent Hartaals and shut downs have become totally extinct and that is a matter of great satisfaction as all the successive the then state governments miserably failed in checking and containing frequent Hartaals and shut downs in Kashmir valley.
A record number of over a crore and a half of tourists visiting different parts of the valley, a record high since independence, as per official records is a big testimony and a touchstone of the trust in and the existence of secured atmosphere prevailing in Kashmir that such a footfall of visitors could move about, stay for nights together, throng scenic spots and places but amidst this ”peace” is a lurking threat to, a perpetual fear nursed by and a constant restrain to freedom to live and move about freely and securely in respect of the indigenous inhabitants of Kashmir with over 5000 years roots – the Kashmiri Pandits. So, the overall progress, prosperity, spending and consuming, spurt in aviation and road traffic , connecting Kashmir with Kanyakumari through Railways and all other leaps taken towards development mean a zilch, a naught and a ruse to Kashmiri Pandits. Mirza Galib had lamented — “Merey Hone Main Hai Kya Ruswai…, Aey Voh Majlis Nahi Khalwat He Sahi ” or in my being or just living or existing, what disgrace or infamy is in store (for you ), what harm is there for you, let there be even no congregation or assembly permitted (by you), at least let it be my (secured) loneliness and even isolation , allow that” . And if not, then in that case, again in the words of the same great Mirza Galib .
” Yaheey haalat rahei josh-e-janoon key …. tou assar ek din …Zameen uglay gee sholay ….Aasmaan say khoon barsey gaa.”
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