The paradise on earth is bleeding…she is crying for help…but who is there to hear her?? She is echoing the cries for “AZAADI” since decades but her pleas go unheard. Why is this injustice towards her? Why is she being tormented so much? Is it mainly because she cradles the minority group in her lap as majority?
Kashmir is and has been burning since ages. The beauty of the valley is streaked with blood – blood of young infants to aged people to women – no one has been spared. The former princely state of British India became a disputed territory since 1947.
What actually is happening in Kashmir? We as onlookers or residents of “Independent India” would only think that there is huge amount of terrorism in this region owing to the Muslim majority in the valley, the demand of Kashmir by Pakistan and so on. But when I got to hear about the actual scenario of Kashmir from the lips of a Kashmiri, I was devastated.
Indian government from the time of obtaining possession of Kashmir has never been fair to the people like the rest of India. Portraying to the rest of the world as “A measure to maintain law and order”, AFSPA or Armed Forces Special Powers Act was enforced on this region. According to the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), in an area that is proclaimed as “disturbed”, an officer of the armed forces has the following powers:
- After giving such due warning, fire upon or use other kinds of force even if it causes death, against the person who is acting against law or order in the disturbed area for the maintenance of public order.
- To arrest without a warrant anyone who has committed cognizable offences or is reasonably suspected of having done so and may use force if needed for the arrest.
- To enter and search any premise in order to make such arrests, or to recover any person wrongfully restrained or any arms, ammunition or explosive substances and seize it.
- Stop and search any vehicle or vessel reasonably suspected to be carrying such person or weapons.
- Army officers have legal immunity for their actions. There can be no prosecution, suit or any other legal proceeding against anyone acting under that law. Nor is the government’s judgment on why an area is found to be disturbed subject to judicial review.
- Protection of persons acting in good faith under this Act from prosecution, suit or other legal proceedings, except with the sanction of the Central Government, in exercise of the powers conferred by this Act.
“I have seen so many friends of mine become SHAHID or go missing in front of my eyes”, says my Kashmiri friend. “Our sisters were raped, our brothers were killed and we couldn’t go to any one for help because it all comes to be portrayed as a measure of LAW AND ORDER in the valley”, he continues, in a grim voice, “When we were young we used to fear stepping out of our homes, our mothers did not know whether we would be back home alive! My heart beats strongly every time I see a policeman here because my looks are very indicative that I am a Muslim and a Kashmiri. When I used to go home, I was thoroughly searched every time. You tell me, are you searched by the police when you go home?”
I had developed a very strong bond with him and I knew if anyone could give me true facts about Kashmir it was he. “Eid ke din Pakistan ka flag kyu phehraya gaya tha Kashmir me?” I asked. He smiled. “Why only Eid? It happened few days back also on JUMMA (Friday). Kashmir is a Muslim majority province and from the time we were handed to India, 90% of the people wanted to be part of Pakistan because we found safety there. We wanted to be in a place where we can go about freely and lead a secured life. I was very active with picketing and went about with slogans of “JIVE JIVE PAKISTAN.” We want to be FREE. You understand FREE!! But then, as time passed we realized the situation is worse there on political grounds. But the want for AZAADI runs in our veins, in our blood in our sweat. As I am here I can’t do anything but like I told you every Kashmiri longs for Azaadi. And so every now and then, they go for such acts because they want to show that we are not afraid of India and its government. We want them to see that they can kill us but not our love for freedom. Even if we are killed but it fetches freedom to our valley, we have no regrets,” he ended in a strong voice.
I had a question in my mind, “Do you hate us?” A broad smile came up on his face. “Why will I hate you or any Indian? You are our brothers and sisters. What the govt. does has nothing to do with its general, local people. Yes, we don’t want to be a part of India and we don’t want to be called Indians but that doesn’t mean we hate Indians. We have our own constitution, our own culture and we are very protective of it. What goes in the minds of local Kashmiris can be known only from a local Kashmiri dear, not from the Indian media.”
We chatted for some more time on some other topics but at the back of my mind many thoughts lingered. How much more do these people have to endure? Would my friend be ever able to witness the AZAADI that he so longs for?
