For the past few weeks Kashmir has been in the “prime” time news for “various” reasons. The whole country got divided. New meanings of old words came out like “sedition” which in past meant : commission of an anti-national act like espionage or sharing national interests with others. Ruling party got busy dictating terms on how to be a “nationalist”. A “bhaisaab” from Times Now news channel got conferred Doctorate for running doctorate videos of an “anti-national”. So in short for Indians the word “terrorist” means: anyone who dissents/protests when government does something wrong, or at best, a “terrorist” is anyone my government tells me is a terrorist. (For us, it’s anyone who dies when my government drops a bomb, or at best, a “terrorist” is anyone my government tells me is a terrorist.)
So in short Indians are suffering from some sort of suddenly raised uber nationalism. It all started because Afzal Guru’s anniversary was held at JNU, New Delhi. Now the fight is between the Right and the Left. But what’s been happening in Kashmir all the while? The famous Kashmir University is saturated with police in disguise of civilians and spies. Their student organization, Kashmir University Students Union, is banned. Who have the guts to stand up for them? Choking the very idea of “dissent” in Kashmir is recommended for the sake of national interest but when the very same thing happens in JNU it became something else!
Hypocrisy at its purest level.
Hypocrisy, why only hypocrisy? Let’s talk about the blatant lies of the Government of India about Kashmir! Leave those lies about the mass graveyards and those gang rapes by the Indian Armed Forces or their inhumane human rights abuse.
Let’s talk about the fun part of Article 370! One of the most important rules in the state subject law says that only Kashmiris can buy lands and properties in the territory of Jammu Kashmir. True. Now the confusing part is how on earth Indian soldiers, reportedly more than 500,000 head-count, cannot be discouraged by Article 370 from occupying the empty houses, hospitals, hotels and other public places in Kashmir? No, Article 370 came to stop them from building up concentration camps or black sites for the detainees held for interrogation (read torture) all over acres and acres of Kashmiri lands.
Another blatant diplomatic lie of Indian Government is the myth that they’re busy in creating for the past few decades. The myth of Kashmir Tourism! They say that Tourism is the main sector of Kashmir economy! The truth is something else. Kashmir tourism only is a mere 7-8% of the (US) $13 Billion total GDP of Kashmir. Where else the most important sector of Kashmir Economy is Agriculture. Directly or indirectly almost 70% of Kashmiris depend upon agriculture. But gradually and slowly the agriculture sector of Kashmir is drowning. All thanks to the Indian Govt.’s land grabbing policies in Kashmir from the fertile green belt zones of Kashmir and turning it into a state of the art residential area. No National Green Tribunal or any green activist bothered to raise hue and cry over this issue.
There are other majorly GDP contributing sectors of Kashmir like horticulture, and floriculture also go hand in hand with agriculture. And the Indian government states that it’s trying to “revive” Kashmir’s economic condition. To be honest India, is too busy dealing with political and military issue in Kashmir and in the free time it uses it’s “tourism” card too keep the illusion of Kashmir being dependent on India. It’s nothing more than yet another cheap occupational tactic to keep the stereotypes about Kashmir afloat.
Note: Image used in this post is only for representational purpose.
