Showing posts with label Jammu and Kashmir. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jammu and Kashmir. Show all posts

Friday, October 28, 2011

AFSPA Withdrawal – Omar To Take Full Responsibility If Something Goes Wrong

For last some days J&K CM Omar Abdullah has been very vocal about his demand for the withdrawal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from at least some parts of the state.

This demand, allegedly a ploy to win cheap popularity, has brought the 3rd generation Chief Minister of the state into direct conflict with the armed forces, with the latter being strongly opposed to any such step. And this view of the latter is shared by the nation as well, with the ground situation seemingly not being favourable for any such step.

However, the young and handsome Chief Minister is defiantly sticking to his guns. He seems to be quite confident that the so-called draconian law has now become irrelevant for certain regions of Jammu & Kashmir. And he is apparently determined to get those regions 'liberated' from the clutches of that law.

Fine. If the honourable Chief Minister feels that way, then it is OK. But let there be one condition. Let Omar sign an agreement that if there is an escalation in the terrorist activities in the concerned regions after the withdrawal of AFSPA, then he has to take the full responsibility for it and immediately resign from the position of Chief Minister, and also has to arrange for compensations to be paid to the kith and kin of the security personnel and common people who will be the victims of that escalation.

Are you game, Mr. Chief Minister?

Friday, February 11, 2011

Pakistan’s Stupid Demand To Involve A Third Party In Kashmir Dialogue

During the recent Foreign Secretary level talk between India and Pakistan, the latter again raised the apparently justified but actually baseless demand to involve Kashmiris as a third party in dialogues over the Kashmir problem.

It is a demand that has been raised for quite a number of times by both Pakistan and Hurriyat Conference. And, as I said, though the demand appears to be a justified one, in reality it is simply a stupid demand that does not even worth any consideration.

But why is it so? Simple. Even if India and Pakistan try to involve the common Kashmiris in the dialogue process, how can they go for the same? They cannot literally invite the mass of that region to participate in the dialogue process, right? Rather, the mass has to be represented by an appropriate entity.

Fine. Now Pakistan might say that it and India can find that representative of common Kashmiris in Hurriyat Conference. In fact, Pakistan actually refers to Hurriyat Conference every time it talks about involving the common Kashmiris as a third party.

Now comes the crucial question. How can India accept that Hurriyat Conference is indeed the true representative of common Kashmiris? Where is the proof? Neither the leaders of Hurriyat Conference have ever contested (and won) any election in Kashmir nor they enjoy any other kind of recognition that qualifies them as the true representatives of common Kashmiris. An organization cannot be accepted as the true representative of the wishes and aspirations of a community simply because it claims itself to be the same.

Secondly, even if it is taken for granted that Hurriyat Conference leaders do have some influence and acceptability among the Muslim Kashmiris, it is well known that they have absolutely no acceptability among the Hindu and Buddhist Kashmiris. I hope that Pakistan has the basic courtesy to accept that Muslim Kashmiris are not the only representatives of the common people of that region. The Hindu and Buddhist Kashmiris are also to be counted, right? And in that case Hurriyat Conference cannot claim itself to be a true representative of the common people of Kashmir, as its acceptability is confined only within a certain section of the Kashmiris.

So, at the end of the day we find that there is no organization that can claim itself to enjoy acceptability among all sections of Kashmiris irrespective of religious background. So even if India and Pakistan try to involve a third party as the representative of “wishes” and “aspirations” of the common people of Kashmir, they cannot be successful in that “noble mission”. Because no such organization or entity exists in the first place. It is high time all relevant stakeholders accepted this “harsh fact” with a “broken heart”.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Plain Hypocrites: That Is All That Can Be Said About The People Of Jammu & Kashmir

Whenever there is any reported or alleged killing of any innocent civilian by the Indian security personnel in Kashmir, the people of the Valley immediately swing into “protests”. They take out processions, do squatting in front of government offices, clash with police and security personnel wherein they hurl stones at the former, and so on. (And naturally all these get so enthusiastically covered by the Pakistani media). On the other hand the separatist leaders start giving their reactions to the media, especially electronic media, expressing their “shock” and “anguish” over the “appalling” actions of the Indian security personnel.

Nobody is supporting the killings of innocent civilians in Kashmir by Indian security personnel. Such incidents are undoubtedly despicable. But what is very strange is that while the people of Jammu & Kashmir are so enthusiastic about expressing their anger over the alleged killings of innocent civilians by the Indian security personnel, they never utter a single word when such killings are conducted by terrorists. On such occasions not a single voice is heard, neither from the separatist leaders nor from the common people of Jammu & Kashmir.

Just take the latest example of two sisters being killed by terrorists at Sopore. Terrorists dragged the two girls out of their home in broad daylight, and gunned them down mercilessly. But there has been absolutely no reaction (like protests, etc.) on the part of the people. Not many months back a toddler fell victim to irresponsible stone pelting by a bunch of so-called protesters, when the baby was being taken to a doctor by his parents and their car came across those protesters (read hooligans). But even then there was no voice of objection from any quarter, neither the separatist leaders nor the common people.

The selective reaction of the separatist leaders can be understood, as we all know that they are just pet dogs of Pakistan, and their loyalty to that country’s government prevents them from criticizing heinous activities of those terrorists who are sponsored by that very government.

But how come the common people of Jammu & Kashmir are so selective in expressing their protest? Why do they remain completely silent on such occasions, while they are so smart in protesting against such (alleged) activities by the Indian security personnel? Shall we conclude that they do not find the killings of their fellow Kashmiris that painful if those killings take place at the hands of terrorists?

Shame on the common people of Jammu & Kashmir for their naked hypocrisy and double standard.

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Jammu & Kashmir – The Paradise On Earth

Jammu & Kashmir – where snow-white mountains are immersed into deep meditation from pre-historic times

Jammu & Kashmir – where mountain streams are flowing with sweet sounds, as if little children are reciting their nursery rhymes.

Jammu & Kashmir – where green meadows, valleys of flowers and apple orchards are eagerly waiting to welcome you

Jammu & Kashmir – where you encounter experiences that are so unique and completely new.

Jammu & Kashmir – where you find colourful birds singing and chirping in dense green forests

Jammu & Kashmir – where you find local people to be always warm and smiling, looking gorgeous in their native dress.

Jammu & Kashmir – the place of magnificent Chinar trees, that stand so tall

Jammu & Kashmir – the land of Santoor (Indian musical instrument) and the world famous Pashmina shawl.

Jammu & Kashmir – the confluence of three great religions – Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam

Visit the place at least once, and get enamoured by its beauty, splendour and charm.