Post-Burhan Wani and Sabzar Ahmed Bhat killings the Kashmir terrorism canvass is likely to change for some time if army’s proactive message is to be considered. Army has released a hit- list of 12 most dreaded terrorists active in the Kashmir Valley. The move comes at a time when the ‘Human shield’ controversy is ripe and the human rights organisations are after the officer’s life who invented this unique method to keep the collateral damage of human lives negligible and rescued a team of Election Commission officials, policemen who were on election duty. The human rights activists see the act as condemnable and believe that the government is not serious about holding security force personnel to account for serious abuses. These human rights activists only have one side vision and blinded by just getting publicity over any issue which has kept the fire going on in Kashmir. The way the issue got prominence there is no doubt that some agencies are behind it otherwise how a shawl weaver can reach rights activists for justice. The Indian Army has defended Major Gogoi’s action. Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat, defending the episode, said the army was facing a “dirty war” in Kashmir which has to be fought through “innovative” ways. After the killing of Sabzar in an encounter on Saturday the succession would see Riyaz Naikoo reportedly as the next Hizbul commander in Kashmir. Like Burhan Wani, Naikoo too is active on social media and is considered a moderate among the hardline Hizbul terrorists. Naikoo, unlike Musa, favours a secular movement in the Kashmir Valley. Musa, on the other hand, advocates ‘Jihad’ for Islam and not Aazadi (freedom) for Kashmir. Musa had earlier released a video in which he threatened to behead the separatists leaders if they created hurdles in setting up Sharia in the Kashmir Valley. Musa earlier this month parted ways with the Hizbul over ideological differences and quit the militant outfit. There is no doubt that the succession war among the terrorists has created a wedge in the cadre and Govt should encash from the changed environment so that peace can be restored in Valley.
