Democracy in Danger-A Politician from Kashmir?

Er P.L Khushu

As per media reports, a tall leader of a prominent political party has of late said that the democracy in India is in danger. What a biased comment, when the democracy in India is at its peak presently. The world all over has acknowledged it.
The grapes are sour. We cannot help it. The dotted I.N.D.I. Alliance affiliates are not able to resolve the bickering within them for seat sharing, which is power sharing and then again destiny sharing, for ruling the nation with obvious intentions as usual. Probably this compels these leaders of I.N.D.I. Alliance, to become contemptuous by saying that the democracy in India is in danger. Such statements are venomous statements to fan contempt and hate across the country by them for their vote bank politics. People of this country have rejected them and they are venting their restlessness and depression by blaming the democracy in India. A famous saying, which says that ” a bad works man quarrels with his tools”. That is the case here. It is learnt as per media reports that the National Conference president has said the there is a threat to the INDIA bloc if a consensus on seat sharing is not reached soon, asserting that some members may try to form a separate grouping. As per media reports, he has said not only is democracy in danger, the future generation will also not forgive us. What a ludicrous statement worth a condemn. It has come from the mouth of a person who should feel shy while making such statements.

19th January-The Holocaust day for KP’s

They say that the charity begins at home. Is he concerned about the Kashmiri Pandits who lost their homes and hearths during his political party’s rule in Kashmir, when he was heading the party and the government of that time. Where was his democracy for KP’s then, which he is clamoring for now. In fact, it was a brazen murder of democracy at that point of time for KP’s of Kashmir when they were driven out from Kashmir almost naked and empty-handed under a well knit conspiracy. KP’s very crucified, killed, women raped and the like then. Who was ruling the state of Jammu and Kashmir then? Should this political leader have an answer for all that. If he has he should feel shy and feel sorry. Let the respected leader be reminded of what happened to KP’s then during his rule, when militancy was imported to Kashmir. Where was his democracy in Kashmir then.
It is now the 33rd year of our forced exodus and exile. It is now the 33rd year of our uprooting from our nests of centuries and unforgettable legacies. It is now the 33rd year of our conspicuous neglect and indifferent treatment by the authorities in power. It now the 33rd year of the result of the willful silence and conspicuous indirect abatement of the dynastic rulers of Kashmir with the Islamic fundamentalists who made us to face murders, rape, burning of our houses, looting of our properties, defacing our archives of temples and religious places, usurping of our official positions and business establishments with the final aim of making us to flee naked and empty handed from the soil of our birth the “Kashmir”. Our tales of doom and turmoil due to our forced displacements are now becoming histories of the past, as there is no one who is sincerely bothered to listen to our tales of destruction and devastation. Probably we are now getting added to the age old historical events and pages, when Kashmiri Pandits have been massacred, forced to get converted, or flee from Kashmir during certain tyrannical Islamic rules. Is it the pseudo secularism of congress and other pseudo secular political parties of Jammu and Kashmir, which is responsible for our present condition of being refugees in our own country? This political leader shall have to reply it, as it is a visible issue of doom of democracy and the human rights violation of disastrous consequences for the KP’s. KP’s are shrinking in numbers. Who is responsible? The doom of democracy in 1989-1990 in Kashmir for KP’s is responsible for it. The then rulers in Kashmir are responsible for it, of which this tall leader is a part and parcel. It is a million dollar question. It has to be replied by this tall leader before giving sermons on democracy in India.
After all Kashmir is a part of our blood and flesh, why to refuse it to us. Let the nation as a whole now rise to the occasion and remind the governance of the day to perform their fundamental duty of rehabilitating the Kashmiri Pandits back to their lost and deprived homes and hearths in Kashmir. They are the aboriginals of Kashmir. Let histories be traced about it. Kashmiri Pandits get reminded of their Kashmir which was known as ‘Paradise on Earth’, full of Sufi cult and an abode of tolerance and unparalleled brotherhood. This all broke in one night, the night of 19th January-1990. This paradise of the Pandits became a death trap for them due to the spurt of militancy backed by Islamic fundamentalism sponsored across the border, when each one of them were caught unawares for no fault of theirs. The dark night of January 19, 1990, shivering with cold, is remembered by all of them, as it was the worst nightmare for the Kashmiri Pandits living in the valley. Screaming from loud speakers and crowded streets was a message for KP’s living in Kashmir, which said, Ralive, Tsaliv , Neti- Galiv. (It meant that either convert to Islam or leave Kashmir and in the alternative face death). Even after about 33 years, Kashmiri Pandits shiver remembering the night which forced them into exodus and a life of exile within their own country. Jehadi cum communal speeches from mosques were put on loud speakers meant for “Azan & Nimaz”, which would say (“Yeti- Bani Pakistan, Bhatov Bhegeer the Bhatenen-San”), meaning there in that the Kashmir will become a Pakistan without male Kashmiri Pandits, but including women folk of Kashmiri Pandits. The prominent prey in this regard among Kashmiri Pandits were the persons of immense repute, writers, community elders, legal luminaries, press and media personalities, government officers/officials who were on prominent positions in the state administration or were known prominently. The spurt to militancy had actually given birth in the year 1989 itself, which was taken very lightly by Pandits of the valley, presuming that the brother hood and compassion between the majority community and the Pandits had never received any serious jolt in the past. But it was a myth. On 14 September 1989, Pandit Tika Lal Taploo, who was a lawyer and a prominent leader of KP’s, was murdered by the JKLF in Srinagar. Prominent lawyer Sh. Prem Nath Bhat was gunned down on 27th December-1989 in South Kashmir. Soon after Taploo’s death, Pt. Nilkanth Ganjoo, an imminent judge who had sentenced Maqbul Bhat to death, was shot dead. On 29 April 1990, Sarwanand Kaul Premi, a veteran Kashmiri poet was gruesomely murdered. His young son was also killed gruesomely. Several intelligence operatives were assassinated, over the course of January. On 2nd February 1990, Satish Tikoo, a young Hindu Pandit social-worker was murdered near his own house in Habba Kadal. On 13 February 1990, Lassa Kaul, Station Director of Srinagar Doordarshan, was shot dead. This is only a small tale of KP’s who were killed brutally, because of being Kashmiri Pandits. Many Kashmiri Hindu women were kidnapped, raped and murdered, during this period of exodus. In March 1997, terrorists drag out seven Kashmiri Pandits from their houses in Sangrampora village and gunned them down. In January 1998, about 23 Kashmiri Pandits, including women and children were shot dead in cold blood in Wandhama Village. In March 2003, about 24 Kashmiri Pandits, including infants, brutally shot dead in Nadimarg Village. More than 4, 00,000 Kashmiri Pandits left the Valley and took refuge in Jammu and elsewhere, leaving their entire properties and belongings in the valley to the mercy of militants and Jehadi’s. Most of them started living in the refugee camps established in Jammu Province, at places like Muthi camp , Purkhoo camp , Nagrota camp, Kathua camp and Battal Ballian camp Udhampur, etc. All these camp dwelling units of the sizes of 8 x 8 Feet size lacked all the facilities of proper human living standards, having a common facility of toilets and bathing space when the kitchens were located within this dwelling space itself. One can understand the agony of this exodus along with travesty of having lost everything in life, like one’s property, one’s belongings, agricultural lands and orchards, commercial establishments, means to earn a living honorably and above all our own culture which was unique for all of us and was very much dear to us. Most of the KP’s still languish in refugee settlements of 8 x 8, even after more than three decades. More than 1500 KPs were killed by terrorists when most of them after being maimed and tortured in most inhumane ways. Over 800 KPs died due to sunstroke, snakebites in refugee camps at Jammu and Delhi. Over 8000 KP refugees died unnatural deaths while living in sub-human conditions in exile. The administrative set ups both at the central government and the state government levels never bothered enough to address seriously such a devastation of the KP’s till date.
This speaks enough about the communal passion and kinetic gritty of sick mind of such Kashmiri leaders about the members of KP’s community. Kashmiri Pandits are highly obliged and thankful to Jammu and its people who accommodated them with warmth in Jammu, in that hour of their devastation, where they could find a first place of solace to exist and live. Even as on day most of the displaced KP’s are now living in Jammu and its surroundings with the passionate coverage of Jammu people. All the KP’s are thus very much indebted to the people of Jammu in this regard. It is now a full-fledged ethnic cleansing of the Pandits from the valley? Is someone in the governance particularly the ministry of home affairs observing it? What is the remedy? Do they want to retain Kashmir at the cost of the cleansing of KP’s from Kashmir? The writing is on the wall. Let the government of the day meet this challenge with resolute might and force. KP’s are the aboriginal residents of Kashmir. They will go back to Kashmir at all costs. Government of India has to keep it in mind that no solution will be perpetual for Jammu & Kashmir unless the Kashmiri Pandits do not get their due which is a “Home Land” for them within Kashmir, their mother land, with full security. It is their fundamental right and fundamental demand.
Under the above-mentioned circumstances created for the KP’s of Kashmir, right from 1990 till date, will the leaders seeking democracy in India, feel shy for the murdering of democracy for KP’s in Kashmir, when they were driven out from Kashmir under the threat of the gun of the terrorists, without bothering for KP’s even till today, when they are still living as displaced persons in their own country as refugees. Please maintain calm before much more is spoken about the democracy of all such political leaders.
(The author is a chartered consultant civil engineer, passionately attached and devoted to his mother land – Jammu & Kashmir).