Mahadeep Singh Jamwal
Kashmir valley is witnessing recurrence of targeted killings, including police officials, teachers, and members of PRIs, laborers, artists, from both genders and from all religious communities since January this year. The episodes of targeted killings spiked after February 2021, when the son of the proprietor of Krishna Dhaba in Srinagar was shot dead inside his restaurant. Attack on members from different parts of the Valley and from different sections of the society, alarms us that presence of the terrorists across Kashmir valley with its tentacles in Jammu also (Katra Bus blast, Sunjwan attack, episode in Udhampur) are serious in nature and recorded statements that killers will not go scot free and killings by terrorists will be revenged, are political in nature with no serious results. Over the last nearly three years, the administration has silenced anti-government dissent not only in the Valley but Jammu also to such an extent that voice of those employed by the government in the Valley and living in transit camps in various districts, went to a deaf and dumb government, resulting administration’s failure to protect members of the community. A spate of killings of civilians in recent days in Indian-administered Kashmir has again led to widespread unease, particularly among region’s religious minorities. It’s not just Kashmiri Pandits who are anxious – fear and uncertainty has gripped the entire valley. If we have to speak two lines on target killings, my assertion will be that every killing of innocent, strikes at the heart of civilization; it is an attack on all mankind. It is a real world that when the target is a Kashmiri Pandit, it gets the focus of the entire nation, whole media and across political parties. In my opinion attention by entire nation because the community belongs to majority community of the country but it is in minority in valley (large number have already faced exodus), media because it is a good recipe to earn TRP and for political parties, a game to blame each other and it is for the purpose of vote bank nothing beyond that. Many crop up like frogs in the seasonal ponds to register their presence by delivering dramatized speeches and burning effigies projecting them as to be born from the same womb as the twin brother of the victim of target killing. Tracing to 1990 migration of Kashmiri Pandits and the ongoing unchecked target killings, plainly speaking we can conclude that right to residence in Kashmir is questioned by terrorists. But at the same time they forget that they are creating an atmosphere for Kashmiris (Majority in valley but in scanty presence in many other states) to be attacked outside the UT. The environment in the Valley is fraught, and administration must not add (Kashmiri Hindu demonstrators participation from government employees and families of Kashmiri Pandits lathi-charged and attacked with tear gas shells during protests demanding justice) to it, even if it can do nothing to provide a healing touch to those affected by the violence.
If we roll back to the much propagated measures to curtail terrorism and to bring back normalness by present dispensation, we have to visit the pages of election rallies in 2014, when Prime ministerial candidate from BJP, Narendra Modi has roared in the rallies that lack of development is the major cause of terrorism and all that is sent to J&K by the center is plundered by ‘Abdulla’ and ‘Mufti’ families only and he will not allow this to happen. But after elections, BJP formed the government with Mufti’s party PDP. The intentions of PDP were very clear about terrorist organizations, when late Mufti praised the terrorist organizations operating from across the borders for smooth sailing of elections in Jammu Kashmir, while swearing in as Chief Minister and Prime Minister of the country sharing dais was mute spectator. Immediately after the formation of the government in J&K thousands of stone-pelters were set free by this coalition government. Then ‘Demonetization’ came with the assurance to curtail foreign funding pumped into Kashmir to keep terrorism alive. But nothing changed on the ground. ‘Balakot’ air strike carried after attacks on forces failed to impact the terrorist organizations operating from across the border. It was followed by abrogation of Article 370 with much fanfare and much bro ha-ha that it will prove a milestone in curtailing terrorism with the settling of many in the valley from outside the JK territory. But not even a single soul turned up to settle in the valley. Many political leaders having mass following in the valley and few from opposition in Jammu were detained and put to house arrest to suppress their voices against the present dispensation. After their much awaited release by valleyties, ‘Gupkar Alliance’ came into existence with synchronized policies and ideas. This was followed by bifurcation of the erstwhile princely state into two union territories, J&K and Ladakh, with false assumption of governing closely the state to curtail terrorism. But nothing moved on. The policy of Congress to settle migrated Kashmiri Pandits back in the valley was pushed bluntly by the present dispensation to gain echelons from the international community in spite of protests from the Pandit community with the request to normalize the situation in the valley before they are pushed back to the valley. The Kashmiri Pandit employees’, beneficiary of the employment package, was kept on hold with regard to their postings in the valley by the Congress government but they have to move to the valley by the blunt orders of the present government, claiming that the valley has limped back to normalness. The visionless moves have shown its results in almost every day target killing. Million dollar question now when the pro-separatist leaders are not on the horizon in the valley then who are the minds spearheading the targeted killings? We cannot shed our responsibility just by blaming Pakistan only, which has become every minute phrase for the present government as an escape from its failures. The participation of people through their political representatives is the only viable solution that can stand as a repressive force between the distorted minds and their lieutenants that are working force on ground to splash the blood of innocent people.