In an unusual brazen incident of blatant criminal ungratefulness a boatman of National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) Samir Kumar was stabbed and the NDRF boat snatched away leaving him bleeding with stab wound. Samir who was from Bhatinda based unit of NDRF has been evacuated to Chandigarh for treatment. Describing the details Samir said that he ferried across about 500 marooned victims in his boat. However, in the fateful trip some young men wanted to board together with some loads. On being told that the boat was full to maximum capacity and they can board the next trip, they got annoyed. Samir did not budge since he could not risk the lives of those already on the boat. Few youngsters held him while one of them stabbed him and they pushed him in water and took away the boat.
The incident may be discarded as a remote expression of frustration under stress or given some different colour and closed but it does invoke a thought process that is worrisome. The young generation displaying the new version of Kashmiriyat as ‘Cash-me- rut’ are showing scant regards for law, rules, humane values. Nationalism, hospitality, culture and gentlemanliness are far cries.
The repeated incidents of arrogance and evoking anti-national sentiments by students sent to different states for higher education under Prime Minister’s scholarship scheme and the follow up coverage and patronage justifying their acts by ‘Kashmir’ based leaders of J and K has only encouraged the hoodlums. The employment of youth for pelting stones, and the support to them and their ’cause’ by opposition parties and the self styled custodians of Kashmir has created this rowdy generation. Dishonour and resentment against National Anthem and National Flag at Kashmir University being overlooked, objecting to Independence Day parade rehearsal in a college were all signs of a generation driven astray by anti national elements. The inaction by the State Government gave silent endorsement to such act of criminalisation and the amnesties have sealed the future of these boys now turning to bigger crimes after being encouraged. With all this, only the Indian funds and support is palatable in the Kashmir Valley even when reeling under enormous natural disaster. ‘Kashmiriyat’ is reduced to ‘Cash-me-rut’.
