DOST KHAN
JAMMU: What an irony! At a time, the Valley of Kashmir is battling to survive nature’s devastating fury, the terrorists or the Mujahids or the self-proclaimed saviours of Kashmiris are striking at will in the hinterland to engage security and the armed forces in most abused term of holy war. These are the forces which have been placed on red alert to meet any eventuality in the wake of floods, landslides or related catastrophe due to incessant rains. More than 20,000 jawans and officers of the Indian Army are currently engaged in Srinagar and its peripheries to rescue stranded people to safer areas. They are distributing medicines, food and other logistical support in terms of shelter etcetera to the civilians in distress. This effort is being supplemented by valiant IAF and Navy commandos who are working round the clock at the peril of their lives.
The Rashtriya Rifles of Indian Army killed a ‘top Lashker-e-Toiba foreign terrorist’ in a fierce gun-battle Laribag area of Handwara in north Kashmir.
Is this the ‘Jihad’ Kashmiris had craved for. Insensitive to the situation and public sensibilities at this hour of bereavement, one Umar Batti, a Pakistani national, who has been operating as Lashker Commander for the past 20 months, let lose terror and eventually got killed. ‘War like’ stores were seized from near his body.
North Kashmir has by and large remained safe during recent torrential rains. However, the people are concerned over the catastrophe struck in the capital city and south Kashmir. Here was perhaps an opportunity for them to react to misadventure of Pakistani lackeys and sponsored terrorists to send a right signal across the world. But the response will be unfortunately the other way round. Pakistan’s double agents will create a situation where in the people will be made to forget the Herculean effort put in by the armed forces to save the people. This has unfortunately been seen immediately after similar exercise undertaken by the Army in north Kashmir districts of Baramulla and Kupwara besides Poonch and Rajouri during the 2005 earth quake. The effort was acknowledged worldwide. Similarly, the current mission of saving the people by Army, Air Force and Navy besides National Disaster Management Group is acclaimed as the biggest effort in service of humanity. Will separatists and secessionists allow this perception to gain ground among the people, especially those who have been benefitted by the rescue operations currently going on in the summer capital? Certainly not! Anti- India sentiment is being whipped up even at this hour of crisis by those subscribing to Paki ideology. This was viewed even today, in the midst of devastation though on a small measure, when some people raked up most provocative issues.
The separatist regime, overtly and covertly supported by fringe elements in the so-called mainstream camp, will try to cloud the favourable sentiment developing among sections of people in Kashmir towards the Army. They won’t allow such a situation to develop or sustain for long because it will mean death of Pakistan’s sinister agenda. This will also mean end to the flourishing enterprise of many in Kashmir, which will collapse like a pack of cards if even a small section of people demonstrates reciprocity towards the army for what they did or are doing.
It has been tragedy of Kashmir that saner elements have never asserted their will. They have allowed themselves to get dictated by those taking commands from across the border. They will thwart any attempt of people getting emboldened to speak out the truth.
With all its tragedies and miseries, the Kashmir floods have unfolded a silver lining too. The people, the media, the civil society, the professionals, the artists and the political spectrum across the country have joined together to put their weight behind suffering people of Kashmir. Almost all the states have donated liberally for their rehabilitation. One hopes this sentiment to gain strength in days to come lest the paid agents chose to vitiate the atmosphere by indulging in India and army bashing. This will hurt many across the nation.
