BLUNT BUTCHER
When 2005 earthquake wrecked havoc in North Kashmir and parts of Jammu, the civilian population in Uri, Kupwara, Karnah and Poonch, the most affected areas in terms of damage to life and property, demanded disbursement of relief through the army. They were skeptical about the civilian administration that reportedly bungled relief at many places. The demand was actually motivated by tremendous support lend by the armed forces in rescuing people and ensuring their immediate rehabilitation, as most of the areas were even beyond reach of the civilian administration. Some of the jawans lost lives in reaching out victims in Tanghdar area.
The victims of 2005 tremors know how bravely the young soldiers and officers came to their rescue at their hour of need. At most of the places, the gratitude was expressed in unequivocal terms.
How can love for the armed forces in 2005 and beyond turn so sour that same lot of people will move in herds to attack army camps over alleged molestation of a girl student in Handwara, Sogam, Kupwara, Langet and other places, notwithstanding the fact that the so-called victim herself tormenting vicious propaganda by saying the violence was actually triggered by a couple of youngsters, who wanted to malign the army and tease the teenager?
Blow-hot-blow-cold relationship vis-a-vis army is a gruesome fact of Kashmir. No eyebrow will be raised over Maulvis, village elders, students and other segments of civil society venturing for ‘Wattan Ki Ser’ programme of the army until vested interests try to exploit any female to satiate their lust of defaming the forces, mainly at the behest of their mentors across the border. How many people have objected to civic action programme of the army, under which computers are provided to schools in border areas, roads constructed, health camps organised and rescue operations undertaken during natural calamities. The armed forces are the first visible entities at any accident site or the places engulfed by fire. They always remain a phone call distance when civilians are in distress.
The people of Kashmir know how some unfortunate women fell prey to ‘inhuman terrorists’ wearing army outfits. They know how innocents are kidnapped and killed by men in the guise of soldiers. They also know the atrocities being committed by terrorists are deliberately linked to the armed forces because there is a pattern to defame and malign the Indian Army.
In this love-hate campaign against armed forces, the separatists and the so-called ‘mainstreamists’ remain on the same page. The mainstream leaders trust less on local police but speak more against the security forces, despite having first preference for non-state jawans to provide them protection. A senior National Conference leader Sheikh Mustaffa Kamal was recently exposed by retired General B. S Jaswal on a national television channel when the former carried out his usual vicious campaign against the army. The General reminded Kamal how he had requested for army support in early nineties by pleading that he was apprehensive about the local security men. The Kamaal-doctrine is the ugly truth of Kashmir scenario where armed forces are trusted privately but condemned publicly to appease a particular constituency.
The 2014 flood are brute reminder of hypocrisy and duplicity when even rescued marooned people blamed the army for ‘partisan’ relief operations. Some of them claimed in the backdrop of rescue choppers that the army was selective in bringing out trapped people from inundated areas. The separatists were shamelessly seen indulging in photo ops by distributing relief material stolen from the army boats. Yasin Malik got terribly exposed while posing to the cameras with such stolen commodities in the marooned areas. Despite outrage against the army, the flood affected victims told Prime Minister to send compensation in their personal accounts rather than getting this disbursed through local agencies. This is the trust deficit between the locals themselves but despite that no occasion is missed to collectively raise fingers against the army.
Even as volatile and explosive North Kashmir is reeling under unabated protests, the Centre has rushed additional para-military forces to calm the situation. They are there to lessen the collateral damages being caused by Pakistan funded lackeys in terror and separatist ranks. They have vested interest in keeping Kashmir on boil. Some mainstream players are also playing their dirty tricks in belittling the army by perpetrating situation.
The question arises why such a hate and love syndrome for the army is at its worst display in the Valley. The answer is not difficult to comprehend. Actually the vested interests (the number of whom is unfortunately huge) want to have best of both the worlds. This can be achieved only by hammering the army to hilt.
Cherry on the separatist’ cake is criminal silence of BJP over the well-conceived attempts being made to defame and malign the army and belittling it in public eyes. The State Unit failed in rising to the occasion by coming in favour of valiant soldiers notwithstanding the fact that additional replenishment is being made by the BJP ruled central government.
The wickedness of the BJP lot-the ministers, the legislators and the senior leaders-is reflected by the fact that the motivated mother of the brave girl is being allowed to spill venom against the army despite her daughter openly castigating ‘youths with vested interest in Handwara’.
