BLUNT BUTCHER
JAMMU: On Sunday when images of senior Parliamentarians walking down the streets of Srinagar to meet hardline separatist leaders locked down inside their homes and even in jail went on air hopes were raised of similar meetings with the representatives of Kashmiri Pandits living in exile in their own country, West Pak, POK refugees, Doda migrants, border migrants and kin of Chamel Singh in Jammu.
The enthusiasm, which was on display even after receiving the snub vanished soon after landing here in the city of temples. None of the veteran Parliamentarians who decided to broke away from the elite group, thought of stepping out of the convention centre and reaching out to them to apply ‘ healing touch’.
Is it necessary for these Parliamentarians to only meet those who raise banner of revolt against the state and all those who prefer peaceful means of struggle are dumped and ignored in their scheme of things?
The attitude and the stand taken by the same public representatives who are very well known for their public posturing and coming out in defence of separatists left nationalist leaders and common masses of Jammu in a state of utter shock.
Not even once these Parliamentarians thought of visiting Panun Kashmir leaders who have been voicing serious concerns warning how ‘Islamisation’ of this ongoing cycle of violence is taking threatening turn. The fact that these Kashmiri Pandits have been uprooted from their homes and hearths under the similar sinister design more than two and a half decades ago failed to cut much ice with these Parliamentarians who also claim to be experts on Kashmir affairs and are ready to meet the same separatists in their cozy homes in New Delhi at a later date.
The good smartians also failed to pay a visit to the kin of Chamel Singh, who was lynched inside Pak jail more than three years ago and have been deprived by the successive State and Union Governments of their due care of compensation.
Not even once a simple thought crossed their mind space on how to apply healing touch on the wounds of those people who always suffer at the hands of neighbouring country during cross border shelling and continuous firing.
No one even spared a thought to visit the unkept housing colonies of thousands of west Pak Refugees who have been deprived of their citizenship rights and have been living life of penury in inhospitable conditions for more than six decades now.
