BLUNT BUTCHER
JAMMU: It is ironic. Just a day after Honourable Jenab Showkat Ahmed Ganai Sahib, worthy Member Legislative Council described Burhan Wani a martyr and took pride in saying that the Valley youth will keep taking to guns till the so-called Kashmir problem is solved, his house in Shopian was attacked by terrorists or, in his own perception, Mujahideen. Now the National Conference lawmaker can’t afford to provide alibi to his Mujahideen by shifting blame to Indian security forces for the attack, as such a terminology is exclusive domain of separatists, of course, with the honourable exception of his Additional General Secretary Dr Mustaffa Kamaal, who has been a great story teller as far as maligning the security forces is concerned. Known as a loose cannon and Digvijay Singh of National Conference, Mustaffa Kamaal had been in habit of attributing grenade blasts across the Valley to security and armed forces until snubbed by General B S Jaswal who told him face to face on national television how he had sought security from him in early nineties, saying that he had no faith or confidence in Kashmiri policemen.
Kashmir is a classic case of hypocrisy. While the separatists take no time in blaming security forces for anything and everything occurring in the Valley, which is resented by the people, the so-called mainstream parties trust the Indian Army and para-military forces privately but keep maligning them vociferously publicly. In the instant case of National Conference MLC, he should have surrendered his security before glamourising terrorists and espousing their cause brazenly in the temple of democracy. With such a love lost for terrorists or Mujahids, what for he needed the security? Who he is afraid of? And what is his response to the terror attack back home at Chitrigam in Zainapora area of Shopian? Normally, after his legislative posturing, he should have been darling of the terrorists, who are fighting ‘holy-war’ against India to liberate Kashmir. But he seems to have lost the plot by pretending to be on both sides of the fence. The leaders of his clan should remember that they cannot have better of both the worlds. Either they must rehabilitate separatist camps or be true to their conscience. This does not mean that they should speak truth even if it is bitter but finding every occasion to glamourise terror speaks of their mind-set.
The Centre, especially the Government of India is also responsible to such a mindset in the Valley. The appeasement policy by successive governments has given rise to vicious circle in Kashmir that thrives on anti-India rhetoric.
The duplicity of the separatists and mainstream leaders stems from pampering of the powers that be in New Delhi. The element of appeasement has led to unending political blackmail. The blackmailers know how and when to push their button to derive as much as they can-politically and materially. Despite exposé about huge sums of poor Indian tax-payers money being spent on the security and other ‘luxuries’ of separatists and self-styled mainstream leaders, the Centre has not called spade a spade by putting an end to concessions. Even Narendra Modi could not do it despite making it one of the points of electioneering in 2014. But such a situation cannot persist open-ended. Somewhere brakes will have to be put to such sad state of affairs. There is need to review the procedures of providing security and other concessions under Security Related Expenses in Jammu and Kashmir. Security of those glamourising terror or terrorists, overtly or covertly, must be stripped immediately they utter a single word in support of ‘their Mujahids”. Once they are open supporters of terror regime and their agenda, they don’t suffer from any threat perception. So where is the justification for categorising them as protectees? They cannot hurt the nation on all fronts. And, there is an unsolicited advice for the so-called mainstream players, who keep changing fences as per their political needs. They must understand that their game of deceit stands exposed. Howsoever attempts they might be making to be seen on the side of terrorists or separatists (two sides of the same coin), they are hated most in the Valley for their deception. Their credibility is zero, which is evident from the attack on the lawmaker’s house despite his love-pranks for Burhan Wani and his likes.
