EXPLOITING a human tragedy and taking out processions with dead bodies of people claimed to be ‘innocent’ have been an old game of terrorists and separatists in the Kashmir valley. During last couple of days the valley is on boil and this time on the allegation that the security forces have killed eight young Kashmiris in less than three weeks.
The situation has worsened to such an extent that the authorities have to impose curfew and also suspend mobile services. Once again the secessionists and People’s Democratic Party have put the forces in the dock. No rationale thinking person would ever endorse killing of innocent persons and any barbaric crime must be severely condemned. The government must ensure punishment to the guilty. But before indicting the security forces, the happenings in the valley ought to be seen in the right perspective.
It has become a fashion for the separatists and PDP to blame the security forces for alleged ‘excesses’. The present wave of unrest started on June 11 when a 17-year old student Tufail Matoo died after being hit by a teargas shell fired by police during an anti-India demonstration in Srinagar. The 20-year-old youth, Bilal Ahmed was killed by a rubber bullet fired by the CRPF on Sunday. Both these incidents make it clear that the killings were unintentional. Incidentally the separatists turned his funeral procession on Monday into a big protest against the security forces and authorities.
It is an open secret that the separatists have been using such incidents to retrieve lost space and malign the image of the security forces. This time what is discernible is the organisers, naturally the separatists, of these mobs have been putting teenagers in front. It is an irony that the teenagers are just being exploited by the separatists. Unfortunately no one denounced or condemned this act of the anti-India elements. It is unbelievable how could the forces and parties which claim to champion the cause of Kashmir and its people stoop so low? No doubt in some cases the men in uniform are also found involved. But it is a bare fact that the separatists have been using such incidents to prepare a strong case for the withdrawal of the armed forces and revocation of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in Jammu and Kashmir.
One thing is also perceptible when ever the governments of India initiates steps to alienate the separatists from the body politick of the state, they resort to such actions. Recall the Sophian tragedy; recovery of the bodies of Nilofar Ahanger and her teenage sister-in-law, Asiya Jan. The separatists and PDP had rocked the valley. But ultimately it transpired that the entire episode was planned to give a bad name to the security forces.
There is little doubt the state has also to share the blame for creation of such a situation. Had it been responsive to people’s sentiments the separatists would not have got any opportunity to exploit the situation and arouse the passions of the local people. These agitations also make it clear that the government has not succeeded in winning over the trust of the people and make them aware of the machinations of the separatists. The government should not look like it is playing into the hands of these elements. It should call a spade a spade. The basic human rights of the people ought to be preserved at any cost but how could the people who break curfew and attack police posts be termed as ‘innocent civilians’? The government should punish the erring security personnel but must not succumb to the separatist tactics and allow the situation to aggravate.
