By: Younus Rashid/ Mudasir Ahmad
As the young boy was laid to rest at his native place Hajin, after being killed in a recent encounter with security forces in Mujgund- the outskirts of Capital city Srinagar, the episode – Kashmir was witnessing a strange twinge in the air. It was the death of a young boy who had should have been busy with books and dreaming about toys and picnics. Alas! he picked up arms very recently and ironically became a member of a militant outfit.
Writing about a young boy, a minor, who possibly had no idea about his venture, killed in a brutal gun battle isn’t really easy for anyone and it jostles ones conscience to actually admit that such is the state of affairs in this trouble torn, conflict ridden valley of Kashmir. The thought of this minor boy joining militant ranks and militant outfits allowing them to do so is equally unbearable.
One can imagine the kind of response from the government side by analyzing the fact that despite the Indian army being equipped with advanced and high-tech weapons, they had to destroy half a dozen houses in Mujgund encounter to kill the three holed up militants, including two teenage boys. The tall claims of professionalism fall flat here.
From the youngest pellet victim to the youngest armed rebel times are exposes the tormenting reality that people here are caught in a quagmire and are suffering the brutalities of everyone including the government forces as well armed groups. And all this couldn’t have been possible or could have been averted had this godforsaken valley ever had genuine leadership. It is the corrupt, opportunist, demagogical and short-sighted leadership that has misguided Kashmir into this quandary that is eating up our young and old, men and women alike.
Imagine the immense pain that the little angel Hibba would have gone through, the tormenting anguish that the parents of Mudasir must have suffered and shall continue to suffer when they would have come to know that their young child had picked up arms and later getting killed in an encounter! One can only imagine as the loss is too profound for the families and the close ones whose entire universe must have shaken to its base.
The tragedy is that the pain of Kashmir is documented but not addressed. We wake up early morning preparing ourselves for bad, shocking and troubling news each day. How are we supposed to grow as a society? Why can’t we figure out any sensible strategies?
The fact of the matter is that we have hundreds of Hibba’s and Mudasir’s here and that a big section of the political elite here have been playing politics over such tragic incidents while other section of politicians seem to have gone into a denial mode when confronting the reality. The greatest loss Kashmir has suffered has been due to the bad politics that has left no space for good politics and continues to march ahead trampling upon the dead- no matter how young or old they might be!
Younus Rashid is B.A English [honours] student and Mudasir Ahmad is a research scholar. Suggestions will be appreciated at [email protected]
