BY: Mushtaq Hurra
The soil of Kashmir has turned red and blood is oozing out from its bosom. The cries, sighs, sobs, wail and mourning’s have become the fate of innocent people here and an everyday affair. The demon of death is dancing in the streets and roads of Kashmir as if it wants to wipe off the existence of humans from this part of the planet.
Joys and jocundity has run away from this land. My people are caught in Grief, sorrows and pains and funeral processions of marriageable lads are tearing apart the bosoms of mothers. Burning houses are portraying a bleak picture of my land which now seems like a land of orphans as children are looking at the doors, probably the innocents still feel that their fathers will come back. Young widows have turned half-mad (Metche). Hapless parents are terribly frightened for their children who were supposed to be their help in the old age have left for heavenly abode too early.
Today, I won’t write about Kashmir dispute and its legitimacy, today I won’t ask people for freedom, today I won’t remind my readers the genuineness of issue, today I won’t ask for UN resolutions to be implemented in Kashmir but I would instantly like to save daughters like Indonesian Saima who is cradling a three month old toddler in her lap and who is shedding blood from her eyes. Still a bride, whose hands are still adorned with Hina is yet to learn the proper pronunciation of the word ‘Kashmir’ and her dreams have been crushed at a time when she can hardly share the grief with her dear ones because she has come from a distant land which is thousands of miles away from here.
Saima is hardly able to believe that her husband is dead. She might be cursing the day when they had decided to visit Kashmir. Her dreams are shattered. The grief and agony is evident in her eyes. Who will console her, now? Her Indonesian parents who are thousands of miles away from her or her in-laws in Kashmir who are broken with the death of their son and who are not lesser than strangers to her.
Many such Saima’s have lost their husbands, brothers, sons or fathers, in the conflict hit valley of Kashmir. How long shall our daughters suffer like this. Saima might have had dreams and aspirations like every other bride. Her husband was shot dead near an encounter site in Pulwama district on the 15th of this month. It might be very unusual for an Indonesian woman but not for a Kashmiri woman because the bloodbath of innocents has become the order of the day in this otherwise ‘Switzerland of Asia’.
Kashmir has become the bone of contention between India and Pakistan and a virtual graveyard for the masses here. How long shall this mayhem continue? Let the two nuclear giants of subcontinent take necessary and immediate measures to stop the killing spree in the valley. Resolution of the issue should be sought later but some concrete steps should be taken to put a break on the killings here.
Let India show the world that it is the largest democracy and it holds the democratic values and ethos in high spirit. Let it shun its stubbornness. Let both the nuclear powers of South East Asia prove their true love for kashmiris. Let the theories of Integral part and jugular vein be practical.
Indian union government should declare a ceasefire in the valley and must come forward with an unconditional dialogue to be held with all the stakeholders. Stubbornness and rigidity can complicate the issue further. I don’t believe that Kashmiris want a war with anyone and the current scenario has a clear backdrop of failed promises and constant use of lethal force that left the aspirations unaddressed.
Kashmiris are not fanatics and are are known for their hospitality, brotherhood, secular traditions and unprecedented peace loving nature. Guns in the hands of engineers, scholars, doctors, students and teenagers are a glaring narrative about Kashmir. Had it been an issue of unemployment and basic amenities then elections were the best remedy but it is not so and India as well as Pakistan knows this fact.
Kashmiris know the fact that they can’t beat India with bullets. The gun in their hands is not the solution of the issue but it is probably the proof of bruised emotions and sentiments which have ultimately led to a deteriorating situation like the one we are experiencing now. What was the fault of toddler Hiba who was shot pellets in her eyes? What harm had an Indonesian young lady caused to you and where are the ambassadors of peace? These questions are being asked and there are no answers given.
This policy is sure to make the escalations high and the current tactic applied by various forces will push many young people to resort to angry and violent means.
Where is your promised healing touch and ointment? Where is the ambit of humanity and democracy? Bullets and pellets will deteriorate the situation further. Let all the stakeholders show sincerity and let all of them sit on the table to find a solution to the issue so that no more human lives are wasted.
The writer is a columnist and can be reached at mushtaqhurra143@gmail.com
