Despite sustained campaign against Hartals, nothing has changed and people continue to follow the strike calls. It is because hartals are an unavoidable tool of resistance, writes Javaid Malik
In the past one month many write ups on Hartal and its ill effects have been appearing in the newspapers everyday. Everyone wants to drive home a point that Kashmiris face heavy losses due to strikes. Despite sustained campaign against hartals nothing has changed. People rigorously follow the strike calls despite knowing all the drawbacks. People do debate within themselves that strikes don’t serve any purpose and cripple us economically, but in the same breath they say that except strikes they have no other way to express their resentment.
The double rape and murder of a teenager, Asiya, and her sister-in-law, Neelofar, in south Kashmir’s Shopian district last month shook the entire Valley and people had a strong reason to protest. Shopian town has been observing complete shutdown for the past one month and people are not ready to relent till the perpetrators behind the heinous crime are identified and punished.
Kashmir observed a complete shutdown for nearly a week after the incident and massive protests broke out in different parts of the Valley. Along with shutdowns and protests, write ups on hartals started to appear regularly. Those who wrote against strikes condemned the Shopian incident while some totally forgot to mention about it. Many writers who opposed strikes were of the opinion that Kashmiris themselves were ruining their economy and should refrain from doing so. Those who opposed them wrote that money isn’t more important than the chastity and honour of our daughters and sisters.
It seems a certain section of writers is hell bent upon making Kashmiris believe that they should take everything in their stride and life should go on. Some writers are even trying to convey that rape
and murder can happen anywhere and such incidents should not paralyze life. It seems that such writers are unaware about the history of Kashmir. Ours is a very conservative society and we’ve never tolerated such incidents. So we cannot take such incidents in our stride.
Kashmiris have always protested against such incidents irrespective of who is involved in such acts. Resistance shown by the Shopian people should serve as a lesson for the residents of the other parts of this strife torn Valley. They continue to be firm on their resolve and have put everything at stake. They are least bothered about whether hartal is good or bad. Neither are they bothered about the big write ups against hartals appearing in the newspapers. They just want perpetrators to be punished and for that they are ready to bear any loss. It seems some writers are least bothered about the feelings and sentiments of the Shopian people. Had they not been insensitive, they would have definitely shown some respect towards the people and the victims. The most unfortunate part is that we as a nation have failed to realize that what happened with Asiya and Neelofar on May 30, 2009, could happen with any of us any day. If we don’t resist now it can prove fatal. I salute the people of Shopian and their resolve. They have shown that chastity and honour are more important than money and economy. One of the Kashmiri writers who had come from Rajasthan on a holiday was up in arms against the separatist leaders for giving the strike call as it had ruined his holiday plans. One of the senior writers had castigated Hurriyat leadership for its failure to lead the people from the front. He had even lambasted the mainstream leaders and in the next paragraph he had mentioned that strikes are useless. His write up was too confusing. The role of the writers and intellectuals is to guide the society, but unfortunately in past few months they have been confusing the people rather than guiding them. It seems someone needs to tell them that writers are considered to be the torchbearers of the nation. Since the day armed rebellion broke out in the Valley in 1990, we’ve witnessed innumerable strikes. When militancy was at its peak no one dared to write against the strikes due to the fear of gun or whatever. With gun losing its sting, situation changed and it has been changing continuously. Writers who used to swear by the resistance movement and didn’t leave any opportunity to project militant commanders as heroes changed their stance with the passage of time. Since 2008 Kashmir Valley has been witnessing peaceful protests, but there has been no change in the state’s policy. Last year more than 60 persons fell to the bullets of the troopers and policemen despite staging peaceful demonstrations. Recently a 14 yr old boy was booked under the Public Safety Act for indulging in stone pelting. Isn’t it amazing that a CRPF trooper who uses sling shot and bullets to quell the protesters is provided special monetary benefits while as a teenager who gives vent to his ire by hurling a stone is booked and shifted outside the state. I want to ask the writers who have taken a firm stand against hartals. How many options have been the people of Kashmir left with?
If they pelt stones they are greeted with bullets. Peaceful demonstrations are quelled with force. Now even our honour and chastity are being attacked. If not hartal, then what? Is there any other way to give vent to our ire or show it to the world that we are being killed, raped and tortured. If not hartal then only option left with Kashmiris is to take up guns to safeguard the chastity and honour of their mothers, sisters and daughters. Bur Kashmiris have renounced gun and have given peace a chance. Now it’s the duty of the international community and other nations to come forward and respect the sentiments of Kashmiris. New Delhi needs to understand that it has to relent and provide the people of Kashmir with a breathing space. If they don’t do so another rebellion in the Valley cannot be ruled out.
[Greater Kashmir]
Posted on 27 Jun 2009 by Webmaster
