By RD Swati:
When we hear about a parent, who has treated his or her child miserably for the latter’s notoriety, or any reason for that matter, we condemn the act. We consider the accused to be either a psychopath or someone who is in need of help.
Would we kill our children for their mistakes, or just on the basis of misunderstanding or miscommunication? Do we justify horrible punishments when we see terribly notorious kids around us? Then, what happens to our conscience when India, being the parent, mistreat her child Kashmir?
Why do some of us justify the barbarian invasion of forces on Kashmir? Why don’t our souls stir on seeing the dreadful marks on the victims’ bodies, or the grave loss caused to them – some losing their vision, some their lives. Because they are separatists and intend to divide our ‘sacred mother nation’? The question here is that whether they really want it and even if they do, why is it so?
My fellow citizens claim that India is spending so much on Kashmir for its prosperity and sustenance and for the continuous recovery of losses. Strangely, no one is introspecting why would one damage his own homeland or ancestral belongings? And, why would they want to kill anyone without any reason?
Some also justify the unrest in Kashmir, by saying that AFSPA and the army attributed to the atrocious behaviour of Kashmiri Muslims over Kashmiri Pandits during the insurgency, which finally led to the latter’s displacement in 1990. The facts state something totally different though. It was an extremists-led atrocity, which was indeed opposed by few Kashmiri Muslims, some of whom even provided shelter to the Kashmiri Pandits and few lost their lives while attempting to help.
Then why is it that the communities that have been staying together in peace with each other from inception, would wake up one fine day with an unending motive to kill the other for no reason? Doesn’t that indicate to a conspiracy that was gradually infused to gain political dominance? So, if two brothers fight among each other, to an extent of going to kill the other, what should the parents do – kill one? Or, find out the root cause and mediate?
Some Kashmiri Muslims demand to be separated – because we have already been separating them with our treatment. Being an eternal part of India, Kashmir is a family member to India, whose rebellion and protests are being influenced by outsiders. The Kashmir issue should be treated and resolved the same way how a situation at home is tackled. I feel that this movement is nothing more than a helpless child demanding to be separated from his parents because he feels insecure with them. He is feeling empathy and fatigue with his own parents, and getting sympathy from everywhere else – some unconditional, some with vested interests against, which the child can’t see now.
The solution would not be this simple, though. It would probably need a lot of submissions perhaps from India’s end. However, there has to be a holistic approach along with intense efforts to make Kashmiris feel deeply associated with us. Recommending chilli-pepper bullets over pellets won’t fix the situation, nor would refusing UN to introspect the situation hide the agony from the world. Considering the disappointed and agitated state of mind, perhaps it would be even difficult to convince them to engage in a peaceful talk. Hence, this is why we need a wise, sensitive and well thought of plan.