By AASIF WANI
Mrs. Madam Mufti
It is said that a man possess some rights by birth and these rights are not gift to citizens from a state, these rights exist independently and does not depend on citizenship of any country. The grave violation of such rights, in the unfortunate paradise like ours, has stooped my confidence to its lowest ebb. I have not faith in constitutional guarantees and democratic promises that are abused in broad day light, but surely am fearful of their violations. Therefore, I am taking a chance cum risk of addressing to you and your council publically. Madam, in this letter I would, like your attention towards the education of state, which you acknowledge has suffered a lot and which your show false sympathy about. I know it does not matter for you, an effort like mine cannot bother the biggest political corridor like yours, still I write to pass a ball from my coat.
Madam, no one denies the fact that the education in Kashmir has suffered immensely; there is not any month, when educational institutions of Kashmir does not witness holidays on otherwise working days, due to endless reasons including your blunders and foolish tactics of dealing with people. Kashmir is the place where every degree takes double time to complete. Affluent citizens of the valley do not prefer to educate their wards here and those who cannot afford to go out, feel strangled in the valley, and keep cursing their luck. Unlike Kashmir, parents of the world gladly drop, their children to school or happily wave them goodbye when they leave. Its Kashmiri parents who think twice before allowing them to go for even studies. It does sound eccentric and your henchmen may tag it lie, but this is harsh reality. Madam, do you know parents ask their wards to carry identity cards with them, to be careful and so on, several times before they leave, fearing the horror of men you have left unbridled, they keep praying for the safe return of their wards. Yes, it is the situation in Kashmir that you had promised to make peaceful and prosperous. Every load bang, police movement, or other hustle bustle drives them mad. They sigh heavily, and start getting evil thoughts about those loved ones, once you promised to empower but abandoned at the time of need. Do you remember the remark “Bacchae camps mai doodh lanae jatae hai?” (do children go to fetch milk from camps), how pitiless it sounded, don’t you know Kashmir as a whole has turned a camp. Does anyone enlighten you about the horror, your epoch has unleashed on the people. The youth empowerment you were talking about turned out the blunt lie and most educated youth preferred to take up arms, after succumbing the harassment of your so-called peace enforcing agencies. A study has revealed that 11.3 percent people of Kashmir suffer from mental disorder; traumatic events are the main reason for this in the conflict torn Kashmir, says study.
Madam, you, and your council seem concerned about the education of the students but your concerns look more simulative than genuine. Lets liberate you from the things you cannot prevent, but let me take liberty of asking you about things, which are in your discretion. Starting from the present student concern, which has a potent to fuel the fresh valley wide student uprising, yes, I am talking about NIA questioning of KU scholar. Don’t you think you have a role to play? Why you act as a mute spectator? You don’t looked so shy of opening up during elections, so tired of flying to Delhi when you were to tie a knot with NDA. You speak at the highest pitch when it comes to chair saving, why this queer silence now? Anger among the students is on the rim and letting that out would be disaster, it is time to act reasonable in spite of waiting for the time when you will be having the only thing left that is to find out how it went out of control. As a chief minister, you could have prevented the aftermath of Pulwama Degree College as well but habitually your police tried force to pacify the situation and that became the reason, due to which agitation spread wide and went hysterical. Would not it be apt to introspect instead identifying student unions or suspecting separatists behind the student uprising? How do you expect angry teenagers to react to the force unleashed at a time when they were demanding justice for their mates and teachers beaten up pathetically?
Your, the then education minister by hook or crook arranged exams after six months long agitation, even when some parts were still under curfew, he claimed to be hasty to save further wastage of time but what about the time that has been or continues to be wasted due to your highhandedness or negligence. Moreover, recall the time when your govt. declared summer vacations, do you think that was a right time to do so? Tendency of holding others responsible for their acts and your mistakes too, often have unfavorable outcome.
Students does not need your bicycles and Scotties, they need fearless atmosphere, safe eyes and security instead. Your so-called modern equipments do not serve any purpose to Insha and other numerous pellet hit students, and what they have gone through is irreparable. Your tall claims stands exposed, I firmly believe your concerns are artificial. you have been enthroned with high hopes, you and your council have deceived people like your predecessors. The time is gone, people don’t believe you now, but atleast shun hypocrisy and artificiality for your own morale.
With regards
AASIF WANI
Author is in charge All j&k students union (AJKSU), studies at Kashmir university law school. Views expressed are purely personal and not of the organization.
aasifwani.law@gmail.com