The BJP’s return to power on May 23rd followed by the killing of Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind chief Zakir Musa four days ago, in an encounter sent shivers through the people in the Kashmir valley.
BJP, a Hindu nationalist party, has remained “committed to abrogate Article 370 and annul 35A”, which gives special status to the state of Jammu and Kashmir. With BJP retaining the helm of affairs at the centre, the fear of losing the special status has already mounted the valley. Nonetheless, the news of Zakir Musa adds more fuel to the fire, which may escalate the situation in the violence-torn area.
Zakir Musa had taken over as the commander of Hizb after the killing of Burhan Wani, the poster boy of Hizbul Mujahideen who used social media tactics to bolster his influence. Subsequently, Musa broke ranks with the most influential terrorist group of the valley and founded Ansar Gazwatul Hind.
Musa was killed in Tral area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district after he got trapped in a house in Dadara – nearly 4 km away from his native place, Noorpora.
“There were rumours that he was killed late night on May 23, but the confirmation was given after he was brought to his native place, Noorpora, on Friday morning, where thousands of people from various places gathered to attend his last rites,” said a local who attended the funeral.
Residents of Tral, where he was trapped, said the gunfight lasted until midnight and he was believed to be fighting until then. Eyewitnesses said security forces “disguised as civilian supporters,” shouted out his popular name “Musa Musa, Zakir Musa.” When Musa walked out, he was shot.
There is a panic in the valley and a fear that things will return to the way they were in 2016 – the era that made headlines when Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was neutralized on July 8, 2016 — after which the valley plunged into violence, remained under curfew continuously for 51 days and 70 civilians were killed. Burhan Wani was considered a charismatic poster boy who made open threats to Indian Security Forces through video clips and voice notes over social media.
Since the valley is under complete restrictions and the internet services have been suspended, the situation remains tense in Pulwama and some parts of Shopian and Srinagar.
“Worried” about Article 370
Following the landslide victory of BJP, whose “sankalp patra” (party manifesto 2019) proposed to eliminate the Article 370 and Article 35A, the whispers over BJP’s commitment to revoke it are on the rise.
Article 370 of the Indian constitution gives special autonomous status to the Indian-Administrated state of Jammu and Kashmir, according to which no one (except the people of the state) can purchase land in the state, not even Indian citizens.
“Everyone in Kashmir is worried. There are many anti-muslim and anti-Kashmiri leaders in BJP, even terror accused… they cannot be trusted about whether they will repeal article 370, but I am sceptical that they’ll either rebuke this or build Ram temple in Ayodhya,” said a person requesting anonymity.
“They cannot dare to fiddle with this sensitive issue, they may build the Ram temple but abrogating Article 370A will remain confined to the pages of their (BJP) manifesto,” said a student Amir Wani, pursuing CA.
Dr Gul Mohammad Wani, Professor (Political Science) at University of Kashmir, said: “It is the part of their ideology to withdraw this special status from Kashmiris and have their own rationale behind this.”
“I doubt whether they can do it. But, if they did situation will not only escalate but will be the end of everything between India and Kashmir,” Wani stressed.
Narendra Modi-led BJP faced a lot of criticism for failing to deliver the promises they had made in 2014 yet they returned with a thumping victory. The party has consistently promised to build the Ram Temple since 1996 but they have not yet succeeded in delivering this promise.
Now the BJP has returned with a majority in the recently concluded elections and they have been awarded five more years to rule — only time will tell whether they will build the Ram temple, abrogate Article 370 and other keep up to other promises they have been making since 2014.
The coming five years will either take India to new heights or sink it “deep inside” the filth of jingoism and pseudo-nationalism.