‘Innocent’ stone-pelters’ kill two ‘notorious’ CRPF personnel

BLUNT BUTCHER

The killing of two CRPF personnel in Hiller area of picturesque Kokernag in South Kashmir is tragic and ironic in more than one way. Not only that they died as a result of an armoured para-military force vehicle turning turtle when the driver lost control due to massive stone pelting by the ‘most favoured stone pelters’ of Kashmir’s mainstream politicians and Mujahids of separatists but also because both the victims were Kashmiris and Muslims. No tear rolled on the fleshy cheeks of mainstream politicians or the secessionists. Is it because they belonged to a force that is engaged in war against those bruising the integrity and sovereignty of the nation every day?
The incident raises several questions. First one pointed towards Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, who offered olive branch as latest as in February this year by granting amnesty to over 9,760 stone-pelters, engaged in stone pelting between 2008 and 2017 in the Valley. Mehbooba Mufti justified the move saying all these pelters were categorized as ‘first time offenders’. By this logic, the stone pelters involved in today’s killing of two Kashmiri Muslim CRPF personnel at Hiller too would be eligible for amnesty and sops, which generally come in terms of a package to ‘win over the hearts and minds of misguided and innocent youth’. For the mainstream players, even terrorists, who attacked Parliament or killed thousands of innocents in terror violence are also ‘misguided’. The PDP is not alone to look to the other side when it comes to tackling stone-pelters, who are actually well-oganised cadre on the pattern of Intifaada. The National Conference and Congress have been no different.
So much love is lost for ‘innocent’ stone-pelters among mainstream politicians that National Conference felt compelled to announce amnesty for the earlier batch of stone pelters between 2009 and 2014 and brought them under a rehabilitation package as well, as a result of which many chronic stone pelters got jobs. Public memory is still afresh as to how chronic stone-pelters were rehabilitated with jobs in police over during that period. The first batch of the stone-pelters turned recruits had openly defied the command and refused to come out of Manzigam Training Centre to perform Amarnath Yatra related duties. They had even ransacked their barracks and administrative block of the Centre. This had to happen and this shall keep happening, as long as law is not allowed to take its own course.
Today’s stone pelting incident, soon after the one orchestrated a few weeks ago when some pelters got killed after attacking army convoy, resulting in the FIR against Maj Aditya, should normally have sounded an alarm to those at the helm but given the tradition and experience, they will soon get into the business of finding ways and means to bail them out. Neither in the previous incident of stone pelting on army convoy led by Maj Aditya’s men nor in today’s attack on armoured vehicle, the civil administration or the police failed in to take any cognizance.
Previously, the Chief Minister had gone on record saying that the FIR against the army would be taken to its logical conclusion. However, today her government is maintaining intriguing silence. So is the case with Pakistan sponsored separatists, who find no words to grieve the killing of two CRPF jawans — Riyaz Ahmed Wani and Nissar Ahmed Wani. This should be eye opener for the so-called human rights and pseudo activists, who wail over deaths of stone pelters every time they strike to break peace in the Valley. Had Nisar and Riyaz not been from the belt force, Kashmir would have by now been on boil? Orchestrated campaign would have been launched by both separatists and mainstreamists’ to hammer India and its forces over what they are used to call ‘civilian killings’.
The hide and seek of successive governments is going to boomerang. By providing oxygen to law breakers, they are encouraging law-abiding citizens to take to violence for achieving political objectives. Anti-national activities are being incentivized. It is because of these concessions that youth in large numbers are taking to violence, as they know that their misdeeds would be kept under the carpet by dubious politicians, who will keep bleeding the Indian nation by political blackmail and bullying tactics. New Delhi too will keep obliging, no matter who is at the helm as they lack the guts and nerve to devise a consistent policy.