Kashmiriyat apologists exposed; Cong, NC on PR mode

DOST KHAN

For a change, it was surprising to see Jammu observing complete Bandh with Congress and NC playing, ‘Begani Shadi Mein Abdullah Diwana’. The ‘Begani Shadi’ template may appear to be obnoxious, given the sensitivity and severity of the crime committed by Islamist radicals, but presence of the pseudo secularists on the city squares came as a major irritant for people of Jammu, who have witnessed enough of hypocrisy and treachery enacted by power hungry politicians. The two so-called mainstream parties did not show their ‘human hearts’ bleeding when Lt Umar was butchered by own people and Dy SP M A Pandith got lynched in the precincts of Jamia Masjid on Shab-e-Qadr. They had locks on their mouths when CRPF jawans were heckled in the midst of by-polls to Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency.

Even as the Congress workers were protesting in the temple city, senior leaders like Ghulam Nabi Azad and Randeep Surjewala were playing politics in Delhi. While the NC was staging sit-in-dharna on Residency Road, its lose canon Mustafa Kamal was attributing the most barbaric Islamist terror act to the BJP, saying the party can go to any extent. However, their inherent contradictions came to fore when they cried hoarse over Kashmiriyat.

Kashmiriyat has expired the day first shot was fired by Kashmiri radical youth in the Valley in 1990 to announce the unending era of terror. Since then Kashmiriyat received too many scars but its votaries kept harping on this most abused term.

Did Kashmiriyat get a lease when 15 Hindu passengers were massacred in Kishtwar on 14^th August 1993; seven Pandits  kidnapped and killed in Sangrampora on 21^st March 1997, 23 Kashmiri Hindus murdered in Wandhama on 25^th January 1998, 18 members of a Hindu family shot dead in Pranakote village of Udhampur district on 17^th April 1998 20 wedding guests at Chapnari mountains of Doda on 19^th June 1998; 15 persons including eight women eliminated in a terrorist attack in Doda district on 19^th July 1999; 34 Sikhs segregated from the residents forced out and selectively killed in Chattisingpora, Kashmir on 20^th March 2000? Did Kashmiriyat triumph when 48 persons, mostly pilgrims, were killed at the base camp of Shri Amarnathji Yatra at Pahalgam on 1 August 2000 or four pilgrims and three security guards killed in a terrorist attack on Raghunath temple in Jammu on 30^th March 2002. Jammu Railway Station terror attack still haunts the residents of the temple city, who are always reminded of Kashmiriyat?

While trumpeting Kashmiriyat, the Congress and NC leaders were talking about the failures of the government in a bid to have the gubernatorial rule that could pave way for their return to the corridors of powers. Politics on dead has received new definition in the Valley where separatists, terrorists and mainstream politicians are ruthlessly exploiting it for their vested interest.

Across the country, especially in the national capital of Delhi, there is no dearth of Kashmiriyat apologists, who keep playing it for their dirty politics. When shall this nation grow and call spade a spade? How long shall they remain in denial of acknowledging the Islamist terror threat and remain in the confines of ‘misguided youth’ term.

The irony of this nation is that the vote bank politics, corruption and the inherent timidity in the political class has emboldened terrorist regime and their over ground sympathizers, who make them to surrender by playing regional and religious cards. We have desperately seen how the Kashmiri separatists, pseudo secularists and self-styled activists have been demoralizing the security forces in combating terrorism by raking up human rights violations. It has almost become difficult for security forces to take on terrorists sternly or investigate into the heinous offences committed by the peace-breakers against the civilized society. They need to emulate Henry Clinton, the then US Secretary of State in Barrack Obama era, who had said: “The United States has made it clear from the very moment we were attacked (9/11) that we would go after those who had attacked us… Bin Laden was our primary target. The President made a gutsy decision. We were very pleased that the operation succeeded. And we’ve made it clear to people around the world that if we locate someone who has been part of the Al Qaeda leadership, then you get him or we will get him.”