A month of political mayhem
A free hand to cow vigilantes and no to political space
By GaziMuzamil / Younus Rashid
The past month in the valley has been so uncertain, mainly in the aftermath of Pulwama attack. During these days Kashmir remained the focal point of all tragedies. There was a war like situation in Kashmir. A kind of fear was everywhere, in the streets, in the markets, and even in the homes as well.
Internet remained suspended for most of the time particularly in South Kashmir. Hardly people have slept during the nights peacefully; jets were hovering over the sky during the night hours. Orders were released from the state administration in which people were advised to keep the necessary stock available.
Coaching centres were asked to shut down their business for almost a week. Kashmiri students and businessmen outside in mainland India were beaten ruthlessly and were threatened to vacate and leave the places.
Reports were pouring in that somewhere Kashmiris have been targeted, beaten, their properties vandalized. Nobody knew what exactly was going to happen. Not surprisingly, but orders were coming out from New Delhi. There were chaos and confusion everywhere.
Different people were discussing this uncertainty differently. Some were of the opinion that war is just hours away. Others were thinking that the top leaders of some regional mainstream parties like NC and PDP who are vocal about Article 35A will be arrested and then it will be scrapped easily.
Some others were of the opinion that this uncertainty is an election trend to pave the way for clean elections. News went viral that Shabir Shah has been killed in Delhi’s Tihar jail which turned out to be fake.
In the meantime, about 200 top leaders of Kashmir’s largest socio religious organization Jamaat e Islami including its Ameer were arrested during the night raids. On 28 February, an order was issued by Home Ministry which declared Jamaat as unlawful. Thus Jamaat was banned. Within no time members affiliated with it were arrested, offices and bank accounts were sealed by the local police and authorities. In short, there was a political uncertainty and mayhem going on in the valley.
The General elections in India are forthcoming. The government’s hard-line approach towards Kashmir has been very brutal. We had grown up seeing the violent face of India, but last five years of Modi rule at centre and his coalition at state with regional party PDP too had the more violent and aggressive approach mostly towards Muslims and Kashmiris in particular. Killings, maiming, arrests, harassments and much more have been the order of the day ever since this government came into being.
The ban on JeI is the most disappointing decision, after arresting all their top leaders, including Dr. FayazHameed and then slapping them under the draconian PSA is more disappointing.
Not only that, the person known for his melodious voice and a popular Islamic preacher MoulanaMushtaqVeeri was too arrested and PSA has been slapped on him. All this is an attack on the religious rights, and this is highly condemnable.
These orders and arrest spree is nowhere when it comes to attacks on Muslims outside in Indian states. We all saw how cow vigilantes killed Muslims in the name of the cow. In a report, it has been said that at least 44 people have been killed and more than 250 persons received injuries in these attacks. But, no concrete step is being taken to protect the hapless people, no organization has been banned.
Human Rights Watch in a report says “As of December 2018, at least 44 people had been killed in cow-related violence since May 2015, 36 of them Muslims. According to (Indiaspend), a data-based journalism website, there were over 100 incidents of such violence since 2014. Fifty percent of the victims in these incidents were Muslim, 10 percent Dalit, 9 percent Hindu, and 3 percent members of tribal groups”.
Banning Jamaat or any other group who believe in non-violence and peace will never solve the issue, neither will this arrest spree. It is time to stop seeing Kashmir dispute through the armed paradigm for a while, come on meet the people on the ground, discuss the issues and find the real solution.
JeI served two-time ban in past now this third one will push the moral and raise them to new heights. The Modi government failed to win hearts in Kashmir, is trying some muscular policy now, which will fall in vain.
The irony is that recently JKLF led by Yasin Malik who believes and follows Gandhi’s way of the fight, after he put the extreme way of fight aside has too been banned. The political space seems to have been totally choked.
Centre’s hard-line and muscular policy will never change the scenario in the valley. The change in approach and the sincerity must be there to hold on a peaceful and fruitful dialogue. Turning valley into prison has never been the solution nor will it be in future.
GaziMuzamil is a law student at KU and Younus Rashid a B.A English (Hons) student at GDC Boys Anantnag. Suggestions will be appreciated at [email protected]
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