Do Kashmiris count?
On Wednesday morning gruesome pictures of a man lying dead along with his three year old grandson who was seen sitting on his chest possibly asking him to get up, shuddered everyone’s heart and mind.
The picture was so appalling and dreadful that it will haunt us for many months and years to come. This picture was the follow up to another such picture that surfaced in south Kashmir when a five year old kid died in his father’s arms while he had gone to the market to buy new clothes but received a bullet instead on his soft chest.
Images like these have been making rounds of various social media platforms in Kashmir. Be it encounters, protests or in certain cases forces action. The result remains the same. Pain, trauma, helplessness and agony? And alas! This is continuing from the last 30 years now.
The only difference is that the visibility of such incidents has increased due to the prevalence of technology, but what has created a difference is that such incidents do not matter at all-as everyone here has learned to live with this situation.
Three decades of endless violence, the fatigue it has brought and the non-responsiveness of those who matter, and are in control have turned our hearts lifeless and devoid of any emotions. If going by the picture that emerged today no right thinking man will tolerate it. No body with whatever human values left within him will remain silent and act as a mute and a deaf spectator.
Ironically, the ruling class, the administration and the security agencies have taken such happenings as yet another daily and routine incident that finds space in some official handbooks and consumes some media space. Beyond this these incidents have no other bearing or impact.
We have reached a point where everyone has just one question in mind and that is-Do Kashmiri lives really matter? Is anybody concerned about our well being? Is anybody determined to get us out of this daily sufferings and helplessness?
Unfortunately, the answer to these questions is that no one is really concerned for the people of Kashmir. The political leadership, the bureaucracy or even those who claim to be champions of people’s rights have failed the people of Kashmir. They have failed to deliver as they worked with sinister designs in mind.
As for the people they have been ruled, exploited and maimed to an extent that everybody seems happy till a tragedy strikes his very own clan, family or neighborhood. All this now needs to change. Those who matter should initiate some steps to bring the people out of this despondency and misery.
After all leaders are not remembered for the miseries their actions bring on to the people, but they are remembered for ending such miseries and their efforts are remembered for long.
KV Network
