“It’s complete dark with stars twinkling in the sky. A family of five has just finished their meals and it’s time to return to bed. Suddenly, some one knocks at the door. Who is this? The youngest one in the family rushes towards the door to open it. Oh No! What happened, others ask. Meanwhile, gun totting mercenaries’ barge in to the house and ask for shelter and food. No, how we can, begs the head of the family. To this prompt reply comes in the form of gun rolling out from their shoulders and pointing at them. Do it otherwise you will be responsible for the consequences, shouts one of them. The head of the family realizing that there are ladies and children in the families submits before them in order to avoid what could be worst for his family. “
When I read news about this that being nicely crafted by media reads like “A man arrested for providing shelter to the mercenaries” the first thought that comes to my mind – “Can’t believe people supporting these blood shedders” and it just fans out in the whole community creating an impression that masses are favoring mercenaries.
I would like to stress that media has got a great role in molding public opinion. We opine based on print and media news and sometimes it is not true. In the above there is some reason behind the arrest and in news it being attributed to “man provided shelter”. Figuring out why is most often, left to readers.
It will be pertinent to mention here that many leading dailies still carry the tag line of “militants” when it comes to their inhumane activities. It was good on media’s part to describe them by this term until the end of last decade when their activities were more confined to freedom struggle but, with the beginning of 2000 the trend changed and these men who had supporters across the LOC and border resorted to terrorist activities. Some dailies have now started using term “terrorist” when bringing to light their activities.
With the onslaught of terrorism, media and too some extent law enforcement agencies failed at identifying the boundary between the normal law and order problem – petty crimes, burglaries, murders, rape, political killings, protests and the terrorist activities. All these crimes went on under the cover of terrorism. Terrorism aims at spreading terror among masses and the techniques adopted for this are more sophisticated as you have witnessed in 26/11 attacks in Mumbai. Normal crime is part of every developing and developed society. People witness it in Bangalore in the form of robbery, murders but, it is not terrorism. Things are changing in Kashmir and the Jammu & Kashmir Police has realized the importance of differentiating normal crime and terrorism. Recently, some protests rocked Kashmir valley when a young boy was found murdered. Normal life was thrown out of gear that being the handiwork of Hurriyat men. But, the brilliant investigations by Police brought to forefront the truth behind the boys’ murder – a feud over girl friend. Anti-national elements made good use of this instance in fanning out anti-India sentiments but, they failed when truth unfold.
Security forces are doing a commendable job. At times there are some serious mistakes on their part also. Donning combat dress when it is not required creates furore among masses. It creates hysteria and a wave of resentment in otherwise tranquil environment. I do acknowledge that men in olive and khaki remain under constant stress but then you never know - one wrong step is potent enough at weakening their good track record may back lash. Equally is the problem for Police to liaison between the Sate Government and the Army. Political leadership is after repealing Armed Forces Special Power Act whereas it doesn’t finds any favor from Armed Forces. Former J&K CM Jenab Mufti Sayeed event went on to disband Special Operations Group, an elite arm of Police for counter insurgency operations. Even though, it has been officially disbanded but the fact remains that it is still operational and there is a rationale behind it. The primary job of Police is to maintain law and order; they are not trained enough to fight along side regulars from olive force. Police being the state subject has ‘Yes Boss’ job at its hand also. Still, both Army and Police have gone beyond in their call of duty. Lot of development activities have had been undertaken by them. Schools, mini-hydel projects, medical camps, roads and shelters are common to mention. What I personally feel is that there is a lack of co-ordination and vision among the agencies. The Government has even setup a Unified command which is chaired by CM and draws members from Army, Police as well but, to be true it has also failed to some extent when it comes to consensus on some subject.
Masses have become used to the security situation in Jammu & Kashmir. But, how exactly is the situation, the question I am being asked by many of my colleagues. Well, it’s no different that Bangalore if we seal the border and LOC and setup IT companies there. J&K being a border state has a contentious history and today Jammu & Kashmir is shared by India, Pakistan and China. Pakistan wanted it ‘coz of religious affinity. So, with this in mind perpetrators across the borders who have waged a proxy war always try to keep it at the centre stage of world affairs. Even doing so, they have destabilized their own country. There are border incursions, Pro-Pakistani slogans, anti-India protests, protests against regional imbalance and such other things that have become a routine for one who is domicile of and residing in the state. To combat this menace border and LOC have been fenced, extremists and sometimes moderates as well are detained under PSA, lathi-charge or teargas shells and sometimes firing is used to disperse unruly mob, autonomous councils have been setup and new districts have been carved out respectively.
So, it can’t be said that Government machinery is stagnant. It is very much awake and trying its best to woo even industries. Recently, Essar group agreed to setup Aegis BPO centers, one each at Jammu and Srinagar. A central university and an IIM have been sanctioned by the Central Government. Indian Railways is making strides with the setup of Railway line in Kashmir and in Jammu. Government has geared up exercises on its part for setting up the infrastructure and steps are underway to make all these operational as soon as possible. But, there is a curse. Jammu & Kashmir is a border state and it falls in a highly unstable Indian Subcontinent. Take for instance, 3G services, BSNL wanted to setup it in the state but; all its efforts got hampered on account of questions raised by Security agencies regarding the infrastructure in place to monitor the services that may fall in wrong hands.
Life in Jammu & Kashmir is absolutely normal for a sane mind. I can testify that there are no bomb blasts, killings daily and every where. Sometimes, infiltrators manage to get inside the Indian Territory and go haywire. For that we can curse the topography and terrain which can’t be plugged in totality but more than that we should thank God for providing a beautiful place to live in. I would like to quote a famous Persian couplet by Amir Khusro, a great poet:
“Agar firdaus bar roo-e zameen ast,
Hameen ast-o hameen ast-o hameen ast”
When translated to English it reads:
“If there is paradise on face of the earth,
It is this, it is this, and it is this”
To let you have an insight about special status accorded to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370, I have listed some features:
Dual citizenship. Only the citizens of J&K can acquire, own and dispose immovable property in the state.
Own constitution apart from Indian Constitution.
Only state legislature can make law on subjects in state list.
National emergency on the basis of armed rebellion shall not be automatically extended to state.
No preventive detention law made by parliament can have automatic extension to state.
The Union has no power to proclaim a financial emergency in J&K. Though the fact is that it has never been proclaimed in India.
Different flag
About the culture if I have to point something will be definitely origin of people. It seems that they have Caucasian origin, though I don’t think somebody has ever done any anthropological studies for same. Jammu is the land of Dogras. Kashmir owes its name to famous abbot Kashyap Rishi. Ladakh is land of Buddhist people. So, the state is inhabited by people from different religions - Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and Sikhs
Several visitors including foreigners throng Kashmir to have a glimpse of the beautiful paradise despite travel advisories issued by their respective Governments. Places to visit are Gulmarg (Gondola, Skiing), Pahalgam (rafting in Lidder River), Dachigam wildlife sanctuary, world famous Dul Lake and Wullar Lake. Ladakh is famous for Drass, Pangyong Lake, and Siachen Glacier. In Jammu, you can visit Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, Patnitop, Sanasar, Baghliar Lake, Surinsar, Mansar Lake, Bahu Gardens, Raghunath temple and War memorial.
If you want to find a pearl, you need to dive deep in to sea.
At last I can only say go and enjoy there.



