Dulat’s dulatti!

Disclosures of manipulative actions by intelligence agencies by former spies are a universal phenomenon but sometimes these too may have a hidden purpose!

 

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Punjabi word “Dulatti” describes a very strong kick with hind legs given by a horse while drawing a cart when its driver whips the horse violently. This may sometimes even topple the cart!

The way the disclosures about Kashmir’s leadership given in the book by Mr. Dulat, the former Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) chief have been hyped up by the media, it is alleged that the intention is to topple not only the cart of the Kashmiri leadership but also discredit its entire society.

There is no doubt that the Kashmiri society including its leadership has many weaknesses of character due to the prolonged external oppressive rule lasting few centuries. In fact, a number of foreign authors like Sir Water Lawrence and Canon Tyndale Biscoe have pointed out these weaknesses of Kashmiri character. Lawrence had opined that the Kashmiri is not inherently bad but his oppressive rulers have made him so. In fact, he predicts that two generations of a just and strong rule will bring out the best in a Kashmiri.

So far such a rule has not been seen by Kashmiris! On the contrary, as confirmed by the disclosures of Dulat, Kashmiris have been living through the most manipulative rule for last 60 years or so. The outside masters have tried to bring out the worst in the Kashmiri character by continuous manipulation. They have left no stone unturned to bring out the worst side of a Kashmiri. 

Disclosures by a former spy are not a new thing. This happens all over the world. The most notorious agency in the world is the Central Intelligence Agency of USA. A number of its former officers have written books about all the “dirty tricks” the agency has been indulging in all over the world. CIA has a special section called the “Department of Dirty Tricks”.

The job of this section is to spread disinformation about various people especially politicians and others both within USA and all over the world. William Blum, a former spy of CIA has written a book, the “Rogue State” which describes in detail the “Dirty Tricks” indulged in by the Agency all over the world.

It says that the Central Intelligence Agency had once even contemplated about the assassination of Pandit Nehru on the similar lines as Dulat talks about Geelani! Doctored pornographic videos of Dr. Soekarno were distributed in Indonesia to discredit him. Similarly, RAW had distributed a “Red Book” about the properties of Abdullah family to keep Sheikh Abdullah on the right track. 

As regards the receipt of substantial amounts of money by leaders of all factions from the agencies of both the countries, this is common knowledge in Kashmir. In fact, all these so called disclosures have been known to common Kashmiris.

The most important information source in Kashmir traditionally has been the baker’s shop. Every morning Kashmiris in every locality gather in a baker’s shop. There is always rush in the morning and people have to wait sometime even for an hour to get their turn to collect the bread. During the waiting period people exchange information and even express their views on various issues. 

Quite often people from Delhi have descended here with trunks full of currency notes to buy peace. A typical event of that nature was the holy relic agitation of 1963/64 when Lal Bhadur Shastri came here to buy peace. He had carried along trunks full of money!

After the dethroning of 1953, money had been flowing to Sheikh Abdullah’s family and others through Jehangir Khan who was implicated in the famous conspiracy case subsequently withdrawn by the Indian government in 1964 when Sheikh was released unconditionally on Pandit Nehru’s intervention.

It has been alleged by many that Dulat’s disclosures are with the consent of the Indian government for discrediting the Kashmiri leadership and the society in general. However, it hardly makes a difference as the present leadership on its own has lost credibility by failing to provide a practical and workable vision and a road map to reach the ultimate goal.

They have not been able to go beyond the hartal (shut down) strategy. In spite of that, they may be the only generation with whom the authorities can still talk! 

The most worrisome episode at present for the Indian authorities is not the so called discredited leaders but the new leaderless generation. They are all leaders in themselves and mean business. Recently, the National Security Advisor and the Army Commander expressed serious anxiety about the Kashmiri young men joining militancy.

In fact, 21 students of the Army School in Kupwara were stopped from crossing the Line of Control. They were intending to go across for arms training. Incidentally, it is not the unemployed educated youth numbering almost a million who are joining militancy but many highly motivated employed young men.

Some personal security officers including that of a minister in the present government have run away with their arms and joined militant ranks. In such a situation, Dulat’s disclosures even though sensational and dramatic, are not going to have any appreciable impact on the simmering discontent and unrest among the youth caused by extreme alienation which may burst soon like a volcano!

Restoring Kalhana’s Kashmir?

Moves proposed and initiated by certain quarters smell of a plan to trifurcate the State. Kashmiris may not oppose the division if it restores the historical state of Kashmir!

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A columnist friend ZGM some time back commented on the possible trifurcation of the State of J&K being engineered by some elements from Jammu.

He wanted to start a debate on the subject. Well, in the very first place the State itself is not a natural creation by mutual consent of the constituents but has been clobbered together by the Dogra Maharaja from Jammu.

Ladakh was conquered and annexed to the Dogra Kingdom of Maharaja Ghulab Singh by General Zorawar Singh. Kashmir Valley was bought by him from the British through the Treaty of Amritsar for a paltry sum of rupees seventy five lakhs! The British sold it with its entire people and everything lock, stock and barrel for a tuppence. The deal was done to pay for the loyalty (betrayal of Sikh Empire!) Maharaja Gulab Singh showed towards the British in defeating Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Exactly after 100 years of slavery under Dogra Kings, Kashmiris had started a movement asking the Maharaja Hari Singh, the then Dogra ruler to “Quit Kashmir”.

Had the partition of the sub-continent not taken place, Kashmiris may have succeeded in regaining their independence lost to Mughals through treachery in 1586 followed by the foreign rule of Afghans, Sikhs and Dogras. 

However, the divine powers had some more trials and tribulations in store for Kashmiris. The partition and the resulting conflict changed the whole scene. The fate of the state turned into an insoluble tangle. The events and the circumstances of 1947 are recorded in umpteen books. However, there are conflicting versions of the basic situation and the happenings.

It is a well-known fact that the Jammu people wanted to get integrated with the Indian Union while as Kashmiris were in two minds. Majority of the people in the valley would have liked to join Pakistan at that time. Only some of the leaders preferred an independent status and got lured by the Indian Congress leaders assuring them total autonomy bordering on virtual freedom. 

In this situation, the Jammu people became apprehensive that after having ruled Kashmiris for a century, they may become subservient to them in the proposed set up offered by India. The result was an agitation from Jammu for total integration of the state with the Union of India under the banner of “Ek Nishan, Ek Vidhan, Ek Pradhan”! Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah under the false impression that Pandit Nehru was his “Progressive” and “Secular” friend crushed the agitation with a strong hand. Entire Indian media raised a hue and cry and accused Abdullah of being anti-Indian. This gave a mental jolt to Abdullah and the reality of India dawned on him. He thought that for years he crushed Kashmiris for just taking the name of Pakistan but no one objected.

However, in the interests of maintaining the relationship he had worked out with Indian leaders when he tried to contain the Hindu extremist from Jammu, the whole India was on its feet! He realised that he had committed a mistake and tried to retrieve the situation by claiming that the final decision about the fate of Kashmir was yet to be taken. The result was his long incarceration. 

Never mind his ultimate somersault in 1975. He had appeared as the morning star on the horizon of Kashmir but in the end fell like a meteor!  Apart from him, it is a fact that all these years Kashmir’s so called mainstream leaders have been blackmailed by Jammu people by trying to agitate for fuller and total integration of the State with India.

They do not realise that without Kashmir Jammu loses its significant status. People all over the world historically know Kashmir and Jammu is hardly known. Without Kashmir, it gets reduced to just a province of Punjab or Himachal.

The only thing which has made Jammu known to entire India or for that matter to Indians all over the world is the Shrine of Shri Mata Vaishnovdevi Ji. More than ten million Pilgrims visit the Shrine every year from all over the world. In schools one used to read the story of Jammu as established by Raja Jambulochan.

He had seen a lion and goat drink water at the same spot on the banks of River Tawi and decided to establish a city here which ultimately took the name of Jammu. Unfortunately, the external interference has evaporated that traditional and historical spirit of tolerance and brotherhood of Jammu! 

Kashmir in contrast has a 5000 year recorded history of an independent sovereign kingdom.  The Ptolemy’s geography has preserved the references to Kashmir.

He calls the region KASPEIRA which is supposed to enclose a large portion of land including parts of Punjab, North-West Provinces, and Central India. This may be related to the period when the power of the dynasty ruling Kashmir extended much beyond its borders. After Greeks is the mention of Kashmir in Chinese records. The earliest reference to Kashmir dates back to A.D. 541.

This relates to the arrival of a Kashmiri Envoy in China during the early part of the reign of Tang dynasty. Kashmir is described as a country “enveloped on all sides like a precious jewel by the snowy mountains, with a valley in the south which leads up to it and serves as a gate of the Kingdom”.

The Annals of Tang dynasty mention the arrival of the first ambassador from Kashmir sent by Candrapida and then another sent by Muktapida (Lalitaditya) of the Karakot dynasty of the Rajtarangni. In fact, Muktapida had entered into a treaty of military alliance with the rulers of Tang dynasty of China against Tibet which he subsequently raided with a strong Kashmirian army. 

Even though the Kingdom of Kashmir had been extended much beyond its original borders during various periods of history, yet the original Kashmir has been the main valley with its surrounding principalities. We can call it the Kashmir as described in Kalhana’s Rajtarangni.

Kashmir valley with Kashtavata and Parontsa (which is present Pir Panjal and Chenab valley areas); Karnav (present Karnah); and Dardistan (present Gurez and Tilel).

Even Sir Aural Stein in his translation of Rajtarangni in the chapters on ancient geography of Kashmir gives an accurate idea of the historical and traditional Kashmir. All these areas have Kashmiri speaking population and have always been interconnected with the valley.

Ladakh has more or less remained historically isolated. Their spiritual connection was always with Lhasa, the seat of Dalai Lama in Tibet and trade was with Central Asia. They had social interaction with Baltistan. Kashmir’s last non-Muslim ruler was a Ladakhi Rin Cin Shah who finally adopted Islam and also became the first Muslim ruler of Kashmir.

Their demand for Union Territory status may ultimately deprive them of the privileges they are enjoying under the special status of the State!

After 1947, the boundaries of the Indian side of Kashmir have been maintained by the Indian Army. However, within these borders, the three regions have been interacting economically and socially. These have become inter-dependent.

However, there are elements in all three regions which have been advocating the breakup of the erstwhile State of Jammu & Kashmir for various reasons. Many leaders from different camps have been stressing on the unity of the three regions. At the present moment the campaign from the Jammu side for trifurcation or creation of two states is being led by Kanwar Bhim Singh, the leader of the Panthers Party.

According to him the creation of two states is inevitable. However, the movement does not seem to be very popular. Interestingly, most of the so called leaders of Jammu advocating such things live in Panjtirthi-Gandhi Nagar belt. They do not mind Autonomous Hill Councils for tiny populations of Leh and Kargil but are not willing to grant same status to the poor people living in Pir Panchal and Chinab Valley areas! For them Jammu means Panjthirthi to Gandhi Nagar only!

If the demand grows louder, instead of opposing it, the Kashmiris may welcome it on the condition of the restoration of the historical or the traditional State of Kashmir. That may be the first step towards ultimate emancipation they have been pinning for centuries, the “Azadi”!

However, Kalhana’s Kashmir would be incomplete without Kashmiri Pandits. They have to be rehabilitated at their traditional places of residence at all costs. This can be done only if their return and rehabilitation is undertaken on the pattern and style of Kashmir’s famous King Budshah in whose time too they had been driven out by his father. It is not the government but the people of their native areas who have to give them protection and help them in their rehabilitation.

They have to come back as a constituent of the Kashmir’s composite society and live and work as they did for centuries. Delhi Government does not seem to be really interested in bringing them back as a part of the composite society. Ultimately, it has to be a peoples’ initiative! So if Jammu people want bifurcation, Kashmiris may vote for restoration of Kalhana’s Kashmir!

“Orphaned” Kashmir!

Establishing a world record by holding the longest Iftar party for “orphans” truly conveys the present “orphaned” status of Kashmir

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An event management group in collaboration with the State Tourism Department organised the longest Iftar party for Kashmiri orphans on the Boulevard along the famous Dal Lake which is practically in throes of death!
Apart from the fact that the event highlighted the orphans of conflict in Kashmir which at present according to some estimates number more than two hundred thousand because of the upheaval of nineties, it also demonstrated numerous other “orphaned” aspects of the once so called “Paradise on Earth”! To begin with, one can take the Dal Lake around which the event was held. The famous Lake is not only the main attraction of the capital city of Srinagar but is in reality the heart of Kashmir.
The Lake is totally orphaned. It is dying and may not last long. No one is really concerned. There is lot of pinning about the state of the Lake but no substantial productive work. The efforts so far are keeping it on a ventilator and not curing its real disease which is the encroachment by one and all, within and all round it!
Asia’s second largest sweet water lake, Wular, is in a worse condition. All other water bodies are dying and virtually orphaned. Same status is of the River Jhelum, the historical lifeline of Kashmir. It has been continuously washing the sins of the perpetrators of Kashmir and the last disastrous flood was its angry outburst. It has been vandalised and encroached all along its embankments.
The rulers have not had the time to cleanse it of the silt and mud for almost a year now. They are still debating and discussing the proposals but the River is not going to wait and may strike once more with deadly ferocity!
In fact, the entire environment of the state is facing the worst kind of degradation witnessed ever during its long history. The forest cover has been denuded at an alarming rate. Unscrupulous timber smugglers with the connivance of authorities have massacred the young and budding forests of Kashmir.
One of the causes of the last year’s flood has been massive soil erosion in the catchment areas. The rains have a quick run off giving rise to flash floods. Soil is not in a position to fully absorb the water due to its denuding.
Going beyond environment, all other aspects also appear “orphaned”! Be it the rehabilitation of the last year’s flood sufferers or the restoration of infrastructure.
A contradictory ruling set up which is an unnatural combination of the North and the South Pole has not been so far fully successful in getting the grip of the situation at the ground level. They seem to be suffering from a paralysis induced by the political and ideological contradictions.
Same is the situation on the larger political canvass regarding the future political set up of the “Disputed” State. United Nations which had taken upon itself the resolution of the more than half a century old political problem has virtually washed off its hands from any future intervention.
The western powers which were so much clamouring about Kashmir and Kashmiris few decades back too have withdrawn and left the fate of the territory and the “Orphaned” people inhabiting it to the whims and fancies of its two warring neighbours. The height of irony is the role of the World Bank which brokered a treaty between the two countries over the waters of a “Disputed” territory without even bothering about its inhabitants and leaving them perennially in an “Orphaned” state of total darkness!
The organisers of the event would have inadvertently done a good turn if their global media coverage draws the attention of the world to the totally “Orphaned” state of Kashmir and its people!

“Mercy Missions”!

The aftermath of the last year’s flood should be an eye opener for Kashmiris

There is a very strong and extensive debate going on in the media and on social networks about the Rs. 500 crore bills presented to J&K Government for the rescue operations conducted by various Defence related organisations during the flood of September, 2014.

Normally, such lifesaving operations are termed as “Mercy Missions” in defence parlance and are paid for by the agencies conducting these. The concerned agencies get reimbursed by the central government for all expenditure on this account. It is the first and foremost duty of the state to safeguard the lives of all the citizens irrespective of caste, creed, colour or religion. Taxes collected by the government are for providing various services to the citizen as also to guarantee the security of life. All citizens are to be treated on par in this regard no matter which part of the country they live in.

Globally, there are umpteen organisations involved in assisting people during natural disasters. International Red Cross goes immediately to any site where a natural calamity has taken place and human lives are to be saved. Similarly, there are so many similar organisations rendering scour to the suffering people.

However, none of these humanitarian organisations presents bills to the country or the people rescued and helped. India has been rendering similar assistance to all over the world not only to its own nationals in distress but to the nationals of all other countries requiring any humanitarian assistance.

The most recent example is the earthquake in Nepal. Probably no bills have been preferred to the Nepalese Government? Within the country, some time back Uttrakhand faced massive devastation due to rains and flood. They too were not presented with any rescue bills!

The case of Kashmir is different. It has a special status governed by Article 370. Usually Defence authorities raise bills for their services when sought under, “Aid to Civil Authorities”. At the time of the Kashmir flood the government had vanished into thin air. The aid rendered was spontaneous and timely and a central initiative.

The Chief Executive of the State was throwing bananas from his State helicopter. If Kashmir is considered an integral part and all Kashmiris are Indian nationals, then the September flood was a national calamity. It is beside the point that the Central Government dithered and did not declare it as a national calamity. There seem to be some reservations in considering Kashmiris as full-fledged Indian nationals. 

All these years, it has been quite often demonstrated that the Kashmir’s warring neighbours are after Kashmir and not Kashmiris! While this side considers Kashmir an integral part and the crown of India, the other side calls it the jugular vein and unfinished agenda of partition.

Both don’t give a damn about Kashmiris! Had the other side been so concerned about Kashmiris, they would have raised global hue and cry and even approached UN for allowing international assistance in rendering succour to the people of what they claim to be a “disputed” territory whose future according to them is still undecided. In their own case, during 2005 earthquake they opened all gates for flow of international assistance to the part under their administrative control.

On the contrary, the Central Government while dithering in rendering succour on one hand has refused all International assistance on the other stating they are “capable” of doing it themselves. As an anti-climax, instead of coming out with a reasonably sound aid package for relief, rehabilitation and future flood prevention, they have presented a bill for Rs. 500 crores to the state government for the “Mercy Missions” undertaken during the flood! There cannot be anything crueller than that!

Just for hypothetical reasons if one considers case of Kashmir, as an independent sovereign country, what would have been the response of international community?

Direct assistance with all the relief material and equipment may have been flowing into Kashmir round the clock. By now Kashmiris would not only have been fully rehabilitated but massive efforts through resourceful international companies would have been under way for prevention of future floods.

On the contrary nothing seems to have moved. Forget the relief and restoration; the Kashmiris are on their toes just after a couple of days of rainfall. We have just missed two possible floods and one is not sure what would happen with a longer duration rainfall? The continued dithering is hiding a possible disaster of a greater magnitude!

The recent actions of the Central Government having a partnership in the State Government have alienated Kashmiris further.

A feeling is growing that in spite of tall claims, Delhi does not consider Kashmiris to be Indian nationals at par with others in different parts of the country. Everything is taken up here with a different yard stick. Be it security concerns, human rights, power projects or aid for restoration and so on. Even the present set up has started shaking up.

Top leaders are advising for breaking up the alliance. If Delhi really cares for Kashmiris and considers them Indian nationals, they should immediately take up on war footing the flood prevention measures through resourceful global agencies on a turnkey basis within a definite time frame regardless of the state government’s own administrative lethargy. Other programmes can wait! Kashmiris are very resilient and patient. But there is a saying “Beware of the fury of a patient man”!

Jhelum’s repeated warnings

After the last year’s destructive flood which reflected the River’s annoyance, it has given two more warnings before it strikes in the most devastating final way!

                                                                        

The River Jhelum, Vitasta or Yveth has been the lifeline of Kashmir Valley from the earliest times. The entire Kashmir civilisation has been growing along the banks of the River and its tributaries.
After the mythological Kashyapa drained the Sati Sar by killing the demon Jalodhbhava at Baramulla, the River has been written in the very first line of the thousands of years old history of Kashmir. Like the Sholokhov’s “Quiet Flows the Don”.
Jhelum too has been quietly flowing and observing the happenings on its banks. However, it often turns furious when too many sins get washed into it!
The River which gave life to Kashmir has been vandalised and desecrated by us. Muck and filth of almost entire Kashmir flows into the River. Its banks have been encroached. For last half a century or so no one has bothered to dredge it and take away the silt. Over and above everything else its flood basin has been snatched and converted into colonies. Where else will it go except overflow its banks and sometimes may even change course.
Last year’s flood was Nature’s backlash in the form of a furious and desperate River trying to find its natural course. Reportedly during the flood the width of the River in some places in South Kashmir was few kilometres. It was flowing like a sheet of water taking away everything in its path. All the experts opined that the disaster was due to human greed and negligence of authorities to take preventive measures all these years in spite of the warnings of various experts. One had expected that the government would give the top most priority to prevention of future floods. Unfortunately, nothing seems to have been done regarding dredging and desliting. Neither the embankments have been strengthened.
The Met Office has again issued warning about the possibility of intermittent rains throughout the summer. They have admitted to the occurrence of climate change which is dangerously combining the effects of monsoons and western disturbances. We may be in for many more floods. After, the main flood of last September, there were two more which kept the people on their toes. These were warnings from Jhelum to the people to mend their ways. People seem to have developed a flood phobia. This will continue till some concrete measures are taken on ground on a large scale. Merely being alert and asking people to leave for safer places is no solution but a quick way to escape the basic responsibility. Delhi seems least concerned about this aspect of the situation. Allegedly, the Nature has come to their rescue to subdue Kashmiris. They will not be accused of human rights violations for these natural disasters. Nature’s elements do not need any AFSPA!
Kashmir is desperately looking for a Suya! During the time of Avanti Varman, it was Suya who initiated the extensive flood prevention measures. At present there is no hope to locate someone like Suya. The people will have to do their own bidding. During the last flood, it was the youth of Kashmir who came forward to rescue the people. In the absence of their untiring efforts, there may have been thousands of casualties. They may again have to step in to ensure on ground measures for prevention of future floods. If the youth all along the length of the River take up the job of desilting themselves, the capacity of the River will increase. Same is the case with flood spill over channel and so many other water bodies facing extinction. Again someone has to give the lead.
One wonders why the so called leaders of the popular movement can’t take up this very people friendly constructive activity. If Kashmir gets destroyed and washed away by vandalisation of its environment, “Azadi” will have no meaning! On one hand these people refuse to recognize the government as the genuine peoples’ representative while on the other hand they expect them to take all people friendly measures. A strange dichotomy! If Mahatma Gandhi could defy the British by making salt out of the sea and spun cloth on charkhas, why can’t our so called leaders take initiatives to safeguard our environment with massive peoples’ participation? It can’t be classified as “anti-national” activity!
Incidentally, Kashmir has lots of multi-millionaires who could easily sponsor environment friendly measures including desilting of the River and other water bodies. There are over a million unemployed youth who could even get some employment.
Unfortunately, we have brain washed our youth for white collar jobs and they prefer to have the lowest possible government jobs rather than work with their own hands. There is no dignity for manual labour! The new generation needs to come out of this artificially created psychological barrier and take the initiative as they did during the actual flood. That may be our only and the ultimate hope!
               

The Invincible Kashmiris!

Historically no one has been able to completely subdue Kashmiris. They have risen again and again to the utter disgust of their outside oppressors

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Webster dictionary defines “Invincible” as “incapable of being conquered, overcome, or subdued”. In the historical context, the word describes Kashmiris very appropriately. From the earliest times, Kashmiris have faced both manmade and natural calamities.

They have faced floods, famines, earthquakes, epidemics and foreign aggressors. However, they have never been subdued or cowed down, neither by the natural calamities nor by the human oppression. They may have gone down sometimes but they rise again and again! 

Kashmiris have been called timid, cowards, cheats, liars and greedy. Sir Walter Lawrence in the “Valley of Kashmir”, though mentioning the bad traits of Kashmiris states that these weaknesses are not by nature but due to an extremely long period of external suppression.

According to him Kashmiris are good at heart and it is the survival instinct which has made them timid and cowardly. Tyndale Biscoe in his book, “Kashmir in Sunlight and Shade” observes that the amount of oppression Kashmiris have undergone over the ages, if the British had faced the same, they would have lost their manhood!

For over last four centuries, they have been oppressed by Mughals, Afghans, Sikhs and Dogras. They were reduced to virtual wretches and lost all their good qualities. They did rebel to change their destiny many times but failed.

The main misfortune of the people has been their betrayal by their own kinsfolk. There have been and there continue to be “Black sheep” within the Kashmir society ready to sell even their mothers for a price. All the foreign oppressors got a foot hold because of these local collaborators. The external oppressors always scout for ready collaborators by patronising the weaknesses of character in a person. They bring out the worst and suppress the good qualities.

During last 68 years people on both sides of the divide have exploited the weaknesses of our character. Sir Walter Lawrence in his book the “Valley of Kashmir” while commenting on the character of local people observes that two generations of a just and strong rule will bring out the best in a Kashmiri. Unfortunately, we are still to see that just and strong rule! 

However, there was some awakening and a possible emancipation during the last century in thirties. Had there been no partition, Kashmiris may have been able to regain their lost sovereignty.

Even at the time of the partition they had a chance to reclaim their independent status but their leaders for their own vested interests let them down and put them in such a mess that there appears no escape from a virtual political whirlpool generated by their two warring neighbours. Still people seem to be taking this untenable situation in their stride and continue with their daily lives. They continue to pine for ultimate emancipation.

The last year’s flood supposed to be the worst in a century severely devastated Kashmir especially its capital, Srinagar. Going through different parts of Srinagar one was terribly shaken by the extent of the devastation.

There was general feeling that the city would take at least 10 years to recover. However, other day while going through the posh shopping areas of Residency Road and Polo View, one could never imagine that these are the same places which had seen almost total destruction! Anyone going through these areas first time can never imagine the status of these immediately after the last flood.

The enterprising and invincible Kashmiris have taken everything in their stride and are going full steam ahead regardless of totally unsympathetic attitude of the authorities both at the state and the central level. In most of the affected localities people are busy trying to restore their properties and their lives on their own! 

In fact, the Central Government has cut a practical joke on Kashmiris by giving aid which cannot even be called the proverbial peanuts! They had an opportunity of a lifetime to end the extreme alienation of Kashmiris due to harsh and repressive measures in vogue for last over 25 years.

However, they seem to believe in cowing down and subduing people rather than winning them over. Probably they have forgotten the saying of the most famous illustrious son of Kashmir, Kalhana, “The country of Kashmir may be conquered by the force of spiritual merit, but not by the force of soldiers!”

This should be evident from the thousands of mourners attending the funerals of the militants slain by the security forces in various encounters. The recent total shutdown to protest against the Sopore killings should be an eye opener. The new generation of Kashmiris is totally uncompromising and invincible. They are all leaders in themselves and take their own decisions. They are Kashmir’s future hope!

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Kashmir’s Murky Waters!

Last year’s flood, the worst of the century not only inundated the city of sun in murky waters but brought out the muck which has been enveloping Kashmiris for last 68 years now!

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File Photo

Witnessing the Associated Media film “Kashmir: Into the Murky Waters” on the last September flood was not only reliving of a personal experience but a first-hand account of all the happenings including everything that was going on behind the scenes.

The film is an indictment of all the concerned people because of whose failure the disaster occurred. In fact, they should be indicted for criminal negligence and prosecuted.

Unfortunately, the murky waters have been flowing all over Kashmir for almost 68 years now! These are in the form of a perennial uncertain situation with total lack of accountability. No one is accountable to no one! There is an absolute free for all!

The last year’s flood can be termed truly as “Nature’s Backlash”! We have totally vandalised our fragile environment and ecology due to our insatiable material greed. River Jhelum earlier called Vitasta and locally known as Vyeth has been Kashmir’s life line for centuries. It used to be pure and clean. People would drink its water.

However, it became murky after washing the sins of Kashmir’s black sheep for last 68 years or so. Kashmir’s so called elite was the main culprit. Incidentally, Jhelum in its fury totally covered with muck the poshest areas where the majority of the deviant elite had been residing.

For all these years no one bothered about the condition and the health of the River. Its bed got totally silted. Even the spill over channel got filled up. Its embankments were usurped and vandalised by construction of hotels, guest houses, private houses and even mosques! Worst things happened with its flood basin. It was converted into colonies and even some government offices were set up in it. The irony is that the authority entrusted with the planning and development of the city of Srinagar set up its office in the flood basin of the River!

Apart from the criminal negligence of the concerned in failing to taking urgent preventive measures, during and after the flood, there was total failure on the part of the government. In fact, one was not sure whether any government existed in Kashmir! Omar Abdullah was shown on TV throwing “Bananas” to the marooned people from the state helicopter.

One was reminded about the “Rise of the Planet of Apes”. He should thank God that the people did not pull down his chopper like the Apes do in the movie! This “Banana” episode reminded one about the “Banana Republics” of South America and Omar Abdullah rightly earned the name of the “Banana Chief Minister”!

The worst tragedy is that even the new government too is in deep slumber. For over nine months nothing substantial seems to have been done in regard to prevention of future floods. Its first priority should have been the prevention of future floods. The only news one got was that ISRO has been asked to undertake satellite flood zoning of Kashmir which may take over a year or so.

As regards dredging of the River, desilting of the flood spill over channel, strengthening of the embankments, and setting up of dewatering stations above the flood level no news is coming out. Even the drains and dewatering system appears to be without any major change. Apart from the city getting water-logged repeatedly, there are still some areas in the valley water logged from the previous flood. 

In the movie it is shown that a report regarding measures for flood prevention has been shuttling between New Delhi and Srinagar for over three years! Some engineers had predicted the possibility of a disastrous flood but no one seems to have been seriously bothered about the subject.

In fact, even the MET Office warning about flash floods was ignored by the “Banana Government”! Now that they have seen the face of the disaster, the first task for the present government should be to get along with the implementation of the most urgently needed flood prevention measures. The task can be given to some resourceful engineering companies in the field on a turnkey basis to be completed in a definite time-frame.

The Chief Minister has all the residuary powers under the constitution and after identifying a resourceful organisation even if from abroad can ask them to go ahead dispensing all lengthy paper formalities. However, that needs political will on the part of the government. Does this government have such a will? That is the million dollar question! One has to keep the fingers crossed and probably wait for some more “Murky Waters”. However, the next time waters can not only be murky but “bloody” too!