Whether a continuous shutdown calendar was necessary for a demand, whose acceptance would in no way affect the status-quo of broader Kashmir problem: What if New Delhi did not concede to the demand of returning Guru’s body? What backup plan does the leadership have in mind…
Ashiq Hussain
In 2010, Kashmir lost over a hundred youth including school boys to the state’s bullets during a series of weekly shutdowns called by veteran separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani.
Killings had fuelled the anger of people, hence the marathon protest calendars were followed ardently by people in the backdrop of Kashmir conflict.
The rage was justified as no civilised society would accept stone throwing children, whatever mistake they commit, to be showered with bullets like it happened that summer.
But finally it turned out that the mode of protest adopted by the leaders was too burdensome for a populace already victimised by friends and foes for decades.
The continuous downing of shutters of valley’s economy weakened not the immediate antagonist but the victim instead. Five months of continuous shutdown, iron fisted response by the state and subsequent cessation of business-activities not only spilled the blood of youth but broke the resolve of whole population.
Without doubt, city population was supplied rice and vegetables from villages. The poor were helped by their immediate neighbours but for how long? The zest had to wear down and ultimately it did. And why not, when most of the population in valley’s cities and towns, earn hand-to-mouth on daily basis. They work during the day to feed their children in the evening.
The ardent among the faithful quoting the last Prophet of Islam, peace be upon him, conclude that ‘Hunger can lead a believer to denunciation (of God)’. Faith is the ultimate treasure for a Muslim and God forbid, to denounce it, is the ultimate example to describe the state of those in economic distress.
In short, the hartal-protest turned itself against the separatists who, as the saying goes in Kashmir, desperately wanted to get rid of the ‘bear which was not ready to leave them’.
The shield which people held so tight to battle the sword of the state turned out too heavy to uphold. If not the assault by sword of attacker but the weight of shield buried the defendant.
Man learns from his mistakes. So does a Nation.
Over two years after summer 2010, people of valley were hurt again. On February 09, 2013 Mohammad Afzal Guru was secretly hanged and buried inside Tihar Jail after sentenced to death, whether rightly or wrongly, by judiciary. With utter disregard for the sentiments of people in valley, Delhi went on to celebrate the hanging, although out of turn among those awaiting capital punishment.
The state government had done its home work, aptly learning its lessons from the past. Stiff restrictions on movement of people, not relying on arms to control mob, blockade of wireless communication, blackout of news channels and disruption of news dissemination; hardly any mistake of 2010 was repeated (barring one incident of Watergam when a boy was killed in firing).
On the other hand, the Hurriyat amalgam, demanding the body of Guru has come out with a calendar of shutdowns and protests, a déjà-vu for the common man.
It goes without saying that denying a child to see his dying father one last time or a chance to pray on his grave on every Eid and Shab-e-Baraat was the worst case of human insensitivity. It has hurt the collective conscience of people in valley. A sense of helplessness has enveloped its youth. And getting the remains back would have toned down the raging anger and given a sense of achievement to the restless youth.
Irrespective of whether Guru’s physical body remains buried in Delhi soil or in Kashmir soil, he has already occupied a space in the hearts of common Kashmiris. A wave of sympathy has even touched the souls of those revering the Parliament, the attack on which prompted the arrest and conviction of Guru, like their religious symbols.
Common people in Kashmir, though battered by a week of curfew, ardently followed the call of Geelani to shut shops for two more days. But then the amalgam came out with a calendar urging for three days of continuous shutdown from Wednesday with a promise of another protest calendar.
The move was bound to raise eyebrows. People are questioning the rationale to adopt this form of protest given the way it backfired in past.
What is the target of this chain of protests? Whether a continuous shutdown calendar was necessary for a demand whose acceptance, would in no way affect the status-quo of broader Kashmir problem: What if New Delhi did not concede to the demand of returning Guru’s body? What backup plan does the leadership have in mind to cater to the basic needs of people in case the shutdown calendar prolonged? What sort of analysis has been done by the separatist leaders regarding the current situation?
And people have every right to know whether the decision of shutdown calendar was taken randomly on basis of emotions or after thorough thought.
The public opinion on ground is skeptic of its success considering its futility in 2010.
Although some may not agree with his ideology, but the statement of UJC chief Syed Salahuddin has also cautioned to take into account experiences of past.
“We should never request or beg for Afzal’s body but demand it. United leadership should intensify the movement while keeping in mind the experiences of 2008, 2009 and 2010 so that people continue their support to the movement till the end. The movement should continue but in a phased manner,” his statement said.
Quantifying the loss; besides five months of economic lockdown, 110 budding souls lost their lives, hundreds more lost their body parts, thousands lost their school days and lakhs lost their mental peace. In the end not even a single person was brought to book for the killings.
And for the leadership claiming to be the rightful representatives of Kashmir, it was this mistake which contributed a lot for their irrelevance. The more a common man is put to inconvenience with the baggage still there, the more it is going to tilt public opinion against its torch bearers.
(The author is a journalist. Views are personal. feedback at : [email protected])
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