Rakib Altaf
SRINAGAR, Oct 13: People in Kashmir have blamed the police of turning a blind eye to love birds in the Valley, where young boys and girls courting and cuddling in parks are considered an embarrassing sight for family picnickers and pedestrians.
“I am sure government has asked the police not to harass the lovebirds in the Botanical and Mughal gardens,” says Ghulam Mustufa, a resident of Nishat.
Paucity of space for ‘love’ in the Himalayan region, which maintains a conservative approach to certain things and free mixing of boys and girls is still considered a taboo, has been driving hundreds of young couples to the Botanical Garden on the banks of the Dal and other parks in the city to escape being caught by their parents.
“We cannot afford going to far-off places like Gulmarg everyday. So it is better to sit here and we know nobody will disturb us,” said one such couple, of course pleading anonymity before speaking up at the Sir Mohammed Iqbal Park in Srinagar, less than a kilometre from city centre Lalchowk.
The couple are among hundreds of Kashmiri young boys and girls who are seen canoodling in parks, restaurants and gardens on the banks of Dal lake. “We just want to have some time for just the two of us, away from the mad rush of things,” the couple said.
But many believe the phenomenon has moved beyond “accepted norms” in the Muslim-majority region.
“Earlier they would just sit and talk, that is also bad, but we thought times have changed. Now the boys and girls are daily seen in objectionable postures…we informed the police but they have not so far taken any action,” Mohammad Yusuf, a boatman said.
‘Fear gone’
In early 1990’s rebels who began battling security forces imposed strict conventions of Muslim purity on the people of Kashmir. They closed all cinemas, bars and beauty parlours, and ordered courting couples to stop meeting in public places.
Many believe that a steep decline in the violence over the recent years has emboldened youngsters to move freely around the city now and enjoy a “fearless life”.
Others, however, have blamed the authorities of “encouraging” the unmarried couples to go their own way.
“In past Farooq Abdullah had also passed the same order,” Mustufa said.
Earlier in 2000, then chief minister of the state Farooq Abdullah issued the directive asking police not to upset courting couples, after a complaint by a group calling itself the “Young Lovers Association” that they were being harassed.
Manzoor Ahmed, a father of two, said, “We are not saying that violence should continue, but at least the police should cooperate with us in keeping a check on such immodesty.”
Police say it is becoming more difficult for them to tackle such youngsters as their numbers are growing day by day.
“But we are doing everything we can. We act on every complaint. But tell us what more can we do,” a senior officer said.
