With the Majlis e Mashawarat having barely succeeded in fight for Justice, is it time for a change of leaders, asks a concerned Danish Ibn Lateef
It has been four years now since this barbaric incident shook the soul of Shopian in south Kashmir. Two daughters of Shopian were brutally raped and murdered. What followed was a tale of sorrow, tears, anger with determination to punish the (in)humans who carried out this gruesome crime.
Attempts were made to hush up the case and fabricate stories, but we protested continuously for 48 days, wanting justice to prevail. The Majlis e Mashawarat, a consultation committee, was formed immediately after the incident and its only motto was to spearhead the movement to bring the criminals to book.
Several intellectuals, most respected and reputed personalities of Shopian were a part of the Majlis and local people showed their immense support whenever the Majlis would announce a programme. But we are afraid, the Majlis has barely succeeded. People are disappointed.
A shopkeeper Aijaz Ahmad says he would attend every public gathering of the Majlis with a hope that justice will prevail. “But I am disappointed,” he says.
Interestingly, the Majlis failed in the most tragic way and it let its motive die, but the group itself did not vanish. Every year since 2009, it organises a meeting on May 30 under various mind-tearing tag lines and brings alive the saddest memories.
Majlis was not formed to observe 30 may, it was formed to bring justice.
Fair enough, success is never guaranteed but to keep on trying certainly is. But the spirit of Majlis took the very ground route just after 2 months of the incident. People were told that standing soft might serve a purpose, but even after 4 years of that black day no evident outcome has come across.
“Majlis hasn’t been effective, their ways and modes of protest are not result oriented and surely they have let this fight die,” says Junaid Ahmed, a fellow resident.
To keep on with the fight for JUSTICE, no new ideas, no thought cross the minds of Majlis members. It is only on the 365th day of the year that they emerge and begin to prepare for the observation of the Day. The question remains unsolved in the common minds of Kashmir that what do they do for the rest of the year?.
“I get a glimpse of them on 30th May only, I doubt if they really are sincere in this fight anymore,” says Nazir Ahmed, a local businessman. The Majlis needs to make it clear what initiatives have they taken and what have they thought of in keep the fight for Justice on. And if they have nothing then they need to clarify why the Majlis is still intact, what for? Is it because they want to gain some political space and some kind of recognition out of this?
If they have failed they surely should retire publicly and handover the fight to the more productive, energetic ones for the spark hasn’t died down yet. The resolve to fight for justice is on!
(The views are author’s own. The organisation does not necessarily subscribe to it. For contributions and response write to [email protected])
