Perhaps Indians who spend their time trolling Pakistani forums aren’t the best representatives of their people…maybe (some of) their countrymen aren’t as blind to ground realities?
**
…And here ends my journey to Kashmir**
But I am going back to India with the belief that provided all Indians are made aware about the ground realities prevailing in the Valley, they would readily accept the wrongs their government inflicts here, writes Sumegha Gulati
Today is my last day in Srinagar. The experiences I had in these two months were immensely different from what I had seen earlier. A different culture, new companions, supportive professionals and loving people—the various hues of Kashmir made it a beautiful journey. And at the end of it, I find myself becoming nostalgic about the days I spent here.
Before coming to Kashmir, I used to feel that the journey is tough only till I reach Srinagar. I was under the impression that once I start working, things would be easier. Of course, I had then too known that a different culture and the stereotypical image I had of Kashmir were bound to become problematic for me in the due course of time. But the challenges I faced here were of an unexpected kind.
Torn between the love for one’s nation and the realities I was facing each day, I would often wonder where to devote my loyalties—for the “national interest” of my country or for the cause of the Kashmiris.
At times, I would tell my folks back home in Delhi about the atrocities the Indian state has inflicted on the Kashmiris. They would get irritated listening to all this. Often, they would tell me that the situation is not the way I perceive it and the Army is required to protect the borders.
I remember a couple of days ago, when I called up my brother to inform him about my return tickets, I said, “Bhai, I am coming back to India.” He waited for a few seconds before saying, “Shut up!” and banged the phone down.
On the other hand, when I would accept that the Indian state has wronged Kashmiris, not all my Kashmiri companions would agree with the authenticity of my views. I found my genuineness questioned time and again, particularly by those in the professional circles. There would be times when I would be labelled as Indian pseudo Kashmiri-empathisers for my pro-Azadi stand.
So, at the end of these two months, I can say that I am still holding on to my viewpoint; while simultaneously trying to make my folks back at home as well as my colleagues and friends in Kashmir believe that Indians too, can accept their mistakes, provided they are made aware regarding the ground realities.
Indians love their country. All individuals do; there is nothing special in Indians about that. The problem is a bit different with us, particularly when it comes to the Kashmir issue. Brought up with strong feelings of nationalism and “Mera Bharat Mahan” kind of an ideology, most Indians, perhaps a very large number of them are blissfully unaware of the flaws their country is facing.
Add to it the unobjective stand taken by the mainstream Indian media regarding Kashmir and the result is a mass of millions of Indians who conveniently stereotype all Kashmiris as “Jihadi” and “Terrorists”. Of course, one cannot just blame the media and the Indian state for all wrongs. The Indian citizens too are at a fault for this.
It does not take one to be an Einstein or a Newton to realise a simple fact that 18 to 20 per cent of our union budget goes to Defence each year; despite the fact that more than 30 per cent of the Indians live below the poverty line. The hard earned money of the Indian taxpayers like my father is being regularly pumped into the valley to maintain the seven lakh troops in Kashmir; not to develop the infrastructure here. And even if we leave Kashmir alone, who is answerable for the underdevelopment of the rest of India? Just to preserve the inflated ego of the Indian state and maintain its unjustified holding on a foreign land, the basic rights of a large section of the Indian masses are being violated each day. A cursory glance at the union budget of the fiscal year 2005-06 provides a deep insight. While a total of Rs 83000 crores was allocated for the Defence outlay, a mere Rs 6425 crores was the revised budget estimate for Agriculture and allied activities. The fact that there were enormous farmer suicides in the latter half of 2006, following the above mentioned budget, is a bit too much for a coincidence. The government of Maharashtra admits to 1,447 farm suicides in 2006 alone. And that’s in only six districts of Vidharbha.
Interestingly, even after the reports of the farmer suicides hit the headlines, the budget outlay for Defence in the year 2006-07 was increased to Rs 89,000 crores. No doubt the Indian government has taken measures to integrate Kashmir with the mainland. Electricity in Kashmir is perhaps the cheapest as compared to the Indian States. The occasional medical camps organised by the Army for locals are another crucial aspect, even if they are aimed more at creating a favourable image of the Indian state than the philanthropic nature of the forces. Yet, all this can never hide the stains of the Kashmiri blood that colour the hands of the Indian troopers. In the two months that I stayed here, custodial killings, rapes, beatings and torture became an indispensable part of my professional life. Unfortunately, the figures have been shocking always when it comes to Kashmir.
Reports received from various civil society observers suggest that from January 2009, till May this year, 49 human rights violation cases have been reported. 36 people died in various violence related activities, while 3 rape cases were reported. Besides, four cases of custodial killings and six cases of alleged enforced disappearances came to the forefront.
Whether it was the crushing of ten-year-old Khushboo under an Army vehicle at Lasjan, or the death of sixteen-year-old Arif Ayub by a tear gas shell; whether it was the custodial killing of Manzoor Beig or the Shopian rape and murder case…the stories are all same. Only the names and faces change. I visited many families here who had lost their loved ones. Majority of the 400 students who stay in the Yateem Khana at Bemina crossing are children of this conflict. The eyes of 5 year old Adil, who lost his father after the last shell hit him before the Indo-Pak crossfire was declared, would haunt me forever.
After having a glimpse into the lives of Kashmiris, it is difficult for any common Indian not to empathise with the Kashmiris. And I still go by my stand that provided all Indians are made aware about the ground realities prevailing in the valley; they would readily accept the wrongs their government inflicted here. I also assert that the Indian democracy is restricted till Lakhanpur. Beyond it, we have no democracy; only the oppression, a sham that the Indian state has beautifully engineered with the help of the mainstream media for its own vested interests in this region.
Most importantly, I reaffirm my pro-Azadi stance. A lot of elderly people in Kashmir claim that Kashmir still has chances to integrate with the mainland. Many of them feel that the withdrawal of the draconian laws such as AFSPA is a major step towards this integration. However, the people of my father’s age- in Delhi as well as in Kashmir- have already played their innings. It is our time now. And being one of the youths of India, I can say that neither the youngsters in Kashmir nor in India are interested in prolonging this oppression. Of course, the precondition being making them aware about the ground realities here.
(Sumegha Gulati is from Delhi)
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