A few days ago, a friend called to share plans for a week-long holiday. She had convinced her family to take the vacation in Kashmir, the perfect opportunity to escape the scorching heat of New Delhi.
It was a good time to visit the Valley. The uproar over the May 29 Shopian case — in which locals blamed the death and rape of two women on Indian security forces — had died down.
Or so it seemed.
Then my friend called again. She sounded glum and I soon knew why. The trip had been cancelled.
Her family had decided not to risk it. A curfew was in place in parts of Kashmir after security personnel in Baramulla were accused of harassing a woman.
Four protesters had died and scores injured in subsequent protests. Much of the Valley remained shut for a strike called by separatists. The streets were empty and there was little sign of tourists.
In the coming days, there is no doubt that Kashmiris will need to choose between protests and tourism — a major source of income.
Many of the Kashmiris I spoke to seemed upset that frequent protests and strikes were keeping tourists away.
“Earlier, we used to make frequent trips to tourist places like Gulmarg and Pahalgam, once in two days or even twice in one day but now we make one trip in 15 days,” said taxi operator Ghulam Rasool.
Rafique Quadri, a high-ranking state tourism official, said that regular clashes and curfews were affecting tourism in Kashmir.
Even Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has spoken out against the negative effects of such strikes and protests.
“Frequent strikes deprive thousands of people from earning their livelihood,” he told a meeting in Srinagar.
How important is it to Kashmiris for the world to catch a glimpse of what a Mughal emperor once called “Paradise on Earth”? What is their priority - azadi (freedom) or economic gain?
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I love kashmir.I would like to go there soon.
- Posted by AKSHARdear ma’am
conflicts no matter where ever they are bring with them violence,hatred and atrocities towards the weaker sections of community. be it a chechen or a columbian or an iraqi or a tamil or for that matter kashmir the story is same only the casting changes.
now the better part is that only way towards betterment is PEACE.So all the soldiers and mujahids give peace a chance.by gods grace we in kashmir are much better off.lets join our hands togather and thank the gracious god for what we have .no one can doubt that things have improved and that too for good.
kashmir will never get independence. It would be utopian to have a land locked country with no industries and this would surely lead to anarchy as we have seen elsewhere (Af-Pak).
I donot agree with the indian political approach and that includes my dear friends “HURRIYAT”.Education ,employmentand empowerment by means of ballot and rule of law should continue. my best wishes to Mr O Abdullah.No solution of kashmir can be complete without the kashmiri hindus and sikhs who have been displaced.
The writer has done an excellent work although has emotionally drifted away from the core issue ,But this is my personal view.it was nice to be here……
- Posted by ankushHi Rashi.Whosoever has anything to do emotionally with Kashmir will speak about it. No one has done justice to it. The short sighted approach is responsible for the miseries it is facing. The people are the only hope. Only their prudence and far sightedness can bring respite to them. Good job Rashi!
- Posted by rajanKashmir is a beautiful place. I have always wanted to visit Kashmir but the dark cloud of terrorism and separatist violence has kept me away
- Posted by vip blogDo whatever you want you will never win the hearts of kashmiri people.We have given blood for our land and we will never compromise on it.We will fight till we get freedom from the Indian Occupational rule.Mark my words Freedom!!!
- Posted by S.YousufAs a woman I strongly condemn the gruesome rape and murder of the two women in Shopian. It is as ugly and heinous as the gangrape, molestation and humiliation of women who suffer grave human rights violation across the country.
However what happened in Kashmir after the crime was committed is also not acceptable. Politicization of women’s body, sexuality and honour is equally despicable as the act of rape and murder, perhaps even more. For it deprives a society of its cultural values and ethics.
Government has to deliver justice and it has to be seen to be delivering justice. People, civil society and media should come up with creative ways to address issues and for redressal. Taking to violence on the streets, stoking and fueling religious sentiments will only lead to more crime, deaths and breakdown.
- Posted by ArchanaTo all of you who profess peace…
If you really claim to be who you are, Protest against the Atrocities that are happening in Kashmir and Kashmir along with the Kashmiri will be yours.
-Latif
- Posted by LatifI have always wanted to visit Kashmir but the dark cloud of terrorism and separatist violence has kept me away.
I am no one to judge whether human rights violations are taking place in Kashmir or whether a misplaced nationalistic zeal is worsening the situation.
All I know is that violence is not the solution. Unless the local government and the populace get down to brass tacks and hammer out a solution, albeit peacefully, Kashmir will remain a global hotspot in the years to come.
If the dream of a utopian Kashmir does come true, this beautiful ‘Paradise on Earth’ tops my list of places of visit before I die.
- Posted by Toe KneeDear Rashi
Excellent. Your write up desrve kudos.
Keep it up.
Basharat
- Posted by Syed BasharatHaadia ,Syed Afdar
Did you ever follow the path of secularism and do you respect kashmiri hindus, buddists and sikhs with whom you have been historically entwined. Kahmiris come to US and follow the law and lead respectable lives among christians. In India they don’t want to adopt a path of inclusive modernization and worse try to accomplish security in seclusion. Sikhs and hindus were lined up and killed in cold blood, what prevented you to take out processions against the ghastly killings.
Being the muslim majority state its your responsibility to protect minority. Do you think minority persecution is happening without complicity of others (other than terrorists). Do you think the same animals are incapable of raping and killing women in order to escalate violence and hatred against security forces? Kashmiri people, with their elected government can better themselves with hard work. Both in India and Pakistan disparity is visible from on state/province to other. Abrogation of article 370 would have facilitated industrial expansion in to the valley paving way for more jobs and prosperity. Isolation leads to backwardness, period. Take the example of FATA and Waziristan, which are not only poor but are also now getting bombed.
- Posted by azadFirst convince yourselves and then others that you have achieved a level of maturity to run the affairs with evenhandedness in governance and deliverance of justice to all. Autonomy now, mind you, will quickly degenerate into theocracy leading to Talibanization or similar movement, whereupon stone age laws will be enforced. Then protective umbrella of Indian Union will not be there, India will have to watch helplessly the dilapidation of Kashmir like that of Pakistan and Afghanistan. Refugee influx will be monumental. All the democracy loving Kashmiri leaders will relocate to other parts of India leaving the unscrupulous hate mongers to rule over you. Cannot paint a rosy picture, Iam afraid.
@ Rajeev
Thanks for raising this issue. Yes I am also wondering as to why Kashmiris are not talking about this issue. None of my acquaintance from Kashmir ever mentions this. Why aren’t there protests against the terrorist?
I was reading in the Daily Times of Pakistan today that during retired federal secretaries meeting Asif Ali Zardari admitted that Pakistan created and nurtured militancy as a state policy for short term tactical gains. There should be protests in Kashmir against this as there are protests against state policies of India. I urge my friends in Kashmir to raise slogans against Pakistan for killing the innocents. I will whole heartedly support these protests.
@Haadia
- Posted by basant p. tolaniI totally agree with you that people in Mumbai protested against the government and protests are people’s tools of resistance. I also come from Mumbai and I was part of the protests. But we were protesting against the government for not performing their duties efficiently and protecting us from the terrorists. You should also protest to JK government for not protecting you from terrorists. They might be faceless but your duty is to protest. So protest loudly for the world to hear.
@ rajeev,
- Posted by Haadiafirst of all let me be very clear that i as a person and the kashmiris in general do not have an anti hindu attitude–kindly do not try to give my words a religious colouration–”read todays online TOI and u’ll knw how kashmiris are takng care of a hindu temple in pahalgam”–is this anti hindu attitude??
The only thing i am tryng to tell people in this forum is that Kashmiris are also suffering day in and day out for no fault of theirs..So for God sake try to understand the fact that the issue is so politically complicated that even if the people of kashmir want they cannot get out of this mess of a situation…So kindly shed this anti kashmiri attitude and stop this blame game..It’s a sad situation to see such hatred brewing against the people of kashmir–
Secondly,protests are always against the system and the government of which one is a part never against the enemy without a face–you would not disagree to the fact that terrorists for all of us are without a face-An unknown enemy–this applies not only for kashmir but for the whole world –if their is a terror attack at any place do the people protest against the terrorist who did it or against the government which failed to protect them(e.g.,Mr.Shivraj Patil’s resignation as the home minister aftr the mumbai attacks)
Additionally I would like to tell you that the terrorists in kashmir generally fight against the security forces and do less direct harm to the civilians(though their is the indirect one thru blasts etc)but the forces on the other hand inflict direct harm and injuries to the people(eg.,the recent rape & muder of two women in shopian,the killing of a 20 yr boy in custody today etc etc) and hence the protests against them and the government.
@Atleast the Kashmiris are not killing anyone anymore for azadi. What is wrong in strikes and protests which are peaceful? Maybe this might just help them get azadi and liberate the Kashmiris from India’s misery.”
- Posted by Basant P Tolani
-Basant P Tolani, Haadia and all Kashmiris, who expressed the same feelings: When kashmiris feel that Indian troops have done some wrong, there are strikes and protests. Now haadia, you said Kashmiris felt the squeeze from terrorists also as much as they felt from security. So when was the last time or anytime a protest/strike has occurred against Terrorists who do that. Or is it that no one has the guts to do that? I guess Kashmiris will not throw stones at a terrorist with an AK-47—just for the fear of death.
If Kashmiris want so-called “Azadi”, what is their rational of not protesting against Pakistan—-because a miniscule # of pro-Pak elements will kill those who protest. My point is that Kashmiris need to realize that they are part of the most unintelligent, unidimensional, non-creative movement with no leader in sight and whosoever is labeled Indian agent. On the side, Haadia and the likes of Kashmiris must quit this so sure anti-Hindu attitude oozing out of their words. So much for ur Kashmiriyat!!!
It takes nothing to pick and throw the stones and these youths. I agree with SYED ADFAR RASHID’s line of thought.
- Posted by rajeevRaashi,
- Posted by pervezU have been to Kashmir before. In fact, ur family share an emotional connection with Kashmir. And I think that emotional touch is reflected in ur this piece. Nevertheless, I must felicitate u fr remaining pragmatic while narrating about a place which u love. I hope ur office will send u to kashmir for special reports, coz u have a good understanding of the issues here.
-Pervez
@Krishna
Anyone who holds India as a bigger culprit than Pakistan for Kashmir’s current state of affairs is clearly not capable of scholarly debate over the issue. The stand is also indicative of your naivete about the challenge violent insurgencies pose to a state. If the allusion is that India should have emulated Israel or Sri Lanka to counter terrorism in Kashmir, then you obviously as an Indian do not appreciate that India’s response in Kashmir has not been ruthless tyranny. What Kashmiris suffer as compared to Palestinians and Tamils is almost a naught. India had the choice to kill all the separatists, who have been sympathizers of terrorists, but it did not make that choice. You might want to contemplate how it benefits India. Just to oversimplify it for you, I will mention it very briefly here. It is not complacency towards terrorism, it is the good sense of what is right and wrong for a state and its people. India sees rationality in not wiping out every single would-be terrorist or a sympathizer of terrorists because every estranged group or community has a right to differ, protest non-violently and seek one’s demands. In summation, India does not see Kashmir merely as a military problem. It also sees it as a political issue. That is why the multi-lateral approach which you call complacency.
- Posted by SinghNow about your highly visionary (pun intended) solution of redrawing borders. One would have to hold a plebiscite to know what all communities of J&K actually aspire for. Unless that happens the demand for independence shall remain a farcical demand because no one knows what percentage of J&K actually wants independence. It might turn out that only a handful of Kashmiri-speaking valley- based people want independence as the last two consecutive elections have indicated. So the loud propaganda for independence should not be construed as the only problem or solution of Kashmir.
Atleast the Kashmiris are not killing anyone anymore for azadi. What is wrong in strikes and protests which are peaceful? Maybe this might just help them get azadi and liberate the Kashmiris from India’s misery.
- Posted by Basant P Tolani@ vinay
Your words prove what i said–yes there was a massacre of sikhs(not known till date who did it)in chittisinghpura…but tell me
1) did the rest of the sikh population leave their homes in kashmir becoz of the resultant fear,becoz of feeling unsafe??—”no they didnt”–why??becoz someone who has lived there for these 20 years whether muslim or non muslim understands the inside stories of such incidents.
2) Do you think how many of the innocent muslim population(civilians who have nothing do with terrorists) have died during these 20 years–did their families leave kashmir??–no they didnt??
@ Vijay
- Posted by HaadiaDo you know how many times muslims of kashmir have been kept at gun point both by terrorists and by security forces–one said let us stay for the night or die and the other said where have you hidden them ,what connections do you have..tell us or die—but inspite of all this muslims never left kashmir,their home—why??probably they wanted to die they in and day out or probably they loved their homeland–
i would suggest you guya read the book “Curfewed Nights” …then you’ll come to know what innocent civilians in kashmir have gone through all these years.
hats off to ur feelings,yes,strikes are really deadlyand have turned kashmir a hell.common man is dying everyday and leaders are acumilating the capital.blood is cheaper then water now,strikes are a routine now causing disasterous effects and mob mentality has spread like anything,stones are pelt on issues not known to people,they dn\’t know why are they pelting stones and what are they striving for.the boon of our economy -tourism has been badly affected and hartals have been routinezed.common kashmiri is entangled in the web of terror and anomie).the continuous mob clashes with security personnal and with out any understanding of even the duties of the police to nab the culprits involved in various crimes like kidnapping ,etc.it is non-sense to raise protests even for thiefs and kidnappers and beliving every body claiming molestation by police and others.now most of us even try to blackmail police if our criminals are not released.instead of going to the court we send our women to police stations to fight with police personnel.this defeats the actual goal of protests,people especially youth with their eyes shut and with out any conciousness come immediately on roads and start violent activities.fighting for azaadi and honour of our women folk is good but protesting against police against their duty to check crime is a big folly and a big sign of vulgarity.mob mentality is most unfrotunate attitude and has been mistook as collective consciousness in this part of the globe.on the other hand it is nurtured and justified by our defeated intellectuals in their writings and speeches.times have turned sensitive ,so our youth need to be objective,reSONABLRE AND rational in their behavior.it is the mob mentality which isdepriving our young buds of studies and killing mercilessly hundreds of patients every day.we need a serious rethink.
- Posted by syed adfarSYED ADFAR RASHID.
SCHOLAR OF SOCIOLOGY,
UNIVERSITY OF KASHMIR.
adfer.syed@gmail.com