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Deepening fissures

The over-simplistic argument that unemployed, frustrated, youth are the ones exploited by those sponsoring militancy in the Kashmir Valley has…

Deepening fissures

Representational Image.(Photo: Facebook)

The over-simplistic argument that unemployed, frustrated, youth are the ones exploited by those sponsoring militancy in the Kashmir Valley has been shot to pieces by the involvement and death of an Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of Kashmir in an encounter in Shopian on Sunday.

It was no overnight decision that Mohammed Rafi Bhatt took for he was said to be increasingly disturbed over recent developments, even as he was preparing to proceed to Hyderabad for an appointment-related interview.

That he was fully conscious of the hazards of joining militant ranks was obvious from his final telephone call to his father, and that he declined to respond to pleas from the family to surrender when trapped by the security forces only confirms the deepening fissures ripping civil society apart in the Valley.

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Quoting former chief minister Omar Abdullah might not be appreciated on Raisina Hill these days, yet the anguish is palpable when he declares, “when educated, gainfully employed young men choose the patch of militancy, it should serve as a wake-up call for those who have turned a deaf ear to repeated pleas for dialogue with all stakeholders to find a solution to this quagmire”.

Arch-rival, chief minister Mehbooba Mufti has spoken in similar strain, “Sunday’s deaths have brought a stark fact to the fore that the gun, either of the militant or that of the security forces is no solution for resolving issues… I appeal to the national leadership to display the statesmanship to get J&K out of the quagmire of killings”.

That both should use the term “quagmire” is indicative of the extent to which the situation has deteriorated over the last few months ~ a picture not realistically presented by the death roll published in the newspapers every day.

The greater tragedy is that Raisina Hill declines to look beyond the death roll, indeed gets a queer thrill when the tally of the security forces shows more “kills” than the militants’ ~ obviously the Army, paramilitary and police have greater firepower at their disposal.

The human side of the story is ignored, and deliberately underplayed by captive TV channels that also relish gory head counts. The home ministry projects an image that it does not consider the folk of the Valley part of the household ~ the “family-line” ends at Bannihal.

For how long will muscle be the sole currency in which the Central government deals? For its Special Representative is operating with little back-up. The NDA government will not find global appreciation ~ regardless of what some economic indices might project ~ as long as the Valley remains blood-stained.

For unlike Mr Vajpayee, Mr Modi is taking no positive initiatives, suggests force will win the day. And who knows, “international forces” might even be tempted to intervene. Kashmir will not remain a domestic issue indefinitely.

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