In one of my previous articles, I had thanked you the Chief Minister of strife-ridden Jammu and Kashmir, Mr. Omar Abdullah for your various 'achievements' during the last couple of months. Today, I believe it is appropriate time to thank you again; for your 'achievement list' is getting bigger and 'impressive' with each passing day.
Last time when I thanked you, the death toll of innocent civilians in Kashmir killed at the hands of 'tolerant' Indian Paramilitary Forces [CRPF] and the most 'disciplined' Police Force stood at 36 [Thirty six], which has now gone up to nearly 60 [Sixty]. What an 'achievement' at an 'amazingly' galloping pace to kill and muzzle all those voices you don't like or want to hear, Mr. Omar Abdullah.
Mr. Omar, you're as 'popular' and as 'great' a leader as Mr. Bush was! On 15 th of August, 2010 you were being 'welcomed' and 'congratulated' in Srinagar in the same manner as Mr. Bush was in December 2008 in Iraq. 'Praises' are showered in different ways on different people, but when it comes to 'popular' and 'great' leaders like you, Mr. Bush and Mr. Zardari; etc, the way and the manner, most probably; remains the same!
'Shoes are thrown at great leaders'
The difference perhaps is that George Bush's Iraq visit was a surprise visit and yours an expected one, and that two shoes were thrown at him during a news conference by Iraqi television journalist Muntazar al-Zaidi, while only a single shoe was hurled at you by Kashmiri cop Abdul Ahad Jan.
Muntazar al-Zaidi was wrestled to the floor by security guards after he called the then US President "a dog" and the same treatment was meted out to Abdul Ahad Jan, who waved a piece of black cloth in protest against the unabated civilian killings in Kashmir and raised slogans in favour of freedom for Kashmir.
I thank you Mr. Omar for the exhibition of your 'courage' even after being thrown a shoe by one of your own police officers during an important function. I thank you for continuing your 'important I-Day speech' and for ensuring that not a single civilian was allowed inside the Bakshi stadium, where the function was 'held'.
'Lost the boot hurling count'
Imagine what would have happened if you had allowed all those 'Kashmiri miscreants' inside the parade ground? Security agencies would perhaps have lost the count of footwears hurled at you? That in turn would have meant more work for the already 'trigger-happy' troopers, who're discharging their 'professional' duties in 'trying' circumstances and are now perhaps a little tired too. Thank you Mr. Omar for not increasing their workload!
You're not alone in the 'fight' against "shoe-chucking" incidents. Mr. Omar don't you ever think you're alone in the 'fight' against your own people.
It is a sign of 'greatness'. A cursory look at the history and you'll find yourself in a 'lovely' company of the likes of Mr. Bush, Mr. John Howard and Mr. Asif Ali Zardari; etc.
Earlier this month, a shoe was aimed at Pakistan's 'great' leader President Asif Ali Zardari, once known as Mr. 10%, during his rally in Birmingham when his entire nation was mourning the huge human losses caused by the recent floods there in Khyber Pakhtounkha, Sindh and Punjab provinces. Zardari chose to go ahead with his tour of Europe despite the fact that more than 1600 people were killed in floods while millions rendered homeless in Pakistan.
'You're not alone'!
So, Mr. Omar, you're not alone. 'Great' leaders have to go through these phases and take such 'untoward' incidents in their stride.
Shoes have also been thrown at Indian leaders like L K Advani and P Chidambaram. Even there was an abortive attempt made to hurl a footwear at the Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh at an election rally in Ahmedabad.
A Sikh journalist Jarnail Singh threw his shoe towards Indian Home Minister P Chidambaram during a news conference at Congress headquarters in April, 2009. The Sikh journalist Mr. Jarnail was infuriated with Chidamabaram's answer to a question on the Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) clean chit to two Congress leaders, Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan Kumar, both accused for their role in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
A boot was also thrown at the former Australian Premier John Howard during a debate at Cambridge University in November, 2009. Mr. Howard was accused of being a 'racist' by the shoe-thrower.
So, Mr. Omar, you're not alone at all. And who can dare to say that you're alone?
New Delhi, the Indian Army, the CRPF, the J&K Police, your cabinet colleagues and the party members are all with you, rallying behind you; day in and day out.
'Only 4 million people are against you'
It is only that the opposition Peoples' Democratic Party [PDP] is not with you, the separatist Hurriyat Conference is against you, majority of Kashmiri lawyers and journalists are not with you and some four million 'miscreant' inhabitants of hapless Kashmir Valley are against you, rest everything is for you, of you, by you and with you!
Mr. Omar, this is not a big challenge for you, as long as you can continue giving 'shoot at sight' orders to silence these 'miscreants' very few in number!I wonder did we ever had such a 'humane', 'tolerant' and 'competitive' Chief Minister in recent history?" I salute you Mr. Omar Abdullah!
Only people are against you, their slogans against you, shoes against you; but 'hats off' to your 'concentration' levels, 'courage', 'tolerance' and 'resilience' not to give up power! You're so 'powerless' while being in power, what will happen to you if you are 'out of power'?
Thank you our 'great', 'popular' and 'tolerant' leader, Mr. Omar Abdullah!

(Gowhar Geelani is a Kashmiri journalist based in Bonn, Germany since 2006; where he works for Deutsche Welle [Voice of Germany] as Editor. Feedback at gowhar geelani@gmail.com)

Lastupdate on : Mon, 16 Aug 2010 21:30:00 Mecca time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 16 Aug 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 17 Aug 2010 00:00:00 IST