Srinagar, Aug 29: Where the current upheaval in the Valley has become the longest in J&K’s recent history, it has attained many more features breaking it apart from all past agitations.
According to noted historian Prof Fida Hasnain it is the first agitation in the history of J&K which is overwhelmingly and exclusively being spearheaded by young boys who are barely in their teens. “Unlike earlier agitations which were primarily led by elderly people, this uprising is being largely spearheaded by small boys with only a thin participation of elders.”
Prof Hasnain said it is because of this “youth factor” in the agitation that Union Home Minister P Chidambaram has expressed willingness to “reach out to the protestors.”
“This is the biggest change I find in this agitation, which you will find in no other uprising Kashmir has seen in the past,” he said, adding that resultantly it is for the first time that the central government had shown its readiness to talk to protestors and not to the leaders.
Apt to mention that while speaking at the inauguration of 45th conference of the chiefs of state police and central military forces in New Delhi, Chidambaram Wednesday conceded that the situation in J&K “has not returned to normal yet.”
While maintaining that the government had not been able to “stop the vicious cycle in which the state is caught,” Chidambaram said the government was looking for the “elusive starting point” to reach out to the protestors.
“It is my hope that in the next few days we will be able to find that elusive starting point from where we could reach out to the protestors, reassure them of their rights and dignity, restore peace and order, redeem the promises made, and restart the process of dialogue that will lead to a solution,” he added.
Prof Hasnain said the youth have become disenchanted with the leadership in Kashmir so they have taken the movement in their own hands.
On other distinctive marks this agitation has revealed, Prof Hasnain said: “It is for the first time in the recent history of Kashmir that Rapid Action Force and military have been pressed into service to quell the protests.”
According to poet and historian Zarief A Zarief there are several more distinctive marks of this agitation. “Week-long or 10-day long programs known as ‘hartal calendars’ being issued by the separatists for example is an invention that perhaps entire world would not have seen, not to talk of Kashmir,” Zarief said.
Another distinctive mark this agitation holds is ‘Chalo’. “Even as in some earlier agitations Chalo calls were being given, but they were not with such consistency and regularity. It is this agitation which has made chalo a part of the local lexicon.’
According to Zarief all these new forms of protests and agitations are a manifestation of “strong anti-India sentiment.”
Zarief said it is the first agitation which has spread to the month of Ramadan. “Earlier when there were agitations they rap up ahead of Ramadan. But this time this agitation has spread non-stop to the month of Ramadan as well.”
He said this agitation has brought “night markets” in Kashmir. “A large market activity, for example, sale of edibles, is being conducted during night hours. Days have become nights and vice versa,” he said.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 29 Aug 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 29 Aug 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 30 Aug 2010 00:00:00 IST