New Delhi's silence on the recent killings in Kashmir is painful. Of course, Kashmir does figure in their parliament debate, but the silence is deep rooted at a different level. What is happening here is sure a cycle of violence which can beget violence only. But who should take the responsibility to keep it from spinning out of control and whose responsibility it actually is. Even if there may be an element of trouble-mongers present in the crowd which have the power to cause disruption, but does that exonerate government from the fundamental duty to protect its citizens. If their own explanation is held tenable for a moment, still they can't wash the stains of the blood they have at their hands. While dealing with a pack of law-breakers, you can't punish all. That is where authority to use force comes with a duty to save lives. If `maximum restraint' means fifty killings, what would minimum mean to us?

The overwhelming feeling here is that New Delhi treats Kashmir as a battle ground. Therein lies the whole rub. Concerned, they might be about the mayhem that has devoured human lives here, but their concern seems to be political, not human. How many more human bodies are to be ripped off, that will be considered as the unavoidability of a law and order restoration policy. Tomorrow the situation will limp back to normal. Material loss will be made up. Markets will boom again. Time lost in education too will be compensated. But, what can't be had back is a human life. Whenever tragedy strikes Kashmir, politicians and media analysts in New Delhi focus more on holding back a Kashmir which they think is slipping away. That for you necessitates the use of brute force paradoxically against whom you call `your own people'. Primary question loses to a secondary concern. Guarding human lives figures next, it's guarding integrity of the state that makes you run riot. Your priority may be to get back a lost peace, but measures you opt for are tyrannous. Sending more troops, to you means doing more to restore law and order. But to a common Kashmiri it is nothing but a war offensive which he feels has been launched against him. If Sonia Gandhi urges her machinery to deal with toughness, she may simply be fulfilling the requirements of statecraft, how it turns out on the ground is for all to see and lament on. That is why fifty lives lost, six hundred bodies, wounded is not a tragedy sufficient to be called shocking.

The second spell of silence was successfully broken by Syed Ali Shah Geelani. That is where the courage of a leader plays its part. His statement that Kashmiris are oppressed and must not become oppressors hits the mark. Urging people to desist from destroying public property was badly needed. He confidently offered himself for a peaceful demonstration provided they let people assemble at Eid Gah. Here Geelani, not only held a moral high, but quite intelligently threw the ball back into their court. Late though, but act he did. Just a point to pocket for him. If others suggest the same which also aims at averting destruction, why suspect them?

Provocations from either side result in bloodshed. If Geelani could dare to restrain his people from doing anything provocative, it must be reciprocated by the state by keeping their law enforcing machinery under a tight leash. But that doesn't seem to happen.

This cycle of silence is ghastlier than the cycle of violence. The latter everyone is so concerned about and everyone wants it to end, but the former is self-deceiving. Delhi thinks that by a selective condemnation they are going to twist the things their own way. By patting your forces for `fighting in a difficult condition' no matter it means crushing an eight year old innocence, you can only add dead to the dead. On the other side, by being silent on any ignition provided by the public we can do nothing different. This cycle of silence that starts from justifying unwarranted use of force from any side wreaks havoc and it has done so. Now if Geelani takes the initiative of breaking it from this side, mere talk offer from Home Minister won't do.  Let them break it by having guilty punished. Unpunished, they will again go berserk. And the cycle will go on. Endlessly.

Lastupdate on : Sat, 7 Aug 2010 21:30:00 Mecca time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 7 Aug 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sun, 8 Aug 2010 00:00:00 IST