In January this year Sopur was "elevated" to police district status, though the demand of people, from across political and idealogical divide, was to make the apple town a separate administrative district. The demand was long over due and thoroughly genuine. But whereas comparatively much smaller towns were upgraded to districts, the city of live-hearted, valiant and energetic people was denied its rightful share in the administration. Accessibility to higher officials, disposal of cases and redressal of grievance in the shortest possible time were counted as factors motivating authorities to take the decision `in the interest of people'. It is not difficult to read the intention behind this "bonhomie". After all, as I mentioned in my write-up 'Sopur phobia' some months before, the parameters that the administration set up for police district in Sopur duly apply here. Sopur too merits to be given an administrative district status. Infact, creation of a separate  administrative district  in itself paves way for raising police to district level position, with all power and paraphernalia. Since that is not  the concern of the government, Sopur has to be policised. To make them "civilized". After all, public administrations, with teenage youth at the front, do not fall in the ambit of "civilizational" norms. The goddess of democracy is aghast of such "road shows" at  now. It is not election time so it wants a 'sound' sleep at now. A grave yard silence. A four-walled privacy.

 Whether during 'Quit Kashmir Movement' against Dogra Maharaja Hari Singh's autocratic rule, or, 'plebiscite movement' spearheaded by National Conference from 1953 to 1975 or afterwards Sopur has had the  honor of remaining the strong bastion of pro-Azadi forces. When lust for power atrophied Sheikh Abdullah's commitment for plebiscite and NC smeared 22 years of its 'plebiscite movement' as 'political waywardness' (Siyasee Awaragardee), the lone dissent voice of NC in the fragile bony frame of Sofi Muhammad Akbar emerged from Sopur and got immortalized in the pages of history. He did not become a party in the 'sell-out'. Syed Ali Shah Geelani who at present  is regarded as a symbol of resistance because of his steadfastness and unwavering commitment for the cause hails from the Sopur. This sort of backdrop gives Sopur and Soporians a typical "place value" in the political landscape of turbulent Kashmir and which, in the eyes of ruling dispensations, "demands" a 'special treatment' bordering on political  vendetta, discrimination, indifference and negligence. People of Sopur have continued to be at the receiving end right from Sheikh to the rule of his grandson Omar Abdullah. Remember even when Sopur deserved to have a Central University campus and was the most suitable destination for this after both  Central and South Kashmir were having two universities, one each, the town was omitted out. This despite the claims that democracies do not discriminate people on political ideologies.

 New Delhi has reinforced two thousand paramilitary BSF troopers to 'maintain law and order' and put at bay 'anti national elements'. (As if seven lakh troops armed with AFSPA were unable to control the mass uprising).

Tale the recent episode that resulted in innocent killings in the town. An official  statement, one can expect, has to be authentic and credible. On the contrary, it lacked veracity and was a fabricated version of actual incident. Significantly, even the PRO CRPF Prabakar Triphati issued two contradictory statements. First  one putting blame on 'mob' for setting fire a gypsy, soon to be retracted by the second (the latest) showing 'crowd firing upon CRPF troopers' (GK: June 25, 2010)

 The fact of the matter was that soon after the encounter ended and forces personnel lifted the siege hundreds of people, mainly youth, took to streets raising pro-freedom slogans. They were demanding bodies of two slain militants killed earlier in a gunfight with troopers at Krankshiva. One of the two slain militant, Abdul Quyoom Najar hailed from Muma Kak Sopur. The other unidentified was perhaps a foreigner. As two decades long turmoil reveals post encounter sites, residential places and other structures where militants are holed up  into rubbles and destructions of property to fuel anti-India sentiments. Local component (of slain militant(s) beloging to the area) adds to flare up emotions. The two unarmed civilians, Shakeel Ahmad  and Firdous Ahmad  were killed by the CRPF when they fired on the processions, one at Chankhan area, another at Jamia Qadeem. (GK June 26) quoting eye witnesses reports : 'As soon as the gypsy of Commandment 177 Batallion CRPF, returning from the encounter site, passed through the Chankhan area, the youth tried to stop the vehicle, the paramilitary troopers resorted to indiscriminate firing. One of the youth, Shakeel Ahmad Ganie  of Lalad Sopur died on the spot and several others were injured. The angry protestors staged massive protests and set ablaze a CRPF gypsy near Chakhan bridge. The CRPF troopers opened fire on another procession at Jamia Qadeem, when they tried to proceed towards the encounter spot'.

 This was not the first time army, para-military forces or troops were accused of 'indiscriminate firing' on unarmed protestors. Leave aside the trail of death and destruction before  Omar Abdullah rode to "glory" of power on the pledge of 'learning from past mistakes', his regime has left scars wide open, with each killing exposing the regime's helplessness. Kick starting from Bomai Zainagair to this year's 'teenage killing' (as some analysts put it), the life of Kashmiri bids for 'one lakh' ex gratia. Do we need to quote NC leader and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Ali Sagar to substantiate what is self-evident. That, as minister screamed, 'these troopers have become be-lagaam?' In this climate of impunity why should have LeT militants 'sneaked in' the procession and opened fire on the troopers. In a land where pelting stones unleashes  tsunami of retaliation, or when even blooming innocence of Zahids, Wamiqs, Tufails trigger predatory instincts in some "rogue troopers" (to buy a phrase from The Hindu editorial) it is unbelievable that Kashmiris can court this suicide.The contradiction in CRPF's statement in itself is the testimony to authenticity of the allegation.

 The growing wave of condemnation by pro-Indian groups from both PDP and NC (Sagar's remark) and human rights groups, in particular, Amnesty International unnerved India. Home minister's stateœment where he puts the buck on militants and Pakistan for 'fomenting  trouble in valley' , is a clear manifestation of the 'worry' that has caught Indian establishment. Nothing can be more ridiculous than the attempt to put the blame on Pakistan or LeT for the new resurgent phase of peaceful agitation. In a couple of weeks dozens of the youth have fallen to the bullets of Indian troops and police personnel.
 And world knows, so does new Delhi, that the movement is all indigenous. 'Of, 'by' and 'for' the people of Kashmir.

 Tail-piece:- Amitab Barva, the Director of BBC Hindi service, in an interview with Nayeema Ahmad Mehjoor on 3rd Of July (Saturday) said: the 'simmering lava  of anger' is venting out through 'legitimate protest' by Kashmiris and he does not see any 'foreign hand' behind the agitation which is 'spontaneous like 2008'. Ours might, perhaps, be dumped as "stereotypical" comments of a Kashmiri. But can people like Barva be "fixed" in that frame?

(The author can be mailed at zaiangiree@yahoo.co.in  

Lastupdate on : Thu, 15 Jul 2010 21:30:00 Mecca time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 15 Jul 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 16 Jul 2010 00:00:00 IST