In the face of acute tensions, curfews and high civilian casualties during the last two months in Kashmir, the people of the Valley have set a great example of communal amity and brotherhood. One of the biggest signs of that could be seen from the fact that over 3.5 lakh Hindu pilgrims have visited the Amarnath shrine – their logistics and local hospitality being facilitated by Kashmiri Muslims even in the face of personal risks. What also stands out as a shining example of the Kashmiris’ strong belief in religious tolerance is the fact that thousands of outside tourists continued to visit the Valley throughout this period. Even as the whole Srinagar and other parts of the Valley witness curfews and public demonstrations, the tourist traffic to and from the Srinagar International Airport didn’t face any trouble. There has not been a single incident of any harassment or inconvenience to the tourists despite the fact that the locals’ suffering has been colossal. There is another rich facet of this in Kashmir. Thousands of non-local and non-Muslims continue to study and work in Kashmir’s educational institutions, organized and unorganized sectors. Then there are the local religious minorities which continue to live side by side with their majority Muslim brethren in all the situations. What needs to be appreciated is the fact that religious minorities in Kashmir, like those from the Pandit and Sikh communities, do not live in separate and secluded ghettos, but rather in mixed neighborhoods in both rural and urban areas of the Valley. In this backdrop, the unfortunate incident of a tiff between a Sikh youth and some locals in Awantipora area on Thursday, leading to a scuffle and the condemnable behaviour towards the Sikh youth needs both the communities to act with utmost maturity. At many occasions in the past, both the communities have acted with great wisdom in defeating the nefarious designs of those forces which want to communalize any political mobilization in Kashmir. In the past, both the communities have realized that there may be extraneous forces at work to create a communal wedge between the two communities to benefit their own designs. And the result has been a sustained cordial relationship between the communities. The Awantipora incident demands a response which, apart from addressing the hurt of the Sikh community, also serves to de-escalate the tensions rather than escalating them further. An ideal de-escalation would require a joint meeting of the parties involved in the incident facilitated by the elders of both the communities and restoration of understanding between the two parties in the area. That would also help in containing any ill feelings among the majority community members in case of a harsh and excessive punishment. In a nutshell, the ultimate aim should be to restore the confidence among the two communities in the area, while, at the same time, ensure some degree of punishment to the perpetrators of this incident. The current circumstances in Kashmir demand a highly mature response by all the communities. It is a well known fact that the protesting mobs on the streets are harsh to members of the majority community in case they feel that their program of protest has been violated. Senior leaders of the separatist movement, respectable citizens, journalists etc. routinely face the anger of protesting mobs. As such it is essential to guard against any provocative act which could lead to any unpleasant consequence. The nature and content of the protests needs a fair degree of understanding. The present political mobilization in Kashmir is in no way communal in its acts or demands. However, extra care needs to be taken on this count as the majority community is always considered as the guardian of the minority communities. Kashmiri Muslims must remain committed to the safety, security and dignity of all the religious minorities here like ever before. This is what our Muslim tradition has taught us. Further the very treatment that the subject of minority has been given in our Islamic teachings can be a guiding light in the kind of times that we live in.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 30 Jul 2010 21:30:00 Mecca time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 30 Jul 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 31 Jul 2010 00:00:00 IST