Ah ha, servants claim to be masters---“will talk as owners, not salves”--- what a joke? The clowns previously were able to amuse the public, now it seems the poor fellows have even lost that sense of humour also. Situation moreover anti-people antics of so called moderates have rendered them completely irrelevant. Whatever the clowning around they will never be able to create any long term or defining impact on the Kashmir conflict, anymore.   Yet some friends feel immensely intrigued; why the leaders are going to Pakistan? Is another Kashmir sell-off in the making? Few fellow columnists having been witness to many high-profile betrayals in the past seem to be genuinely alarmed over the forthcoming visit of some irrelevant politicians to Pakistan. Still very humbly I differ with these colleagues, who have needlessly devoted many columns on a visit that merits hardly a mention. Some may tersely ask am I not doing the same. Yes to an extent the criticism may be justified that an unnecessary attention is being paid to a (absolutely) non-issue. Please forgive me for that gratuitous indulgence. But I have a saner purpose. The real motive here is to soothe the highly disturbed nerves.     
Who are these leaders? Even Sheikh Abdullah could not bury the Kashmir cause. This fact has been reiterated rather many times in the past at this very space. Still we are indulging in nerve-wrecking discourse as if the leaders are so colossal an entity that they can sell Kashmir for a song. One can sell only an object if he has the possession of that. Who possesses the freedom movement of Kashmir? None. Not even mighty India. Indeed India is quite capable of suppressing the sentiments, but it can never own the Kashmiri sentiments. For that matter so-called friendly country Pakistan cannot control the innate sublime Kashmiri longings. Our dreams are our own and they belong to us only.
Magnificent dreams of a people belongs to people only, they can never be destroyed. Nor they are a tradable commodity where a trade-off could be made possible. Who can sell my dreams, my desire, my hopes, my longings for a better tomorrow? Let us ask ourselves this question. In case I am resolute enough, determined to pursue my gaol, come what may, who can defeat me? Is there a power howsoever mighty that can forcibly snatch my yearnings? It is very much possible to chain a salve. But to deprive him of his laughter, who can claim to accomplish that unattainable a feat? Not even mightiest of the mighty power can claim to be capable of doing that. To even think about that is foolhardy. 
It’s not poetry; the chronicle of human endeavours is such a moving collective experience that for a moment it looks to be simply extraordinary beyond the realm of ordinary comprehension.  Yet it is the small man that only scales the length of a Mt. Everest. It’s the human mind only that makes possible a space-walk. Even if merchants of death are desperate to sell the dreams if I am willing to collaborate then only they can seal a deal. If they don’t have the people’s mandate, that surely is the case; they can only sully their own conscience.  Yet we ordinary mortals are so weak that a small temptation here or a little fear there can make us falter. It is not the leaders who can sell the cause. It’s only our weak resolve that can melt even at a little heat that’s enough for the butter to liquefy.   
To sum up, we just need to realize a little fact. Provided we are unwilling to become a sellable commodity, nobody can trade us off. And in case we are ever-prepared to be chained who can make us free. In such a hopeless situation even our creator will not come to our rescue; nature helps only those who are willing to help themselves. There is no need to be fearful of the leaders; we just need to drive out our wicked temptations. And be rest assured in the present age of unprecedented information flow, it is not possible to mask a sell-off as a bona fide conflict resolution process.  
The dumpy leader “wants Pakistan to legitimize Kashmir as a third party”. What a travesty, if we don’t believe in ourselves how come Pakistan can turn us into an entity. No outside power can grant us the will. We only have to rise from the ashes. Provided we are ready to grant ourselves an honourable status then only Azadi is possible. Battleground is not the real battlefield; war is within between our determination, to stand-up before the adversary or else to crawl as a useless creature unable to resist the subjugation. The nation that’s incapable of appreciating the real spirit of resistance and struggle can never attain freedom. Alas, we don’t fear the leaders; actually we are not sure of ourselves. That’s the reason why every six months we cry a wolf; a sell-off is in the offing. Let us believe ourselves, then there will be no sell-off. Who says leaders usher in a change, it’s the force of an idea that makes people to generate a revolution. And sincere leaders are simply the agents of that idea. Let’s work to strive for an idea of real freedom.  

(Feedback at firdoussyed@yahoo.com)

Lastupdate on : Fri, 7 Dec 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 7 Dec 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 8 Dec 2012 00:00:00 IST