While army is enjoying impunity under AFSPA and its bullets are deemed to be more pious than those of the militants, the amnesty under AFSPA seems to have been extended to the killers of eight year old Aasifa in Kuthua. It looks so strange and disgusting that Jammuties came out not only to seek justice for Damini, a rape and murder victim from Delhi, but created havoc in streets of Jammu seeking ban on film Padmaavat, claiming it to be doing so for honour and dignity of women, but not even a single voice coming out in support of Aasifa from this land. Neither Damini could become Aasifa nor could the streets of Jammu witness any sympathy with the Kathua teenager. Aasifa will never return back but her brutal murder has exposed the champions of women and juvenile rights all over India.
On the other hand while hue and cry over lodging FIR against Army over Shopian killings was still on, tons of world class trout fish died in North Kashmir’s Langate, where water had got contaminated with phenyl formate getting spilled into drinking water of Mawer Nallah thus also putting lives of thousands of human beings to risk. It took locals few minutes to find out the truth which revealed that army of 17 Inf. Brigade Nowgam had poured a barrel full of phenyl formate in a drain and the poisonous substance had mixed with the main Nallah thus causing the hawk. When I, as a public representative, asked civil and police administration to take action in the matter and lodge FIR against Army, they did their best to defend Army. From Divisional Commissioner to concerned SHO everybody was intentionally lying as nobody dared to take on army, most probably for the reason that they were under the threat that army is enjoying impunity under AFSPA. It was really a tough task for me to ensure that justice is done to some extent and sentiments and rights of the people in the area are protected but for that truth had to be revealed. Finally we succeeded in persuading administration that Army is having impunity under AFSPA to kill humans under suspicious circumstances but not the animals. The argument worked out and finally all those who matter realized and agreed to the fact that army cannot give any excuse whatsoever to justify the massacre of trout fish in Nallah.
The deadlock ended with army offering unconditional apology, promising to compensate the loss and police lodging FIR over the issue. It may not sound good to compare Shopian incident with contaminating water in Mawer Nallah but there is a strong message and lesson to be learnt from the two incidents. Army is not afraid of killings humans but has to face the consequences if it kills animals even without any intention. It is better to be an animal in Kashmir than a human being for the reason that your rights and life is much more secure if you are even a wild beast rather a human being. While army deserves appreciation for offering unconditional apology over death of trout fish, but having no regrets over butchering small kids in Shopian is an ample proof of how things have turned upside down in Kashmir. The dogs are at liberty to ruthlessly attack kids, men, women and everyone coming their way in every nook and corner of Kashmir and nobody can dare speak a word against the dogs.
While efforts are on to bury the justice in the coffin of national interest in Shopian, it gives a lot of pain to dare to say that Aasifa couldn’t become India’s Damini for the reason that she belonged to who she belonged to; hapless Muslims of this state. She has been completely disowned by the majority population in Jammu and the wheels of justice seem to have stopped. While Indian TV channels are adding salt to the injuries of families of deceased kids every evening, a real miscreant killed in Kishan Gunj UP is emerging as a hero for the radical elements and his family is being offered security cover. A man with some conscience would love to be a fish, a dog or even a beast rather a human being In Kashmir for self explanatory reasons, as at least its life and self respect would remain intact.