Jamia desecration, outrageous!

Masked youth desecrating the pulpit of Srinagar’s Jamia Masjid has triggered outrage in the Valley. Everyone has denounced the act. It’s unfortunate that few youth driven by unknown forces entered the mosque and waived ISIS flags at the pulpit of the mosque. No one knows what they wanted to prove?

They ensured that they shoot a video and put it on the social media. The video went viral and shocked everyone.

   

Chairman of Hurriyat Conference (M) Mirwaiz Umar Farooq led the cleaning drive of the mosque to send a clear message that such acts won’t cow down the people of Kashmir and such attempts won’t be tolerated.

The desecration of the grand mosque has provided “masala” to the New Delhi based news channels and media to castigate the separatist leaders in Kashmir and to blame them (separatists) for the “radicalization” of the Kashmiri youth.

It’s unfortunate that a group of misguided youth made an attempt to desecrate the Jamia Masjid which has remained the centre of Kashmir’s political activities for the past so many years. We as a society have to put our heads together and look into the causes which have turned our younger generation so indifferent towards the issues and places which are of great importance to us.

A vicious propaganda has been launched against the people of Kashmir that they are “hate mongers” and derive “sadistic pleasure” by indulging in violence. This misinformation campaign has led to every Kashmiri becoming a suspect. 

Kashmiri youth and businessmen who go to other states are treated as “second grade” citizens and their every step is watched as the perception has been created that anyone from Kashmir could prove “dangerous” and can do anything.

Attempt made by some miscreants to desecrate the Jamia Masjid has been blown out of proportion and some people are stating that the “hate preachers” have tasted the dose of their own medicine. It’s strange that the Kashmiri leaders who are asking New Delhi to fulfill its promise which it made in 1947 have been labeled as “hate preachers.”  Kashmiri youth are being demonized as they are advocating that people of Kashmir should be given a chance to decide their future.  

If New Delhi really wants peace to prevail in Kashmir it has to show some flexibility and address the root-cause of the conflict. Beating around the bush would lead to more confrontation and bloodshed.  

New Delhi’s stand is clear that Kashmir is a “settled issue” and no talks can be held over it. People sitting in Delhi see Kashmir as a “law and order problem” which can be tackled by the security agencies. For them Kashmir has no political dimension. They need to come out of illusions and see what’s happening in the Valley. Youth have been pushed to  wall and they are giving vent to their feelings in different ways. Some have picked up arms, some throw stones, some prefer to assemble near the encounter sites despite knowing that death is dancing around them. This anger and alienation needs to be addressed rather than putting the entire blame on the outside elements. 

A group of youth that entered Jamia Masjid to make their “presence felt” did cross the line but we need to identify the elements, who instigated them to enter inside the grand mosque and shoot a video after that. The main aim of the desecration attempt was to provoke the people and trigger a “sectarian” clash in Kashmir but the people of the Valley acted responsibly and did not allow the elements to succeed in their nefarious designs.They remained patient and condemned the act collectively.

Desecration attempt should also serve as an eye opener for all of us. We have to inculcate the moral values among our youth and have to make them understand that religious places are of great importance.  We need to tell them that they cannot indulge in such acts as this hurts the sentiments of their own people. Ideologies can be different but the places of worship are same and these need to be respected.

(Javaid Malik is Senior Editor Greater Kashmir) 

malikjavaid123@gmail.com

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