Events which have unfurled during the past few months havepushed people of Kashmir to the wall. They are being made to believe as if theyare not a part of the country and they have to prove their loyalty in one orother way.
History stands testimony to the fact in 1947 Kashmirileaders preferred secular India over Muslim Pakistan. Since then there has beenno looking back and Kashmiri people have been strengthening their bonds withthe country.
Kashmiris who can afford have purchased properties across thecountry. Their children are studying in top educational institutions indifferent states. People who say that Kashmiris don’t identify themselves withIndia are misleading the nation. The fact is that Kashmiris are spread acrossthe country and have got adjusted everywhere, for them every state is a secondhome.
It’s unfortunate that a section of a media has launched avicious campaign against the people of Kashmir and its out to demonizeKashmiris. Since the day Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, led government hascracked the whip on the 5% people whose only job was to foment trouble in theValley stone pelting incidents and street protests have declined. The remaining95% population in Kashmir has heaved a sigh of relief as there are no frequentshutdown calls and unnecessary violence.
The section of media that survives on Kashmir bashing shouldstop this malicious propaganda against Kashmiris, who are fed up ofviolence.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh during his recent visit toJammu and Ladakh regions made it clear that the government led by the PrimeMinister Narendra Modi has devised a road map to resolve Kashmir issue with orwithout talks. On the other hand the Government of India is formulating acomprehensive policy to rehabilitate displaced Kashmiri Pandits in the Valley.Steps are being taken to revive the composite culture of Kashmir. This culturehad taken a hit after the onset of militancy in early nineties. KPs fleeingKashmir created a vacuum and one hopes that they will return and fill in thevoid.
Barring a few every Kashmiri wants Pandits to return. In2015 when the PDP-BJP government made an attempt to bring the Kashmiri Panditsback, separatists raised hue and cry and opposed their settlement in separatecolonies. The then government came under pressure and shelved the proposal.
Now the time has changed as the people who had opposed theresettlement of KPs and had threatened stir are themselves in a quandary due tothe National Investigating Agency (NIA) tightening its noose around them.
Situation in Kashmir is changing fast as the violence is ondecline. People are hoping that peace prevails and normalcy returns so thatthey are able to live their lives without any disturbance.
The media, which is out to portray Kashmiris as “villains”and is issuing veiled threats to people of Kashmir needs to realize that it’sdoing big disservice to the nation. The media needs to make people of Kashmircomfortable rather than making them insecure.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made it amply clear on manyoccasions that his government wants to take everyone along to build a newIndia. It’s unfortunate that some people with vested interests want tocommunalize the situation and are projecting the things in a different way.They seem to have forgotten that India is a secular country and its peoplecannot be divided on the basis of caste, creed, colour and religion.
People of Kashmir deserve respite and they should be treatedat par with other citizens of the country. They cannot be denied their basicrights just on one or other pretext. They should be allowed to move freely andcarry on with their daily chores without any interruptions. People who arehandling Kashmir at present seem to have realised that everyone in Kashmir isnot an extremist and the Valley mostly comprises of moderate people, who duringall these years remained silent due to one or another reason. Perception aboutKashmiris needs to change and media has to play an important role. It (media)cannot act irresponsibly and push people away. Fringe elements need to bear inmind that it’s the people who matter and not the land.
(The writer is a former Journalist and member of JK YouthAlliance)