If government of India wants to win over the ‘hearts and minds’ of Kashmiri people, the draconian law must go
Ravi Nitesh
The valley of Kashmir is burning; people are shouting slogans against state government, mourning the death of kids, teenagers and women. The security forces are on killing spree. Schools, colleges and educational institutes are closed for three months now, people are denied from their basic amenities.
The levels of insecurity have risen to new heights. The situation reveals that people who are on streets aren’t confused instead it is a revolution which is spreading like a jungle fire. People are ready to give everything even their lives for the cause of freedom. Now the question arises why this demand? In fact, it is just because India and state government have failed to win over the hearts and minds of people and security forces are continuously violating the basic human rights in Kashmir. J&K has special status as per Article 370 of Indian constitution but if anger, hate and dissatisfaction still persist it means something is grossly wrong with the approach and method. If we try to look in history we will find that the main reason of present situation is AFSPA. Security forces, especially India Army, are violating human rights. We have already found the proofs of fake and illegal killings, encounters, rape and bonded labour by security forces. Apart from that, it is violation of right to deploy army into civil areas for long time. It was not war like situation there but government has not tried for removal of Army. It is affecting badly on psychology of people there, especially on children and women. Now, people are feeling insecure because of their presence. If government really care for people of Kashmir there is a need to relocate the forces to border areas and hand over the internal control to J&K police. It may help to cool down the anger of common people. Armed forces should have some powers to maintain law and order in civil areas but it should not be at the cost of human lives. Force is no solution to maintain law and order, approach should be flexible and less forceful such as protection through police, civil defence etc.
Removal of AFSPA is the primary need of valley. Though CCS has not found any decision on this issue but still a hope is there and its now matter of New Delhi's courage and strategies that how it will arrange it.
Author is a Petroleum Engineer, Social Activist and can be reached at www.ravinitesh.blogspot.com.
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(Published in Rising Kashmir, daily english newspaper of J&K, dated 24 SEPTEMBER 2010)
www.risingkashmir.com/news/remove-afspa-1687.aspx
