2008-an eventful year in kashmir

As I Replaced the calendar of 2008 by a new one, I started to mull over the events that unfolded on the political front of the state of Jammu & Kashmir in the year bygone. It was an eventful year with political pendulum swinging between the two extremes of total azadi and the popular elections within the Indian constitution. Political pundits throughout the year were left guessing about the turn of events.Amarnath land row awakened the entire Kashmiri population from the deep slumber and it seemed that the whole nation had understood the imperialistic designs of India and the role its stooges are playing in this regard. For the first time, we saw Indian news channels debating azadi for Kashmir. Million marches were conceived as referendum by Kashmiri people for azadi by none other than the likes of Arundhati Roy, Gautum Navlakha and others who are considered as saner voices within the Indian intelligentia.Seeing the sea of people submerging all the myths of fatigue and reconciliation, the so called moderates in freedom camp joined the extremists in the resurgent kashmiri uprising for freedom. Even those who were readying their party workers at the gross root level for participation in the forthcoming assembly elections, were forced to join the bandwagon. Although the kashmiri people forced the leadership to share the stage but the difference in the thoughts surfaced as an open secret.Geelani’s claim of leadership and the subsequent apologies generated a confusion in the masses and the people in general were left wondering whether their leaders are representing the nation or trying to score points over their rivals within the freedom camp. Initially the government didn’t do anything to stop the mass uprising as they didn’t expect that people in such large numbers would storm the streets of the valley and it was not only the government which was taken by surprise but the political leaders across their ideologies were also stunned by this behavior of the people. At the peak of this uprising the common people were only waiting for the programs of Coordination committee and suddenly we saw the abandonment of the whole uprising when the people were asked to resume their routine work. This was followed by the curfews and strict measures to thwart any attempt to continue this struggle. Real Indian behavior of muzzling the popular voice came to the fore. Tens of youth were killed and hundreds are still nursing their wounds. A number of them have been left handicapped for the whole life. The cry for azadi and symbolic crushing of India and its puppets with famous ragda ragda was followed by short lull with everyone keeping the fingers crossed as to what was in store for future. Sensing the popular mood, even UJC, the conglomerate of militant groups, decided not to interfere in the assembly elections. The jails were filled up with the resistance leadership who had wowed to launch the election boycott compaign.Even Sajjad Lone gave the calls for long marches against elections although he later confessed that he was not personally convinced by the boycott call but joined only to show solidarity with the leadership of CC.I wonder how a leader was going to convince others for doing something which had not convinced his own mind.
Elections were seen as a risk by PDP and even the election commission except Dr Farooq who knew that the total boycott is going to give him back the lost throne of Kashmir. Everyone was expecting a total boycott as the cries of freedom were still reverberating in the streets of Kashmir. This made pro freedom leadership complacent in their approach. Although they charted out their programs of marches towards the areas of polling but that was perceived by the people just as slogans. In this modern world of information technology, one doesn’t need to reach everybody personally to communicate, print and electronic media does that and it is a fact that everybody knew what CC stands for and what the pro India parties stand for. The people have their priorities set and one thing was clear that since 1993 when the hurriyat conference came into being, it has failed to change the priorities of the people. It has also failed to establish its roots at the ground level. One can not convince the peole by doing closed-door meetings and issuing statements. All these years of struggle, have we seen any ground level workers of APHC, who could have reached to the people, understood their problems, and made a relationship with them? In such a situation politically immature peole have become receptive, they are taken for ride by anyone. Hollow promises of jobs, roads, electricity and even the 100 rupee notes draw them to the polling booths. Political emancipation through freedom can bring all these benefits to the people but who among the leaders has ever reached the people in the far flung areas and made them understand this. The people in general still believe that azadi is a far off dream and what they need are the basic needs for the living. We should ponder upon the trend in the polling where we have seen a sharp wedge between cities, towns and villages.
It is not the time to blame government of India and its agencies for everything that went wrong. They are in fact playing their cards well. When Sajjad Lone says that we should do the introspection, he is right but at the same time fuming in the press conferences and indulging in scathing attack on other leaders, shows the immaturity in his approach. When Mirwaiz named his teams for boycott compaign, he had Prof Gani for north Kashmir but professor sb flew to PAK and enjoyed the state guest status there. If the leaders are not determined for a cause, how can we blame the common illiterate people who cannot judge between wrong and right? People; of course have shown their political immaturity while negating their own cause of freedom for which they themselves have rendered countless sacrifices but it is the characteristic of the common people to get swayed away by anything unconsciously. Subjugation for a long time has also played an important role in determining the behavior of the people.
If India feels that it has overcome the separatist sentiment, it will be one more political blunder on its part as Sajjad Lone said that 1987 was followed by 89.The new elected government should remember that they were begging for votes separating the government formation from the resolution of Kashmir issue and they should not try to trespass their boundaries which they themselves have drawn during the election compaign.If they are true to their nation they must concentrate on the development of the state and let the pro freedom leadership strive for the resolution of the festering Kashmir issue. The pro freedom leaders must sit together and ponder upon the domestic as well as international dimensions of the movement, cut their exorbitant expenses on lavish lifestyle, live the life of the common peole, identify themselves with the poor and deprived people of the nation, bridge the gaps between them and the masses so that no anti movement element can force themselves in and take the advantage of the void, try to address the social, economic and political concerns of the people and above all reach a consensus on the strategy to move forward in the right direction. The movement has witnessed lots of setbacks but as long as the aspiration for the freedom lies in the hearts of the people, the movement for freedom is not going to die. We need to transform these emotions and aspirations into an institutionalized effort for our goal.