During the recent court appearance of sixteen teenagers slapped with Public Safety Act, the Police took the plea that these kids were waging War against India with stones. The Judge refused to buy the argument and remanded the kids to judicial custody. Incidentally, before the advent of modern civilisation, the human beings used to wage War against each other with sticks and stones only! The stone pelting wave among the kids who are in reality the “Children of Turmoil” seems to be assuming menacing proportions all over the valley. The children seem to have taken a cue from the Palestinian Intifada where similar kids are waging a continuous struggle against the mighty forces of Israel. However, the Israelis seem to be more trained and sophisticated in handling the uprising than their counter parts here. There has been a continuous debate going on about stone pelting and its repercussions for last couple of years. In fact, the phenomenon started with the suppression of the marches taken out during the Amarnath Land Agitation in 2008. The peaceful marches had represented a paradigm shift in the attitude of the youth which the authorities in Delhi failed to appreciate. It was for the first time in last two decades that the youth had realised that the gun was not a solution to the problems of Kashmiris. They tried to express their aspirations through peaceful marches. One would have thought that the marches would ultimately result in a dialogue for the authorities by opening a channel to the restive youth. On the contrary the authorities came down with a heavy hand. It seemed the hardliners in the establishment had the upper hand! The result was the Intifada type of resistance which spread like a wild fire throughout the valley. In fact, a competition ensued in giving calls for marches by the leaders of the movement and the imposition of “Undeclared Curfew” by the authorities to prevent these. The leaders of the movement realised that the government is uncomfortable with millions marching on the valley streets asking for “Azadi”. Thus for them the best weapon to ensure suppression and untold misery for the common masses was just to give a call for a march regardless of the destination. Similarly, the “Children” also realised that in spite of a total clamp down the agitation can be carried on through sporadic stone pelting getting worldwide media coverage.

It has been reported that over 1500 security personnel have been injured in stone pelting so far. Somehow, for some unknown reasons Delhi seems to always adopt a wrong approach to problems in Kashmir. Last 60 years’ history somehow makes Delhi appear as the mother of all ills in Kashmir. At the moment there is hype for getting 5,000 or so “stranded” youth from across the border back to Kashmir as a “Healing Touch”. They too had been waging a War but of a more violent kind. If now these youth have by conviction realised the futility of violence and want to come back and get rehabilitated, they must be facilitated. So far so good! But, what about over half a million restive youth in Kashmir itself? The only solution the government has thought about them is to convert them into slaves of the government with a dole of few hundred rupees. In fact, this getting government dole “mindset” has taken such strong roots that some of the youth offered lucrative IT jobs in private sector outside the state have refused these in preference to rupees 1500 of a “Rehbar” this, that, and the other! A government job even at the lowest and an uncertain level appears to be the best social security anyone can get in Kashmir these days. One does not have to work at all and gets paid every month for doing nothing.

Now coming back to the “Children of Turmoil”, who are these? These are the kids who were born and brought up in last two decades of upheaval and uncertainty in Kashmir. Their upbringing has been in the shadow and sounds of rockets, grenades, AK 47, and armoured cars of the security forces. In early nineties, the children had learnt to differentiate between the sound of a rocket launcher, grenade explosion, AK 47, and an SLR! They have been a witness to the worst kind of oppression with bloodshed in Kashmir’s history. Why do they hate India so much? Well, for them India is represented by a uniformed security person with a gun irrespective of the fact whether he is from CRPF, BSF, ITBP, or RR (Rashtria Rifles). To him the image of India is a soldier with a cocked gun facing him at every corner and check point. He does not know what India is all about? Apart from bollywood films and cricket, the electronic media has been bombarding him with the continuous propaganda that every Indian Muslim is suspected to be a militant or a terrorist and every Kashmiri Muslim is claimed to be definitely a militant or a terrorist! The bulk of the Indian Civil Society has failed to come to his rescue in this turmoil. Yes, they have been coming to Kashmir for dialogue and interaction but only with the known “Leaders” and the elite Civil Society here. The “Child” waging war with stones has remained untouched by them. There have been many attempts to start a dialogue with the “Leaders” who practically seem to have become irrelevant in the present context. In fact, it was recently reported that some unknown youngsters had addressed a press conference in down town terming these “Leaders” as the “Indian Agents” and declaring that they are unwanted! These people had also announced to continue the agitation endlessly at all costs. Kashmir may be witnessing growth of a totally new leadership. More determined and uncompromising than the earlier ones.

There is off and on media reportage about infiltration going up and down. The government gets often scared about the news of the Taliban coming to Kashmir from Afghanistan or Waziristan. However, they do not seem to be concerned with the fact that the Taliban are growing here indigenously. Government may succeed in completely stopping physical infiltration but what about the infiltration of ideas? There are no machines or jammers which can stop the flow of ideas. The ideas assume dangerous proportions when these find a fertile ground to grow and disseminate. In early nineties Kashmiri youth had to cross the LOC to get training and arms. However, even after getting these the rebellious spirit had not taken root in their minds. Now, the reverse has happened. The events of the last two decades have infused the minds of the present youth with an unflinching rebellious spirit. They need not cross the LOC for training and weapons. They are much more difficult to handle especially if they have decided to “Wage War with Stones!” Delhi should be more worried about these youth than a few thousand stranded across or the so called “Leaders” having the best of everything on this side of the line! There was a news item that Srinagar may be completely flooded in 2015. However, if the suppressed emotions and sentiments keep on rising, these may get unleashed as a flood much earlier through the “Children of Turmoil” washing away all the processes, the bridges, and the tracks built so far. PC has to somehow also find a channel soon to stem the fury of this flood which does not even have a line to cross!