For over two months now the valley of Kashmir is facing a peculiar situation as regards day to day life of the people and the running of various services and facilities. There is a tug of war going on between the Union Home Ministry operating through the state government led by Omar Abdullah on one hand and the leaders spearheading the movement for “Azadi” as well as the irreconcilable angry youth on the other. The protest calendars issued by the Hurriyat leadership from time to time are more or less adhered to by the people at large faithfully. No one is prepared to take the risk of violating these directives as these have the backing of the angry youth! In fact, whenever there is some deficiency in ensuring the adherence to these directives, the same is remedied by the panic reaction of the government which for all purposes exists in name only. Most amusing aspect is the government honouring the weekly relaxation day fixed by the organisers of the movement regardless of the fact as to who they are? However, it is also clear that the leaders of the Hurriyat don’t have the last word. This is evident from the frequent changes in the calendar. They seem to be endorsing or modifying directives thought out by someone else? During this present period of turmoil which is now exceeds two months, entire business has remained closed. Schools and Colleges are closed. Most of the offices outside Secretariat are either closed or have very thin attendance. On curfew days these are totally closed. The number of official curfew days and hartals are almost equivalent to each other. In fact, the curfew days both declared and undeclared with the newest nomenclature of “restrictions” far exceed the hartal days. Public transport has virtually disappeared from the valley roads. There have been some unintentional plus points of the upheaval. One of the positive aspects of the present turmoil has been the lessening of pollution caused by the exhaust fumes of the vehicles. The Traffic Police too have taken an extended holiday and the mass uprising has solved all over traffic problems for the time being. However, they have lost a lucrative avenue of income! It is said that when human greed tries to destroy nature, it gives a violent back lash. This has been happening all over the world and is now called the “Climate Change!” In Kashmir, the people have been forced to give a break to the nature by involuntary stoppage of anti-nature activities. However, even in these difficult times, the forest smugglers are reported to be active. It is time, the people dealt with this menace also on their own so that at least our green gold is saved for the posterity.

Coming back to the present situation of governance there is a general feeling that this is the worst ever turmoil witnessed in Kashmir during the last two decades. No doubt the situation in early nineties in some respects was bloodier but then it was a two way conflict with guns and rockets. People were contented with the innumerable casualties suffered daily in armed encounters as well as in “collateral” damage. No body really complained and took everything in their stride as part of the movement for “Azadi”. Even in those dark days there was a government with very active administrative and police apparatus. There were curfews longer than the present one. The longest curfew was in 1990 for 17 days when Mushirl-ul-Haq, the Vice-Chancellor of Kashmir University was kidnapped and brutally murdered. During almost all the curfew days one used to get few hours of area wise relaxation. In fact, the local government would ensure that the essential supplies reached all places and people were motivated to collect rations etc for the needy. Now, apart from continuous curfews without any relaxation, the relief supplies sent by the village folk were confiscated along with the drivers of the vehicles. In fact, the banks had been reportedly issued a directive to keep all branches closed on Sundays and keep lesser cash in the Automatic Teller Machines!

The so called government seems to have taken upon itself the sole task of repressing the people by all possible means. Probably, they are frustrated because of having lost the will to govern. The most unnerving for them has been the intensity of the peaceful marches which they have tried their best to turn into violent ones by refusing to allow these to go ahead at all costs. Whenever a peaceful protest is stopped and dispersed by the use of batons, teargas, and finally live bullets, there is a reaction from the angry youth. They have nothing to retaliate with except stones. Of course, the forces do not expect these angry youth to shower them with flowers! The main change in these peaceful protests which began in 2008 is that the crowds are not scared and do not run away but retaliate with stones regardless of the consequences. People have lost the fear of death. Even the loss of more than 60 young and old lives and thousands of injured have not diminished the ferocity of the bubbling anger among the youth. The articles 19 and 21 of the Indian Constitution giving the right to “Freedom of Expression” and the basic “Right to Life” have ceased to operate in Kashmir. The present rulers seem to have handed over the running of the government at least in Kashmir valley to the security forces. It was amusing to watch the Chief Minister mingle freely with the people of Ladakh during the aftermath of the recent disaster. He visited many places where he freely went round and enquired about peoples’ welfare. However, the only attempt to reach the aggrieved in the Medical Institute of Srinagar was not very rewarding! Another interesting aspect of the governance has been the repeated appeal from various authorities in the State and at the Centre to the angry youth for shunning the path of violence especially burning of government property. It did not have any effect. On the contrary the appeal made by Geelani Sahib which was telecast by all local and national channels including the official Doordarshan channel initially appeared to have an appreciable effect. He had advocated peaceful protests without any violence. In fact, he had instructed the youth to sit down if they were not allowed to march but not indulge in stone throwing and violence. One had expected that the government would reinforce his appeal by allowing peaceful marches. Heavens would not fall if Kashmiri youth march on the roads without any violence. Even if they shout slogans in favour of freedom, these marches would not take away Kashmir from India! However, the forces did not allow any peaceful marches and continued their atrocities even after all these appeals. As a result of this the cycle of violence restarted after a brief interval.

The government had been banking on the onset of the holy month of Ramadan known as the month of peace and forgiveness. It was probably presumed that the intensity of the protests would lessen during this month. On the contrary the reverse has happened. The Indian TV channels are as usual raising hype of renewed violence in Kashmir. No one is giving out the truth that the youth are not indulging in violence on their own. It results only when they are prevented from taking out peaceful marches. Like the earlier mantra of terrorism used to cover up the genuine struggle for basic rights, this upsurge too is being deliberately drowned in the cacophony of “violent” protests by angry youth without letting the people in India know the real truth. People outside India know it more than the Indians! None of the channels is honestly debating the fact of governance-who really runs Kashmir? They don’t have the courage to admit that the Central Government is making Omar Abdullah take all the blame for their actions! For a change let them take up the topic and show where the buck stops in reality!