Stop The Online Madness

‘Kashmir’ - an issue so volatile it can polarize the sanest of the minds into mind numbing extremism. Whenever Kashmir is on the boil or in the headline for any reason even the most liberal sounding people on my Facebook friend-list suddenly tear apart all their identities and fall into two categories: Kashmiris (mostly living outside the state and in other parts of India) who suddenly feel the need to highlight the ‘human right abuses’ which may or may not have been happening and people from rest of India who feel the need to thump their chest and abuse Kashmiris.

While the silent majority looks on, occasionally expressing its dismay over the human right abuses and occasionally supporting the anti-terror operations of our armed forces (anti –terror not anti-protestors). I have been a part of the silent majority as well, looking around at people from both sides calling each other names and ‘highlighting’ facts which in their view are suppressed by ‘vested interests’.

I do not choose to take sides in a debate in which it’s the emotions of the people taking their minds for a ride. But since a lot has been said over the issue and basically I’m irritated on the extremely polarized viewpoints pasted all over my Facebook feed I decided it was time I helped some people to get a perspective on the issue before they speak/post just anything.

First of all Kashmir is a dispute, not because of some accession or some stupid laws on either side of the constitutions but because people from Kashmir and the rest of India don’t see an eye to eye on most issues. This is the dispute that needs to be taken care of, resolved so that everybody can live in peace. Armed forces (and armed forces in most media accounts and in reality is a term used collectively for CRPF, BSF and other security forces including but not only Indian Army.) surely are doing a tough job in Kashmir, battling terrorists and facing a hostile environment from the local public but at the same time there have been reports of human rights abuses. This is true in not just in Kashmir but other parts of India as well.

But somehow when it comes to armed forces in Kashmir and other disturbed areas the nationalist inside us forces us to support them what come may. Indian army is a highly disciplined force but other forces (e.g. CRPF) are just a different form of police. CRPF is the Central Reserve Police Force maintained by government of India and deployed where needed and as such they are as arrogant and untrained in terms of insensitivity as UP police or Haryana police or even J&K police. This arrogance is a cause of grievance for a majority for Kashmiris as they feel humiliated by the misbehaviour of police from other parts of India. We therefore must pressurise our Government (both Centre and State) to impart sensitivity training among these police officers (as often it is a simple case of cultural ignorance.) as some common behaviour in one part of India may be highly inappropriate in other parts of the country and this is a side-effect of the rich diversity that we are so proud of. Working on this will help not just in Kashmir but other and all parts if the country as well.

Secondly, after police people also need to learn about other cultures as well. A lot of people with no knowledge of Kashmir’s history or its current affairs comment carelessly based on news reports broadcasted on prime time. I beg to all of you, pick up a book or two, try to understand the perspective of others as well before judging others. Don’t trust any Facebook post or a news post on a website blindly (ideally you shouldn’t even trust this post.) So go and buy some books or watch a documentary (but read on before you make a switch!).

Now on to the side with hearts on the other side of Pir Panjal. I know and sympathise with most of your concerns. I too have been a victim of the information blackout and the suspension of communication services. I believe in Kashmir as somewhat integral part of India but when crossing over in J&K my phone services are turned off even I curse the nation for a moment. When press and other institutions are clamped down upon even I am hit. My parents and loved ones are also stuck in the madness over there and I am worried about their well-being just like you are for yours but when you put up reports of police firing pellet guns and other arms on the protesters I ask you, who is the ‘peaceful protester’ and what are they ‘protesting’. The incident started off with the killing of a terrorist (if he had killed someone or not is not a question. You become a social menace the day you pick up a gun and incite others to follow you). The circumstances for his actions may have been harsh but everyone has a choice, so did he. And those who comment on India’s democracy should remember that it is because India is a democracy that they can question the killing of a terrorist and the government has to answer you. Had the same incident happened in China or Pakistan you would have tanks rolling in the streets or whole districts taken over by army (not security forces but the national army. You can read more about that in I AM MALALA).

Moreover people crying over police clamp down over protesters should be asked what kind of peaceful protests are these where youth have their faces covered and stones in their hands. If it was a peaceful protests you should have banners or posters in your hands and slogans on your lips. What actually is on their lips are racial slurs (as CRPF is often composed of personnel from Bihar etc.), obscene abuses and religious slogans. There is nothing peaceful or protest like in this. This is a plain a simple riot and thank your stars that police fires upon you non-lethal weapons (although usage of pellets should have been avoided) instead of dealing with you how rioters are dealt with. These protesters attack police stations, throw petrol bomb, stones etc. and the sympathisers ask if the government would act in a similar way in any other part of India? To that I ask you to look at Mathura where people using firearms were dealt with.

I however am not disputing that excess use of force happens but that should be taken up democratically in talks. Hurriyat calls for protests and cries foul when protests are injured but have they ever talked to local government about this (note that there is government in Kashmir that has a Kashmiri at the top and most of the decisions about dealing with these protests are taken up there and not in New Delhi).

Having laid all the facts bare I urge all the people to think before you post anything that may hurt the nation in any way. We are always taught to think twice before saying anything but I think we should think thrice before we post anything as your words may hang on for a few moments, your online posts and comments will stay here forever, on display for the world to see and maybe judge you.