The unfortunate reality of India is the word, “minorities” has been applied conscientiously to only community irrespective of their burgeoning clout and by logic numbers. Things have even come to such a pass that their welfare and security have even become denominators to label a society pluralist and safe. This dominating paradigm has essentially undermined the atrocities faced by all others.
In early
1980s the West invented a novel propaganda doctrine of “Islam is on danger (from
communism)” to drive out Soviet Union from Afghanistan even as it continued to
kill Afghani Muslims ruthlessly. The propaganda narrative of the Cold war era
has become so popular that it has become a popular defence for the entire
community across the globe. This has sanitized all their crimes and insulated
them from accountability.
No wonder,
the genocide of Kashmiri pandits by the Islamist radicals backed by Pakistan
has gone unnoticed. There isn’t any mention of this barbarity in the
contemporary history. Worse so, the victims who were terribly traumatized are
denied their lived experience. The targeted attacks and evictions to uproot
certain sections of society has been grossly ignored. So much so that, even the
Supreme Court of India refused to admit their affidavits to at least
acknowledge the injustices and brutalities heaped on them. This refusal has not only denied the bereaved
community of any justice but also confuted their plight.
This
bigoted approach has emboldened the nefarious motives of people who committed a
genocide and lent credence to the dubious theories peddled by the so called
secular brigade that adeptly whitewashed history.
In the
light of these historical precedents, revocation of article 370 brought a ray
of hope to Kashmiri pandits. Since the abrogation of special status, admittedly
there has been a perceptible improvement with regards to security scenario of
UT of Jammu & Kashmir. Due to the concerted efforts of the Centre and huge
allocation of funds momentum for reconstruction of the region and reorient it
towards the path of development gained pace. With renewed importance on
resurrecting the tourism sector, the much-needed peace has been steadily
established.
By
neutralising hordes of terrorists that regularly cross over to India from the
Western border, the security forces have by and large attempted to bring back a
semblance of peace. Peaceful conduct of Panchayat elections, issuance of
domicile certificates, global investors summit has revived hopes of normalcy in
the region.
To address
the long pending grievances of the 4 lakh Kashmiri pandits who were forced to
flee almost three decades ago, J&K administration has launched a
rehabilitation portal last month. The implementation order of the Immovable
Property Act for Kashmir Pandits culminated in the creation of this portal. The
much awaited, Prime Minister Rehabilitation Package brought some cheer to
Kashmiri pandits.
This move
is now largely perceived to be the reason behind the targeted killings of
minorities in J&K. Terrorists gunned down 7 civilians in past one week.
This brought back the harrowing episodes of 1990 killings when Kashmiri Pandits
were forced to flee their homeland. Most of the victims were killed at gun
point.
ML Bindroo,
68, who has chosen to remain in the valley even as most of the families left in
1990s was shot dead while dispensing medicines at his shop. This has reignited
fears among the minorities, Hindus and Sikhs who braved all odds and lived in
the valley.
In the next
48 hours, terrorists barged into a government school, lined up the teachers and
checked their ID cards. Singling out non-Muslims they have gunned down two
teachers, a Hindu teacher from Jammu and a lady Sikh-teacher. This shocking
incident left the minorities, Hindus and Sikhs traumatized and stoked fresh
fears and suspicions about the security lapses.
Killing of
a golgappa vendor from Bihar referring to him as an outsider has potently
exposed the agenda of the terrorists. Since 1990s though Kashmiri Muslims
continued to welcome non-Muslim tourists, they strongly objected to any
business establishments by minorities. Any outsider is viewed with suspicion.
Under the garb of special status, Kashmiris denied entry to any outsider to
settle in the valley, while they would span the length and breadth of the country
and settle anywhere in India. Revocation of special status precisely attempted
to bring J&K under the ambit of the national laws.
Aside
rekindling fears among the miniscule minorities, the targeted killings are
bound to buttress acute entrenchment of the concept of Us Vs Them among
Kashmiri Muslims, indoctrinated by the Islamist radicals. Much for the cliqued
exaggeration of ‘Kashmiriyat’, Kashmiri Muslims who would support and protest
for Palestinians never extended similar courtesy to Kashmiri Hindus and
Kashmiri Sikhs. On the contrary they pandered to separatists and harboured
terrorists who persecuted the non-Muslims.
Some
analysts point out that the terrorists have adopted the tested pattern of drawing
up a hit list similar to the 1990s to cleanse minorities1.
Disrupting peace and stoking fears, the terrorists are not testing the resolve
of the Indian government and sealing off the valley permanently to minorities,
who bear true allegiance to India.
At the
behest of their masters across the borders they are attempting to destabilise
India and turn the valley into a terror bastion.
Despite the
1990s genocide, few families stayed back in the Valley. But the current brazen
day light murders have now shaken them to the core. Following the killings,
several established Kashmir pandit businessmen are reported to be packing their
bags to move out to safe places triggering fresh exodus after three decades.
Most of
them lamented the apathy of the administration, which failed to act on
intelligence inputs. It is unnerving that government has failed the Hindus and
Sikhs once again in failing security to non-Muslims. The tall claims of
rehabilitation are meaningless, if government fails to provide protection to
the families of resident Hindus and Sikhs. They have been soft targets and
continued to remained so for the past three decades.
Meanwhile,
the hypocrisy of the secular brigade which accused government of a demographic
change upon abrogation of article 370 maintained stunned silence. The
annihilation of diversity, homogenization of valley and the fleeing of the
natives of land hasn’t evoked any response from these apostles of human rights
and peace.
Ironically,
the brigade which abashedly batted for Dismantling of Global Hindutva is now
shamelessly tongue-tied to call the bluff of the Islamist ideology that has set
off yet another round of exodus from the valley.
Also, this
brings us back to the debate of who by definition is a minority and are all
lives worth the same?
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