While the security personnel and state authorities are busy
handling the relentless ceasefire violations and aggravated infiltration of
militants, reports of burning down of schools in the Valley have hardly evoked
any critical response. Ever since the valley entered an impasse after the
killing of Burhan Wani on July 8th over 25 schools were torched.
This delinquent attack on the education system is unpardonable. Education besides
enlightening a soul, nurtures it and bestows a sense of direction in a person’s
life. Any attempt to thwart education system will have a deleterious effect on
a country. Indeed, the aspirations, ambitions and thought process of the youth
are shaped by education. A calibrated attempt to systemically vandalize schools
is undoubtedly steered by an ulterior motive.
Beyond an iota of doubt, the prevailing, prolonged unrest of
over 115 days in the Valley is a handiwork of Pakistan militant outfits. These
indoctrinated groups are known to detest all hues of modern education that
chides conservative ideology imbuing jihadist values. Since communities endowed
with contemporary education in every likelihood may not support the jihadi cult
perpetrated by terror outfits. Through targeted destruction of schools, terror
elements can render the Kashmiri youth incapable and incapacitated. Frustrated
youth with shattered dreams can then be lured into indoctrination. In absence
of education, the valley can easily be turned into a breeding ground of jihadists.
The terror elements having tasted resounding success by entrapping the
frustrated youth of the valley in the form of Burhan Wani is bent on carrying
out the planned entrapment.
Recent developments in the Valley indicate some personnel
were expelled from the education department for their alleged involvement in
activities inconsistent with preferred code of conduct. This demonstrates that
the vested interests with an extensive network and penetration into education
departments are at work to critically tamper the formal education. With schools
offering no scope for inducting the nefarious propaganda in the curriculum
vested interests might have resorted to the heinous act of burning down the
temples of education. Despite the brewing unrest for the past 27 years, the
Valley produced stalwarts in various fields. The success stories of the
Kashmiris in the competitive exams in the recent years had revived the spirits
and youth who are springing forward to join government services. These positive
developments undoubtedly cast a shadow on the dubious interests of the
anti-social elements. Currently the Valley is under the siege of bigoted
ideology. While the actual culprits are yet to be nabbed, clearly the motives
of the group are despicable. What makes the series of developments more
threatening are the close similarities to events in countries in India’s
neighborhood where indoctrinated militants unabashedly unleashed a war on
education system. A pall of gloom descended on the education system in the Valley
when Hurriyat leaders and militants from across the border issued an edict
ordering the closure of schools and colleges after July 8th. Henceforth, the Valley was enduring a
prolonged unrest. Schools have reduced the working hours to two and half hours
to prepare the students for the upcoming exams.
Mostly government schools were attacked and burnt by the
unidentified groups. The worst sufferers are unfortunately, thousands of
students hailing from poor families whose lives are now thrown into a tizzy.
Poor families can’t afford to send their wards to schools outside the Valley. The
uneducated youth of Kashmir will eventually fall prey to the despicable agenda
of radical elements. Subsequently these are used as “cannon fodder” by
separatists constituting the huge army of the stone-pelters.
Alarmed by the growing incidents of burning of schools in the
Valley, State government and the recent three-member delegation headed by
Yashwant Sinha appealed Hurriyat leaders to exempt schools from the protests.
But Hurriyat leaders refused. While lakhs of students and families are lamenting
the prospect of losing an academic year, Hurryiat leaders’ kin under strict
vigil and guard are writing exams in a private school in the Valley.
Incidentally burning of schools aptly reminds of impetuous
acts of Taliban in Afghanistan who believed in the “demotivation, distraction
and traumatization of the students” to accomplish their narrow gains. The
struggle and fight of Nobel Prize winner, Malala Yousafzai, for education brought
forth the pathetic conditions that existed in the Swat Valley of Pakistan into
light. Radical elements of the sub-continent notorious for their attacks on
education system is thus well known. Similarly, militants in Afghanistan have
burned hundreds of schools in the occupied territories and characteristically
destroyed the education system pushing them into a quagmire of radicalization.
Indeed, the pattern followed by Taliban indicated that insurgency preceded desecration
of education institutions. Mysterious
burning of school in Valley is truly alarming. Sadly, till now the group
responsible for torching over 25 schools catering to the needs of 12 lakh
people was unidentified.
Armed with enabling education, over centuries, several
countries in the World could swim through trying circumstances. Education of
masses is critically important for progress and development of a nation. The
new precedent of torching educational institutions is part of a larger
conspiracy aimed at keeping the youth of the Valley illiterate, poor and
desperate so that vested interests could fuel unrest at their behest. Despite
the unabated burning down of schools, separatists haven’t issued a statement
condemning the vandalization. Instead they were justifying closure of schools. Meanwhile,
High Court has taken suo moto cognizance
of the issue and ordered state government to take necessary measures. Bizarre
developments in the Valley warrants immediate attention and cooperation of the
local communities especially in nailing the culprits.
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