Time to retrospect ourselves, act now and save the future of Kashmir.The winter is on in the valley and people as usual in the urban and in rural areas are using every means of energy both traditional and modern way to keep warm themselves under this freezing weather. The water in the brooks, rivers and rivulets has frozen, and a strong cold wave is continuously shivering the denizens of solitude for an indefinite period. The erratic power cuts, scarcity of drinking water, and the dilapidated roads have taken valleyites back to the days of Dark Age. It is not the first time that the people of valley are facing such endemic problems but they are intentionally created ordeals by our own so called lion and cubs of Kashmir. The few inches of snow and the life in Kashmir have been thrown out of gear and the tall claims of administration and New Delhi’s old rhetoric that the state is getting highest economical package than any other in the federation remained Apollo’s unraveled oracle. Where these huge chunks of funds are disappearing which are aired everyday in the news bulletins? What happened to those promises and pledges which our red brigade and green brigade are making frequently in the democratic dramas? Was the railway link to the state panacea of all miseries than the chronic power crises and other day to day general grievances of people? Why in a pre-planned way the state is economically exploited and subjected to be a dependent to the aid of New Delhi? Is this the new doctrine embarked by the oppressor to quell the popular sentiment? Obviously, the recent public upsurges and a growing support among Indian intelligentsia have sent shivers down the Indian spine.
نابینا جنم لیتی ہے اولاد بھی اس کی
جو نسل دیا کرتی ہے تاوان میں آنکھیں
Kashmir has been one of the most unfortunate region in the sub continent as for as the real leadership is considered who can stand by the people and demonstrate sincerity and integrity in the tough times of history. However the leaders are not born, they are made but the political fanaticism, blind faith and ignorance of people always failed to recognize the true leadership, who can steer the nation from the chains of oppression to the peace and prosperity. Here those Machiavellian leaders and their cronies are voted and adorned for the sake of power transformers and water drains, who directly or indirectly are the kingpin, what the people in Kashmir are encountering now. These leaders have a long history along with the tainted bureaucracy to go any extent for the sake of power and to execute New Delhi’s coveted agenda in the valley with zeal and zest. Whether, it’s the case of land transfer, Dogra certificate controversy, inviting Indian business giants to invest here and to plunder our water resources on a paltry five percent royalty. You call it compulsion, political immaturity or conciousless on the part of people that they never miss an opportunity to rally, elect them and send a wrong picture to the world community that all is well in the valley. Who signed the agreement with NHPC in the 1971 and 1987 and gave the state’s water resources on lease for decades? Who let Ladhak autonomous council to be a state with in a state and operate above the state constitution? Why the Muslim populated areas in the Jammu province were intentionally made inaccessible and no go zone for the majority community? Who were hand in glow with New Delhi to arm VDC’s which is mostly comprised of minority volunteers and have unleashed a reign of terror in Muslim populated areas? Who tried to bring a draft on the floor of state assembly so that non natives too can get PRC? They were not outsiders but our own red and green flag bearers, who every time for their vote bank is playing the card of naya Kashmir and self rule to exploit the sentiments of the people. Historical perspective of the power crisis
As the valley is battling with power crises, the main transmission line bringing power supply line across the Banihal had suddenly snapped due to the expected snow fall has further worsened the crisis. The mercury across the region plunged by several notches as the valley is draped in all white due to the continuous snow fall. But neither the New Delhi nor the NHPC are in any sort of mood to alleviate the sufferings of the people to supply the power from the projects they own in the state. In between the lines, Kashmir have suffered double jeopardy! The state government neither built their own projects nor can seek any international assistance according to the Indus water treaty. This treaty was signed by the Pandit Jawahar lal Nehru, Field Marshal Ayoub Khan and the W.A.B lliff of the World Bank in the 1960 at Karachi. However it settled the water dispute between the two neighbors but left the people of Himalayan state highly high and dry. Thus, the Treaty protects all rights of the parties involved in signing it but fails to consider the rights of the people who inhabit the territory through which these Rivers pass especially the Western Rivers. The leadership of that time couldn’t dare to raise a voice against this faulty illegal agreement but remained mute spectator for the lust of power. Then the lion of Kashmir got a golden opportunity to take up this issue after eleven years of imprisonment with the iron lady of India in the 1974 but the accord proved to be the last nail in the coffin of Kashmir sovereignty. After that what is going on with the water resources on both sides of the Kashmir is a threat to the very existence because the Water resources are not unlimited and available forever. Ironically, the people of valley who like to hip hop in the sponsored democratic dance on the pani bijili and sadak tunes never made accountable these leaders on these grave issues. In contrast to it deals after deals are signed behind the curtains to open a door to the business giants of India to change the demography and exploit the natural resources of the state on the name of development.
Colonial tactics
This winter every year embodies us, that colonized people can’t be dictators and they should remain thankful and loyal to their master whatever is given to them as a lolly pop. Colonizers are trying their best to colonize the people economically, socially, politically and mentally in different areas. Colonizers use different ways to colonize the people. In The Heart of Darkness the very important action is the intention of collecting Ivory. Ivory is a kind of money which European wants to collect and take in their own control. By doing this they want to exploit the natives economically. European trading company is the institutional representation of the colonizer to colonize the native economically. Same is the case with Kashmir, we don’t have ivory here but the Almighty has bestowed this once known as the paradise of Asia with unlimited natural resources. But the people at the helm of affairs and the so called representatives of the banana republic have given a free hand to the power generating companies and the IRCON to plunder these gifted resources as much as they can and latter assert their ownership to the projects too. The European companies in Joseph Conrad’s novel are exploring Congo just to collect the ivory and their economical occupation was temporary but here the case is different these modern East Indian companies have created a state with in state. They are not now even listening to those who invited them to come and invest here. The men in uniform stationed at the Uri power project simply manifested that colonial dark face, when the installation became high priority to guard than the life of a school going boy. Who was not the part of protest and was heading towards his native village after coming from the tuition centre but was silenced forever by the colonial wrath. He belonged to the same village that welcomed and sold their roots to the power company hoping it will change our fortunes and bring employment and prosperity in our area. Alas! Nothing happened only the walls and concertina wires goes higher and higher and promises remained promises forever. Even the people are not allowed to come to the streets and protest against the lack of electricity or scarcity of water as the democratic dragon is always alert and agile to quell the voice and latter dubbed it resentment foamed by the separatists.
Conclusion
The duplicity and wayward character of people is also responsible for the present crisis because they easily get hoodwinked, befooled which is sometimes tantamount to the national suicide. The Boniyar incident is an eye-opener for those who have mountain of expectations from those who are just flat characters and can’t act on the stage without the permission of New Delhi. If they think that they can act independently then it’s the right time to rise above the party ideologies and lodge a strong case against both the arch rivals on the international plate form and get back their share of resources. Otherwise, the Bonyar incident which clearly transcends arrogance of power and authority is just the tip of an iceberg may be we will end up with a colony of interests in the region. Be a people person not a paid politician and don’t blow uncertain trumpet as our leaders were used to do it in the past.
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