LEGENDS WILL INSPIRE THE GENERATION

On February 11, exactly 29 years after when the main ideologue of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front Maqbool Bhat was hanged in 

Tihar jail. The History witnessed another political hanging of a Kashmiri; an ex- militant turned fruit seller M.A.Guru terrorized and tortured by the so called security agencies executed amid secrecy and urgency to satisfy the collective conscious of India. After the epic one sided trial in the Supreme Court of India found him guilty on the circumstantial grounds in carrying an attack on the Indian parliament in the 2001. Interestingly both the Martyrs happened to be from the North Kashmir which not only have a long history of sacrifices but have given birth the iconic heroes who time to time shaped the political contours of state. Being the frontier part of valley and heavily militarized it always remained the strong bastion of resistance movement over the years.

The case of M.A. Guru was somewhat different than the judicial trial of Maqbool Bhat, who was already on the death sentence and petitioned to the then President of India Giyani Zail Singh for clemency on the grounds of an unfair trial.  But his clemency was rejected and hanged subsequently in a retaliatory action after the JKLF members on February 6, 1984 kidnapped and murdered the Indian diplomat Ravindra Mhatre in Birmingham, England. Afzal’s case was a share miscarriage of justice like denying a lawyer at the most crucial stage of his judicial trial and convicted him on a mere flimsy grounds left a black blot on the Indian judiciary forever. Moreover Afzal also had a right under the Indian constitution to challenge the rejection of his mercy petition which was open to judicial review but the continues harassment and judicial humiliation right from the first day of his trial forced him to drink the hemlock of grave injustice and discrimination exhibited by the Indian judiciary.

It is not the first time that the hapless people of state are facing this brazen denial of justice from a country claiming herself the deity of democracy but over the last 24 years it has been the sordid tale of every ordinary Kashmiri. Whether, it is the case of Konin Poshewara mass rape, Jaleel Andrabi murder, Custodial Disappearances or the Shopian gang rape and murder, every time Indian judiciary and its probing agencies failed to live up to the cannons of justice. However Afzal’s case was the last litmus case before the highest seat of Indian judiciary to deliver justice. But being Muslim and Kashmiri in India, the cloak of justice as usual is used as a tool of vengeance by the jingoist media, fanatic right wing groups and other so called secular political parties for their dirty power politics on the name of ‘ultra-patriotism’. The way the sitting minsters of the ruling party along with opposition parties in Delhi were passing statements in full media glare and the way other fanatic groups were bursting crackers and distributing sweets to celebrate the hanging is a new face of incredible India. Where justice has become mirage and the so called democratic leaders have become blood thirsty.

Afzal's hanging may be an event of celebration or a case of vote bank politics in India but it definitely has given Kashmir only another martyr to strengthen their political beliefs against the repression which was immediately echoed by the beleaguered CM of state saying that it will definitely inspire the well learned and politically mature third generation of the conflict. I think the CM rightly diagnosed the coming events because the young generation of Kashmir have not seen Maqbool Bhat only they heard about him but the Afzal Guroo will become a living legend of the movement because they have seen him and feel his execution. By clamping curfew, barring people to protest against the execution, gaging media are the usual combination of brute force and Machiavellian manipulation designed to pit people against each other over the protest calendars are the tested tactics by a  the oppressor. It will be very interesting to see how the people of state will collectively react in the summer when the boots will return to barracks because as a nation, we are notorious of forgetting its martyrs for the sake of electric transformers and daily wages. It will be also interesting to see how the Separatist camp will capitalize this sacrifice to shrink the space of pro-Indian political parties before they stage any drama to hoodwink the people for their power politics.  Although the clandestine execution of Afzal have exposed them time and again of being rubber stamps and toys in the hands of New Delhi as for as the political decisions of the state are concerned. They will continue to roll crocodile tears for their political benefits in and off the assembly to show people that we protested and were not in favor of execution. Thus it becomes crystal and clear that they are just installed statues, who are well paid to show the world that a democratic setup is working in the state under the Indian constitution.

On the other hand it may be tough and fatal to come out on roads and protest against the state terrorism in the valley but the Kashmiri’s working and studying in various states in India protested openly and their eternal romance with freedom resonated in the backyard of oppressor. The slogans like we want Azadi, hang me I am Afzal were chanted by the brave hearts mostly students enrolled in various varaisites defied all odds of restrictions and fear psychosis of being arrested and targeted shows the volcano of revolution is simmering and it’s the matter of time when the old empire of oppression will succumb before aspirations. The protests at the Jantar Mantar, Hyderabad and Dehradun although attacked by Hindu fascist collaborated by police shows that the more oppression is inflicted on us the stronger we are emerging. For the cause it is a positive change but for tyrant it’s an alarming signal for the oppressor that the young Shaheens of valley irrespective of gender and region are united on one page that is freedom form the forceful occupation. A student in the Osmania University goes poetical and emotional while leading a protest rally in the campus against the execution in this way…

assi khoon dyut na? Azaadi (have not we given blood? Freedom

assi yaar dit na? Azaadi (have not we given our dear ones? Freedom

lakchaar dyut na? Azaadi (have not we given our childhood? Freedom

garre baar dyut na ? Azaadi (have not we given our homes? Freedom

gam khaar dit na? Azaadi  (have not we given caring ones? Freedom

teilli kyaazi yee ne? Azaad (then why do not it comes? Freedom

The way hastily typed memo was deliberately send by the speed post with every name insultingly misspelt, baring family the last chance to meet him and turning the whole valley into a concentration camp in order to stop the back clashes will not deter the people of Kashmir. The local collaborators can make rucks in the assembly of fools, can broadcast emotional statements to vow the people, fanatics in India and media can celebrate the hanging, like medieval people barely aware that they had lost the moral authority to rule Kashmir a long time ago, when the first bullets were fired at Gawkadal Bridge. The more disproportionate brute force is unleashed in the nook and corner of Kashmir to crush the freedom sentiment the more strong and sacred the resolve and cause becomes. The hanging of Maqbool Bhat and Afzal Guroo have not frightened and traumatized Kashmiris but it made them proud and brave enough to take the struggle to its logical end.

Come Oh tyrant let’s try our skill!

You try your bow I will try my heart!