Promise: To make a declaration assuring
that something will or will not be done.
Political Promise: To make a promise
while knowing very well that it is not to be kept.
Are you wondering why I am starting
my column with these two definitions? I just wanted to set the ground for
the rest of the column.
Two years ago in October 2002,
I had written a column on rediff that was an open letter to our President
A P J Abdul Kalam. In that column, I had urged the President to visit Kashmiri
Hindu refugee camps in Mishriwala, Jammu. At that time, President Kalam
had already made a visit to Gujarat riot victims and provided them the
healing touch. And I wanted him to provide the same healing touch to Kashmiri
Hindu refugees as well.
Last year in June 2003, President
Kalam finally did make a visit to Jammu and visited a Kashmiri Hindu refugee
camp in Muthi, Jammu. He was accorded a warm welcome by the Kashmiri Hindu
refugees in the camps. While he was there at the camp, he was made aware
of the pathetic conditions these refugees have been living in. As is ritual
on such occasions, Kashmiri Hindu refugees also presented a memorandum
listing their demands to the President.
The President at that time was
greatly touched by the plight of the displaced Kashmiri Hindu refugees
from the valley. 'You have been uprooted from your homes and hearths,'
he said. While he was there with the refugees, he also made a promise that
Kashmiri Hindu refugees will be accorded Internally Displaced Status.
It has been more than a year now
and nothing has happened to that promise. Sorry. I should not say nothing
has happened to that promise. Something did happen -- it was very easily
forgotten the very moment he stepped out of that refugee camp.
Kashmiri Hindu refugees honestly
thought it was a promise, made by a President who we all revere for his
honesty and integrity. But they did not know that the President was not
making a promise. That day, Mr President had made a Political Promise.
I had immense hope when I heard
that President Kalam has finally decided to visit a Kashmiri Hindu refugee
camp to get a first-hand look at the conditions of these refugees. But
sadly, he came, he sat, he listened, he promised, he left and he forgot.
Like everyone else before him, he too very conveniently forgot the forsaken
ones. His visit, which most of the refugees thought was a humanitarian
visit, turned out to be a political one, full of political promises, for
the consumption of the political media. President Kalam too did not make
any difference.
I urge the prime minister to not
to forget Wandhama, Sangrampura, Nadimarg and other massacres that have
been undertaken by Islamic terrorists in the valley. It is an absolute
must that proper and adequate military forces are kept in the valley to
provide security for all innocents, including these 8,000 Kashmiri Hindus.
Manmohan Singh's latest offer to
reduce troop levels in the valley is not a wise move at this time. The
situation has not improved to a level that would require such reduction
in troops. Even today, a day before Singh is visiting Kashmir, 6 innocent
people, who were celebrating the Id festival, were gunned down in Budgam
district of Kashmir valley. That is the reality on the ground and the Government
of India needs to take note of that.
Lastly, while the prime minister
is in the state of Jammu & Kashmir, I hope he does not engage in making
any more political promises. Wishful thinking?