Author: Sunita Vakil
Publication: The Pioneer
Date: September 18, 2008
It would be erroneous to attribute the recent
developments that led to a virtual siege of Jammu & Kashmir to the land
controversy alone. In fact, the land given to the Sri Amarnath Shrine Board
was never the real issue for the Valley separatists. Therefore, the allegation
of Kashmiri Muslims, who were egged on by the separatists, that there was
some sort of a conspiracy to change the demography of the region is bunkum.
This very fact has been admitted by separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani
which proves beyond doubt that Valley politicians have a history of crying
wolf. The separatists, who were not getting much attention, were on the lookout
for an issue that would give them a fresh lease of life. Besides, a minority-appeasing
Government together with a more-than-sympathetic, 'secular' media is perfect
for furthering their diabolical strategy.
Indeed, it can be safely said that anti-India/pro-Pakistan
sentiments were visible among Kashmiri Muslims even before the Amarnath land
controversy. For, it was way before 1989 that the Kashmiri Muslim mindset
started increasingly becoming communal in character. The only difference was
the absence of any armed insurgency. Previously it was Sheikh Abdullah who
was responsible for erasing various Hindu sites from the face of the Valley.
Hindu lands were also usurped on the excuse of social justice. Then it was
in 1980 that the Jamat-e-Islami started consolidating its position. By 1996,
terrorists had started attacking Jammu villages. That was the start of the
ethnic cleansing of Pandits from the Valley, which had the backing of all
Kashmiri Muslims. The last straw was the abject surrender of the VP Singh
Government when Ms Rubaiya Sayeed, daughter of Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, was
kidnapped. After that, there was no stopping Islamist fanaticism in the Valley.
In spite of the economic pampering by the
Centre for the last 60 years at the expense of the rest of the country, demands
for independence have been made ceaselessly throughout and will definitely
continue to be made in the future. It is time we take cognisance of the fact
that mollycoddling is no substitute for hot pursuit when it comes to sending
a strong signal to the separatists. We must remain firm and not tolerate any
activity that undermines the unity and integrity of the nation. The time for
soft-peddling the Kashmir issue is long over. We now need tough action against
the separatists.
