Blood bath of innocent and unarmed civilians in Indian held territory of Jammu and Kashmir goes on unabated. During the recent spate of violence occupation forces have killed at least six Kashmiri youth, which triggered massive anti-India demonstrations throughout the valley. According to Srinagar based news daily a complete shutdown was observed across Kashmir valley against the Shopian killings and shifting of prisoners from Kashmir to outside jails on the call of Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL). Resistance leaders while denouncing Indian state terrorism said that on one hand occupation forces are killing innocent people at their will and on the other, resistance leadership is barred from even expressing condolence to the families of martyred youth.
The massacre of youth by Indian forces is part of operation all out (OAO) that was launched by the occupation forces in the latter half of 2017 with a view to kill the wave of Azadi that swept the occupied territory after the killing of popular freedom fighter Burhan Muzaffar Wani . Since then hundreds of Kashmiris including men, women and children have fell to Indian bullets and a number of people were blinded by excessive use of pellet guns but India that had miserably failed in its efforts to crush the sentiment of Azadi that lies deep into the hearts and minds of Kashmiri people.
The Kashmiris’ third generation that has now picked the mantle of resistance is fighting against the occupation with much resilience and courage. But its Indian oppression and suppression that makes Kashmiri people more resilient.
Unfortunately the Indian state’s traditional intransigence and perpetual denial to grant Kashmiris their pledged right is pushing Kashmir towards a quagmire of uncertainty violence but at the same time India fails to realize the ground reality that every bullet fired by its forces and every drop of blood being shed on the streets in Kashmir accentuates the anger against Indian state. The age-old policy of killing, maiming, tormenting and terrorizing people of Kashmir won’t really help India to normalize situation in the region.
Holding a nation hostage at gunpoint is no longer an option, this is the bitter reality that Indians should realize. The history is that Kashmir is an unresolved dispute, which needs to be resolved through peaceful means. Kashmiris like other peoples of the world do have the right to choose their political destiny in a coercion free atmosphere.
The world body (UNO) as well as the leadership of India and Pakistan has recognized their right to self-determination. It is time that India must honour its commitments and create a conducive atmosphere for the amicable settlement of the lingering dispute that has been a major hurdle in peace and stability in South Asia. It goes without saying that peace and stability in the region is inescapably linked to a just and equatable solution of Kashmir dispute.
