Life came to a grinding halt in occupied Kashmir as India celebrated its 71st Independence day on 15 August. The puppet authorities in IoK had imposed tight curbs all across the valley as top rank Hurriyat leaders were either detained or confined to their homes. Mobile phone and internet services were also snapped across the Kashmir valley, whereas all the commercial establishments including shops remained shut for the day as the capital city Srinagar and other major towns wore a deserted look. According to a Srinagar based English daily dozens of forces and VIP vehicles could only be seen plying on Lal Chowk and its adjoining roads to reach the SK Stadium Sonwar to attend the official function of I-day. Observing Indian Independence Day as a black day has been a hallmark of Kashmiris’ decade’s long struggle against forcible occupation of their motherland by India. The message they want to communicate to the rulers in New Delhi and the world in particular is that the state of Jammu and Kashmir which has never been a part of the Indian union is a disputed territory awaiting a final settlement. And this time people of Kashmir yet again expressed their resentment and anger against India by staying indoors making it absolutely clear that India’s forcible control over their territory is not acceptable to them, no matter what comes in their way.
It is yet to see whether Indians heed to the clarion calls emanating from Kashmir or not but their callous behaviour and attitude towards Kashmiris suggest that New Delhi has learnt nothing from the turbulent history of the region that witnessed too much of bloodshed during the recent years.
On one hand Indian premier says the issue can not be solved through bullet and abuse policy while on the other the BJP regime remains seriously stuck in garrison type mindset, which prevents it from embarking on the path of conflict resolution process. Though PM Modi in his speech in New Delhi has reiterated the much touted mantra of resolving the dispute under the spirit of Insaniyat, Jamhuriyat and Kashmiriat but the fact is that the macabre game of death and destruction is being played under the garb of these so-called deceitful slogans in every low and high of the disputed region. Unfortunately, Indians are reluctant to realise the gospel truth about Kashmir. And the truth is that Kashmir does not belong to any member country of the United Nations. It is recognized by the United Nations as a disputed territory whose future is yet to be decided by its people. The disputed nature of the Jammu and Kashmir is well established by the relevant UN Security Council resolutions.
Secondly the Indian rulers need to realize the bitter reality that there are no takers of their so-called development mantra in Kashmir. They need to understand that they can’t woo Kashmiri people by extending financial packages and economic concessions. Since the ‘bullet and abuse’ policy has miserably failed to subdue Kashmiris’ struggle for right to self-determination it is high time that Indian should read the writing on the wall, come forward with a positive frame of mind and fulfill its commitments made with the people of Kashmir instead of weaving cobwebs of confusion around it.
This is what the people of Kashmir have been struggling for last several decades. If Indians really understand and believe in what they call ‘Insaniyat and Jamhoriat’ they must not shy away from granting Kashmiris their fundamental right, which was guaranteed to them by no less and authority than the United Nations.
