Category: Articles

Barkha Dutt

D-for Donald Trump; D-for Demonetisation and D for Disruption. The Alphabet of the year 2016 self-selected itself; as did the word. Disruptive ideas defined the year gone by, throwing up an unexpected American President and back home a decision that one politician (who wants to remain unnamed) calls the “single most dramatic change in our part of the world since Partition.”

As hyperbolic as that claim may be, the truth is that very few of us can predict the scale and depth of change — and havoc — ‘Notebandi’ may bring. For the past month, like millions of Indians who have no special expertise in economics, I have tried to wrap my head around the currency purge. These are the commonsensical questions I have — yes, you may even say D — for Dumb — that I have still found no good or convincing answers to.

• Was chocking black money the main goal of this demonetisation? While the government has continuously shifted goal posts on the actual aim of wiping out 86% of India’s currency — and is now emphasizing digital payments more than netting the big sharks — at least initially the decision was pitched as a “surgical strike on corruption.” However, given that only an estimated 6% of India’s black money — certainly less than 10% is the consensus — is in cash, why is this pain worth the gain? If most tainted or hoarded money has already been channeled into gold, real estate, swiss banks and other tax havens, isn’t the primary hardship to those who in fact do pay their taxes or don’t even earn enough to qualify as the real targets of an anti-corruption program?

• If there is greater chance of black money being hoarded in higher currency notes — the logic for targeting the 500 and 1000 notes — then why print the 2000 rupee note? By your own stated logic, wouldn’t the higher denomination notes restart the same cycle all over again — as is already evident in the series of cash seizures where much of the money hoarded has been found in new notes? RSS ideologue S. Gurumurthy, believed to be in the inside loop on all demonetisation decisions, has already said his personal view is that even 2000 rupee notes should be phased out, arguing that they are an interim arrangement to meet the demand-supply mismatch.

• Hasn’t Demonetization created an elaborate opportunity for money laundering — and enabled more corruption instead of less? Either that or the government grossly miscalculated the black money in circulation in 500 and 1000 rupee notes. Take a look at the latest numbers. The RBI confirms that 12. 44 lakh crores (of nearly 15 lakh crores which is the monetary value of the now-banned notes) is already back in bank deposits since the November 8th announcement. In other words, the government’s hope of a black money windfall that could have been transferred to welfare schemes has been belied. And if all of this money is not ‘white’ and depositers have conned the system, is the taxman now going to scrutinize every single transaction to scan for discrepancies? Similarly, a gigantic 37,000 crores surge in Jan Dhan accounts since the notes ban declaration underlines how many of India’s poor are probably being used as vehicles by their employers or by other touts — to take a commission — and whitewash the rest of the money with colours of legitimacy. Economists like Jagdish Bhagwati have contentiously argued that this should be seen as a “redistribution” of wealth which will have an “expansionary” impact; the Prime Minister himself has in a RobinHood-esque manner urged the poor to keep the money that is being funneled through them. But this militates against the bombastic claim of ending corruption; in fact it’s just another de-facto amnesty for those who have evaded taxes while leaving law abiding citizens standing in serpentine ATM queues.

• Finally, what happened to the Modi motto of ‘Minimum Government; Maximum Governance’? Those who argued that the 2014 victory would usher in a modern right of center economics must concede they were wrong. Not just is the Prime Minister not a privatizer (focusing instead on increasing efficiency of public sector units), his demonetisation decision has given the State overweening powers of the kind not seen in years. In some ways, this phase could well be the return of ‘Raid Raj’; where an Income Tax officer will now prowl about in your bedroom and bank locker to determine whether you — as an unmarried, single woman — have more gold than you should! Philosophically what disturbs me about demonetisation is the State having so much say in how tax-paying citizens access their own money. Yes, our strata of upper-middle class Indians can survive on plastic and are not suffering like those who earn (legitimately by the way) in cash — the flower seller, the daily wage labourer, the railway coolie; the farm tiller; the bindi-maker; the neighbourhood plumber; the golgappa man down the road — but even we have the right to worry about what sweeping powers to the tax authorities may mean for an India that was meant to minimise the intrusion of the State in our daily lives.

Another D often used to prefix the political style of Narendra Modi is Dynamism. His supporters point to Demonetisation as another instance of his audacious capacity for risk-taking. The political consequences of his decision are as yet unknown. Cleverly positioned as a moment of rare enforced quality when the rich had to line up with the poor, the move initially appeared to draw widespread approval. But the entrenched inequities were never really going to be impacted by Notebandi. When a mining baron spends 100 crores on a wedding and a driver’s suicide note claims the money was laundered and you contrast that with a municipal corporation worker who queues up for his rationed quota of 2.5 lakh to marry his daughter — you wonder — Demonetisation – To what end? And at what cost?

Barkha Dutt is consulting editor, NDTV, and founding member, Ideas Collective.

The views expressed are personal.

Mr Modi, take responsibility for demonetisation and deaths in Kashmir

If Iran and America, Pakistan and Russia, East Germany and West Germany, America and Cuba, could be friends, why can’t India and Pakistan?

With all due respect and regard to you, sir, I somehow find your expression of views rather equivocal. Jamhuriyat, Insaniyat and Kashmiriyat – pretty rhyming!

Sir, candy-coated terminology means nothing at all when you don’t seem to have taken a bite of the reality sandwich. Over 90 killings have taken place this cold callous summer, thousands injured, arrested or blinded.

Insaniyat and jamuriyat were enforced on Kashmiriyat when Yawar Mushtaq from Botengoo, Anantnag, who was killed during forces’ action, and people including relatives weren’t allowed to attend the funeral by the government; eventually six people (two women, four men) had to support the weight of Yawar’s body to the graveyard.

Sir, you expressed your wish to see children holding books, laptops and cricket bats but what would Insha and hundreds like her do with books and laptops when their eyesight has been snatched? How would you know, sir? You were busy playing drums with the Tanzanian president when Kashmir was burning – and yes – that’s not how one shows concern.

Exams are Exams, Election an Election!

Sir, before I express my diverging views on your recent mann ki baat speech, I would like to tell you that mann ki baat is new-fashioned and innovatory.

Sir, it certainly is not heart-to-heart talk, though. If truth be told, it’s more like a declaration of imposition of charter by an emperor.

Sir, you pronounced that over 90 per cent students in the Valley appeared for exams – which is true. Based on this fact you argued that this was enough to demonstrate Kashmir is unreservedly normal. Sir, I beg to differ, students only appeared in exams to step up to the next level, they did not sign the petition for the referendum.

Similarly, every time there is an election the turnout is unnecessarily exaggerated. Sir, the smoke and mirrors strategy could hide the wounds, but wouldn’t heal them.

Demonetisation

Sir, as we all know the “surgical strike” on black money turned out to be a huge economic and political defeat for the present dispensation, the bigger point is – who will take the responsibility for over 65 deaths due to demonetisation? Will you?

Sir, how would the entire country go cashless when 70 per cent of the total population lives in villages and 40 per cent people have never seen a bank, and don’t have bank accounts. How would plastic money and Digital India serve the purpose of a Kashmiri like me when in this day and age we were deprived of the internet for over 133 days, except for sprinkling broadband connections that were working? Prepaid mobile internet remains suspended.

Let’s let water the flow!

These days we hear about the Indus Water Treaty and your wish to ban it. Sir, before you plan to interdict the water flowing towards Pakistan, I would like to make a few points

God did not create boundaries and frontiers sir, we humans did. To let the water stream naturally would be sagacious. Though Indus flows from China, China has been kept out of the Treaty. If China stops flow of Indus, it will exert influence on both India and Pakistan.

Let’s not forget Pakistan and China are good friends.

Stopping the water will have various environmental effects, it will change the aquatic ecosystems and disturb the ecological balance.

It will also trigger seismic activity because of the physical change incurred.

Our (Kashmir) population in Pakistan Administered Kashmir will suffer, they are our people, our brothers and sisters living on the other side of the fence.

Sir, Kashmirs have invariably, on all occasions wanted both countries to merrily accept each other’s existence as good neighbours owing to the fact that we have been the worst sufferers of the hostility between India and Pakistan and would be the instantaneous beneficiaries of the state of mutual trust and support between the two countries.

People advocating for war don’t realise that we wouldn’t be showered with flowers in return. It’s imbecile to say – cool, let two million people die! Nuclear weapons can destroy cities, blow everything to pieces, cause a number of potentially fatal diseases including cancer, they deform people with excessive heat. Yes, I object to being destroyed and killed – want to call me egocentric for that? I don’t mind.

If Iran and America, Pakistan and Russia, East Germany and West Germany, America and Cuba, could be friends, why can’t India and Pakistan? Segregating the cause of the problem doesn’t serve the purpose, a relevant dialogue process is the only way forward.

I have a favour to ask. Sir, the next time you plan demonetisation, please stand in the queue for Mataji.

Yours sincerely,

Sara Hayat Shah

We hope we don”t lose more Basits to the terror on roads

Javid Parsa

Basit, that young, loving soul with a smile that lit up the room. Always brave, always strong, always standing by his friends, in happiness and in pain. Most happy on his bike, lost his life on the same bike. Beloved Basit, gone too soon.

Leaving behind his family and friends shattered and heartbroken, Basit left for heavenly abode. We lost him to a horrific road accident but will make sure his memories don’t die and he is never forgotten!

It is true when they say, you know pain only when it is inflicted upon you. Much has been said about road safety but we humans, learn the hard way. Losing a brother in a road accident has just made us realise the graveness of the situation, not that other lives aren’t precious! With this incident, we have come to realise how so many families lose their loved ones and go through pain just because of utter careless on the road. The pain of losing someone is unimaginable and it is time we come forward and do our bit to save lives!

While grieving Basit’s death, the need of the hour is to create road safety awareness to avoid such mishaps. We cannot afford losing young lives on roads while we already have a lot of miseries and bloodshed around.

We have to make changes within us, as drivers, as onlookers, as parents, as part of the society. We have to mend our ways and spread awareness as much as possible! Parents have to play the most vital role by not giving sports bikes to young kids especially hot blooded teenagers. These bikes are not suited to our roads with their path requirements and enhanced features, thus posing great danger to lives.

The most important aspect that we have to work upon is rash driving and over-speeding. We often flout traffic rules whenever we get the opportunity, not realising how we are putting lives in danger. In order to be safe we have to mend our ways first, be able and responsible drivers.

Also not just bikers, a major group to work upon is our truck drivers. As soon as their entry time strikes, they speed into the city, driving rather carelessly. They need to drive carefully and at slow speed especially on narrow roads and in residential areas. Also many of these truck do not carry number plates, making it hard to trace them down if any mishap occurs and they are on the run. All in all, every driver whether with a big or a small car must be made aware and encouraged to drive at moderate speed keeping in mind the areas they are driving in.

As part of the society, our imams also need to take up the cause at Friday prayers and spread as much awareness as possible. And with our resistance leadership speaking up on the issue, we will be able to spread the word to as many people as possible. Talking of pedestrians and onlookers, what is most important is the job of being a good samaritan. We often hesitate in providing a helping hand to those injured on roads fearing the police and the law, this is where the biggest blunder is committed. If help is provided in time and the victim is taken to a hospital half the battle is won!

Being a part of this society it is the responsibility of each one of us to come forward.

We have lost many lives to this road terror and it’s time we come together and end this.  They are our kids and we are accountable for every single death that occurs with these road accidents.

Deeply pained but with hope, we will launch a state wide road safety campaign under the name of Basit Memorial Road Safety Campaign in the loving memory of our beloved Basit! We expect people from all walks of life to support this campaign. 

Creating awareness and saving lives will be the best way to remember our beloved brother. He passed away teaching us a big lesson and with his death he paved the way for an initiative that will save hundreds and thousands of lives. May his soul rest! Be safe Basit, wherever you are!

(Mail at [email protected])

SEEMA MUSTAFA

SRINAGAR: “You people are liars, you have been spreading lies, you have portrayed all of us as terrorists, you are responsible today for what is happening.” The ‘you’ is a reference to the media. The words said by a young Kashmiri entrepreneur in a cold, sober tone made us cringe. For even though we wanted to believe we were not included in the generalisation, we felt responsible for that section of the media that probably even today has little idea of the damage it has done to Kashmir.

Youth after youth opened their conversation with us — four journalists from Delhi—with similar comments. “You people have tried to destroy us”; “You people have no ethics”; “You people have spread lies and lies about us”; “You people have shown us as monsters”; And they are right, that is exactly what we seem to have done.

The anger in Kashmir, particularly amongst the young,is now deep rooted. As is an accompanying depression, where the smiles, literally, have disappeared from their faces. And this is not an exaggeration, in fact an understatement. The present in Kashmir does not exist, and the hope for a better future has all but disappeared. In some this turns into anger, in others into despondency but in all the young people of Kashmir it generates deep resentment and alienation.

It does not help when they switch on the television sets and see famous anchors, and supposedly respected experts, define Kashmiris as ‘terrorists’. A stereotype that hurts as much as it angers. The reportage, the youth across the board said, brands them as stone pelters, as extremists, radicals, potential Islamic State recruits, Pakistani agents. “Do you see that here, tell me is that how we appear to you,” they ask. If not, then why does the media insist we are what we are not?

As they speak, one after the other with the passion of youth, with political savviness, with intelligent arguments one looks at them and sees only an intense journalist, a writer, an activist, a student, a lawyer all struggling to be heard. And more than that, to be understood.

Intelligence men swarm the hotel where we are staying. In fact at a meeting with journalists at least five of the Special Branch men come inside and sit in the hall. Someone points them out to us, and later after the meeting we have a friendly chat with them where they confirm they belong to the intelligence. They are only following instructions from the top, they cannot be blamed. But their presence has ensured that one will not identify any one person, and that in this report I will change the names of those I quote, as young people are the most vulnerable targets in Kashmir today.

Some quotes:

Rabi: There is a cult of death…The system is unresponsive, we cannot vent our anger through the system as it is not for us. So many turn to the streets to be heard.

Ahmad: the student picks up a stone as it brings instant recognition, a reaction from a system that does not recognise him otherwise. It gets him almost celebrity status today in society. He feels a sense of worth that has been taken away from him by the raids in his home, or his relatives homes, arrests, harassment, daily humiliation on the streets as he is frisked and searched.

Khan: The BJP thinks we are mushrooms. Keep us in the dark and feed us shit.

Wani: I went for a job in Goa but was rejected when they heard I was from Kashmir. I did not have a chance.

Ali: Delhi had to impose a leadership on the protests. So they brought in Hafiz Sayeed and Pakistan. They don’t want to recognise the fact that there is anger amongst the youth, that the protests are spontaneous.

In almost a chorus: The biggest fault is yours, of the media. You have branded us as terrorists, you have not given us a chance. For you all Kashmiris are the same, you do not recognise our aspirations, you just damn us as extremists, as radicals, as violent people without a thought in our heads.

This has led to deep alienation. As news television channels are watched more intensely by the youth here, electricity permitting, than in other parts of the country as there is little else for the young people to do in the evenings. There is no movie hall, they cannot converge and speak (a little movement in our hotel had the intelligence chaps almost setting up a post), they all feel the pressure of constant suspicion, the frisking, the questioning, the monitoring.

And when they are hoping that their voices will be heard, and their sentiments understood they find anchors in Mumbai and Delhi loudly branding them as terrorists and extremists. These are young people with aspirations similar to those living in the cities of other states, except for the crucial difference,that they live in conflict conditions that places death and strife at their doorsteps, knocking to enter at any point in time.

Kashmir’s youth were drawn to journalism,judging from the number of applications that media houses receive. For the younger generation, the realisation that journalism no longer represented the truth came through the ‘national’ media’s coverage of the 2010 cycle of violence in which 124 young people were killed in about three months. It was further strenghened during the floods, when the television anchors arrived to praise the Army at a time when most of the common folk were being saved from the rising waters by the youth, at risk to their own lives. This was not even acknowleded at the time.

But the worst has been these four months, and the cacophony of television coverage where at least three channels if not more insisted on portraying Kashmiris as a national security threat. The coverage that had many senior journalists in Delhi writing about the complete absence of accountability and media responsibility, hit the Valley hard. And as a senior political leader pointed out, the youth found themselves being pilloried every evening instead of being understood.

This, he said, has created deep alienation. The youth here found that no one was reaching out to them, not even the civil society that they saw on television, and instead they were all branded as exrremists,” he said. If the media had been factual, had been responsive and sensitive to a conflict zone, it would have gone a long way in Kashmir, he added.

The anger has spread, into the villages, in the towns. Many stop to point out that the decision to sit for the examinations has little to do with normalcy, and more to do with parents worry about their wards losing a year or more if the process is halted. “Your television sees it as a sign that all is normal, we see it as a necessity and know that nothing is normal,” an articulate young man said.

So where now? There is unanimity here. There needs to be a dialogue, this must start otherwise those who are pelting stones today might be pushed to pick up the gun is the consensus in the room. Although there are some who feel it is too late, there is nothing to talk about now. “We will fight for our freedom now, nothing less is acceptable.”

The Kashmiri youth are certainly not the monolithic entity that an ignorant media in Delhi tends to portray them as. Some are active stone pelters, defiant and almost suicidal. They go up to the armed policeman and defy him to shoot them, by making gestures, and mocking them. They are the very young, cherishing a romanticised concept of intifada in their heads. They are not radicalised, perhaps quite the opposite with no ideology except a notion.

Some are passive stone pelters. Angry, but not going out onto the streets and at the same time supportive of those who are there in the forefront as it were. A young doctor bursts into a rant of emotion, making little sense, but speaking almost ceaselessly about his angst, his experiences, and his worry about the future. “I do not want my child to be killed, or to be blinded by pellets,” he repeats, clearly haunted by the hundreds of young people —3 years onwards—hit by lethal pellets in their faces, and eyes who he has treated.

Some just want it all to end. But have no idea how. They are very critical of the government, of the PDP in particular for betraying the promises but also question the separatists. They are not for India, no one today in Kashmir is, but they are not for Pakistan. They want freedom, some actively, some as a concept to be worked out, but for the moment they want a dialogue and through it peace and as a young lawyer said, “peace with rights, justice, dignity.”

The Citizen

SEEMA MUSTAFA

SRINAGAR: The All Parties Hurriyat Conference, with the two factions led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Syed Ali Shah Geelani more united now than before along with JKLF’s Yasin Malik, have been feeling the pressure in Kashmir to one, keep themselves relevant and in control; and two, to ensure that the common folk are not inconvenienced by shut downs beyond a point. 

Shujaat Bukhari

Past few weeks have seen horrendous activity going on in Kashmir valley reducing nearly 30 school buildings to ashes. There seems to be a pattern behind the torching of school buildings across the Valley and justifiably inviting strong reaction from the conscious citizens.

Politicians, true to their style of functioning, have issued condemnation statements and blamed each other for the disastrous turn that the turbulent situation in Kashmir has taken.

There is no denying the fact that more than 90 lives have been lost since July 8 (when Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed) at the hands of police and paramilitary forces. Over 12000 are injured and hundreds hit by pellets with scores of young boys and girls battling to regain their eyesight. There cannot be more a colossal loss than this spectrum tragedy and the families groaning in unending pain. Above all there is hardly any remorse on part of the state and even the demands of setting up a judicial commission to fix the responsibility have been ignored with contempt. There can be arguments and counter argument about how all the lives were lost but state cannot escape the responsibility and delivering justice to victims is the only way to move forward for a better phase of life.

While no compensation can heal the wounds inflicted since July 8, Kashmir has been waking up to a new, rather dark reality. Over a fortnight now, the schools in various parts of Kashmir are being torched mysteriously. In any conflict, mystery is the word that we easily use to cover up a reality. So is the case with Kashmir since 1989 when the armed rebellion broke out. Two words “mysterious” and “unidentified” have become the permanent part of the lexicon to carry forward the information related to any violent incident which cannot be easily owned by either side. Even if we know who the perpetrator is, for the fear of reprisal we easily put it in the account of “unidentified”. There are scores of examples where people have known those who indulged in violence that could invite public reaction but the silence is the only way to describe it. In many cases the organs of the state have been involved in killing and kidnapping people but again the tag “unidentified” has come to the rescue. Same applies to the other side.

Unfortunately the burning of schools comes under the “mysterious” circumstances. This has again opened up the space for those who have committed this heinous crime. This could be the last thing a society could long for. Constructing a building and making it a school to enlighten a young boy and the girl with knowledge is something that anybody could aspire for. It takes decades to make them centres of learning. But the way we have seen the school buildings go up in flames is a dangerous trend that has set in. And we are not in a position to arrest it. This abhorrent series of acts have put even the illiterates to shame not to talk about Kashmir that has evolved as a society that is conscious about how important these institutions are. The burning of schools is happening at a time when Kashmir is in a stand-off between the separatist leadership that spearheads the cause of “Azadi” and the state that flatly denies any political space even for a discussion. This has resulted in a protest calendar that shuts everything from business to educational institutions. For four months now students are home, forced by parents to study, but they are actually in trauma because of the happenings around them. At a time when there was talk of re-opening the schools (again politicised) the burning spree has eaten the debate. How can we stand mute to burning of schools ?

By: Saima Bhat

Memories are sacred. How fortunate are those who have a sharp memory. The day was 14 July 1992. I was seven years old. I don’t remember the exact time but it was early morning.  Sun was about to rise and birds were chirping, welcoming the day. I was sad, as it was a school day. Still I was expecting my mother to wake me up and prepare me for school.

In the bed, I was struggling to keep my eyes closed. I was trying my best to enjoy another five minutes of sleep. Suddenly, I heard some cries. First, I thought I am dreaming. However, the cries didn’t stop for several minutes. I threw the quilt away and got up from the bed. I came downstairs quickly to see what was happening. I entered the kitchen and to my surprise, I saw my neighbour.

In my deep heart, I thought, ‘what is she doing in our kitchen and that too so early?’ As soon, she saw me, she hugged me. Somehow, I managed to free myself from her. I rushed towards the lawn, from where I was hearing some chattering. There were many people in the lawn. I could not get what they were all talking about nor could I surmise. I could not make any sense of the talks. It looked more of a noise. 

I saw my father sitting on the veranda. He was weeping. For the first time, I saw tears coursing down my strong father’s face. I came closer and hugged him, wiped tears of his cheeks. I did not have the faintest idea what was happening. The situation was so strange that I couldn’t ask anyone for any information. Suddenly my father murmured some words, which were shocking, unforgettable and unbelievable! I ran away from him. I thought he was lying, that cannot be true. The words were, “Tariq Shaheed hogaya”.

That was impossible. Just yesterday, in the evening we had our dinner together.

Next moment, the main gate was opened. I saw womenfolk coming in; my mother, my aunts and some relatives, they were all wailing. I heard some women talking that it had happened yesterday, late in the evening. I saw my sister and cousins sitting in front of my mother. I also joined them and enquired. My sister narrated to me what had had happened.

The night before the incident, we had guests while having dinner. They had come to pay visit to a friend who was ill. They left after having a little chat for a few minutes. Tariq Bhaijan left at last. I remember vaguely, while stepping out he was looking back repeatedly at all of us. I looked at him. I don’t know but yes he sighed once also. My eyes were continuously watching him. He gave a smile and left the room. They (he and his friends) talked for a while in lawn and after that left. The clock showed 10.30 pm.

Shortly after, the kids went to sleep. However, the elders were awake, busy talking with my aunt (my father’s sister), who had also come that day. At about 11 pm or so, gunshots were heard from a very nearby area. A volley of gunshots followed that continued for a long time. And what remained to be heard was a big bang of a blast.

In those days, militancy was at its peak. The only news was about death.

Tariq was not home, thus open to the danger. My family got frightened. They all left towards the Main Chowk, Barzulla, which was the epicentre of gunshots. Somehow, they reached the place. However, the locals stopped them from moving forward. The whole area had been cordoned by the army.

Tariq Baijan was no more. One of his friends had also been killed in firing. His other friends: some had managed to save their lives and some were dragged by military along with them.

The bloody rendezvous of copper and human flesh didn’t end there. After leaving the spot where my beloved Tariq Baijan was killed, the army reached near Eidgah in Barzulla. A young boy had come out of his house to see what was happening. And what he saw was his own death. Army shot him. That day Barzulla lost its three sons.

In the silence of homes, everyone was awake for the whole night. Nobody dared to come out to see what was happening outside. Everyone waited for the morning sun to confirm what had happened. Morning sun often brings hope but that day it brought despair.

In the afternoon, a tipper came and entered our house. In a few seconds, it was surrounded by a horde of sympathizers and mourners. I rushed upstairs to the veranda from where I saw my beloved Uncle laying straight. His face was pale. Everyone was crying. I was no exception.

Someone said to me ‘see your uncle as much as you can because this is the last time you are seeing him’. I cried, cried and cried a lot. My tears were not in my control. For just 10 minutes, I could see my beloved uncle. The mourners left, carrying my Tariq Bhaijan along with them. It was as if they were carrying my world away. Yes, he was my world, our world, our beloved one, darling of the kids. Today after 18 years, he still holds the same place.

The memory, which I cherish, is that he would always carry smile on his face. Socializing and being friendly was his habit. To me he was smart and cool. I still remember how he used to carry his branded outfits. He was a style icon of our family and friends. Even today, if anyone from our area takes his name a suffix ‘Hero’ is attached to the name.

Today I know exactly why and what had happened that bloody night. My Bhaijan was a Pakistan trained militant with a militant organisation, Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF). That night when they were coming out from his friend’s house, they decided to sit on shop front, which was their favourite spot. Nearby in the locality a meeting of Hizbul Mujahedeen (Pro-Pakistani militant outfit) was going on.

In Barzulla, there was a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) camp who had received information about that meeting. The CRPF men came to attack the Hizbul militants but unfortunately, instead they encountered my Bhaijan and his friends. They fought back but in vain. Some of them managed to escape and others who remained behind were dragged by the CRPF men.

The Hizbul militants didn’t do anything to save them because of the rivalry between the two groups in those days. They left them to fight alone. They left them to perish.

Was the rivalry worth of those three lives! Is human life so cheap that it can be neglected for rivalry?

I pity the rivalry.

There was an assumption for that night that it might be a fight between JKLF and HM but something else had happened. Something; which the destiny had already written for them, long before they were born.

In these 18 years, I witnessed many vicissitudes of the on-going insurgency. I belong to the generation where holidays mean strikes. Morning assemblies mean crackdowns. Firecrackers mean gun battles. Corporal punishments mean killings. I have seen frisking of my brothers by foreign people. I have heard blasts. I have walked through the blood shed streets and what not.

My Bhaijan wasn’t the only one from our family who sacrificed his life for his motherland. That year we lost two more from our family to this conflict. Years passed and we managed to live without our beloved ones. My family wasn’t the only one who got departed from loved ones. Hundreds and thousands of families lost their beloveds to this conflict. People say those people are lucky who were martyred in the way of God, for their motherland against the barbaric act.

I am sure Geelani and other Hurriyat leaders are equally worried about fate of our children

Er Rasheed

There is very little scope for me to intervene in what you had argued with Geelani Sahab, as you have outrightly made it a Pir affair. But I am writing more as a parent than an MLA because my dream of seeing my elder son Abrar, who is studying in a Govt High School, excel, seems to be in doldrums due to uncertainty over conducting the exams. As Minister of Education it is your right and duty to use all your good offices to ensure that exams are conducted well in time.

However, It makes no sense if you try to make Geelani Sahab understand significance of education, as the parent organisation of Geelani, Jamaat-e-Islami, has contributed much in the field of education through Fallah e Aam Trust (FAT). I am sure Geelani and other Hurriyat leaders are equally worried about fate of our children. Your curiosity over conducting exams deserves appreciation but going by your track record it takes little to conclude that you are talking sense but seem to be more enthusiastic about the impact of conducting exams over ongoing mass uprising.

What dares me to say so is your behaviour I have keenly observed in and outside assembly during last two years. I saw you preaching more as a defender of RSS and Sang Parivar rather than focusing on education. You humiliated even your own MLAs whenever they would approach you with important issues pertaining to education.
Had you really been sincere, my concrete evidences against a senior officer would not have gone waste, as he played with the career of thousands of children of my consistency. Had you been really worried about revolutionising education, you would have at least allowed my Bill to consideration stage in the House, seeking it mandatory for children of all govt servants and public representatives to study in govt schools. The step would have provided equal opportunity and a level playing field to children of all; from a daily wager to a Chief Secretary.

Your open letter gives a clear cut notion as if Geelani Sahab is the only barrier in conducting exams but you need not to forget that Geelani Sahab is creation of sentiment and sentiment was, is and will be always there – with or without Geelani Sahab. So please don’t forget Geelani Sahab is just one of the custodians of the sentiment and once he succumbs to your Pir politics his relevance will be over. We all need to remember that to ensure a ray of hope one has to learn living with dark nights and tunnels. The sentiment was there, when Iffat used to be proxy of Nayeem Sahab to represent Kashmir Cause; it’s still there when Nayeem Sahab has preferred to change from being a proxy for azadi to that of Sang Parivar.

So not difficult to understand that for Nayeem Sahab getting dividends from situations and circumstances allows him to take 360 turn. Isn’t quality education more important than getting degrees? If so, should Nayeem Sahab not have advised Mehbooba Ji to recruit 10,000 teachers rather than recruiting 10,000 SPOs as who knows better than Nayeem Sahab that there are thousands of primary schools where there is just one teacher for four or five classes. Perhaps Nayeem Sahab is under the illusion that kid of a farmer, carpenter, villager, or a street vendor studies either at Burn Hall or Biscoe. Whenever a question was put to Nayeem Sahab in the assembly asking for creation of posts in high schools, higher secondaries and colleges, he would simply respond by saying, “currently there is no such proposal before the govt”, preferring to ignore that almost every govt institution has dearth of teachers and courses. Had Nayeem Sahab been sincere he would have not provoked children by saying that there would be no concession in syllabus ignoring that it was no fault of students not to complete the syllabus. By issuing harsh dictates Nayeem Sahab should be held directly responsible for forcing and radicalising students, when they take to streets and shout the slogan Boycott, Boycott, Exam Boycott, a slogan that hits every parent including myself like a bullet. Let me conclude with the request as a parent to all concerned parties not to politicise education.

Your’s Sincerely

Er Rasheed

“Kashmir’s sandwiched Press”  

Can we have Right to Information when Obsolete laws override it ?   

Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat

On May 3^rd 2012 I had written a piece on the eve of World Press Freedom day titled “ The Limits of Freedom”. In that article I had expressed my concern on the issue of snapping of the DAVP advertisements to some Srinagar based  english dailies by Government. I had never even thought that a time would come ,when the newspaper circulation would also be banned in this part of the world ? By invoking an obsolete legislation enacted during the time of Autocratic ruler Maharaja Hari Singh namely Jammu & Kashmir Newspaper (Incitement to Offenses) Act Samvat 1971, the authorities have not only stopped the circulation of “Kashmir Reader” newspaper, but have in-fact violated all the local and international laws & declarations related to Freedom of Press.

UN’s perspective Freedom of Press :

In December 1993 UN General Assembly proclaimed World Press Freedom Day. The aim of celebrating this day is to strengthen the fundamental principles of press freedom, assess the states for press freedom throughout the world, defend the media from attacks on their independence and to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the line of duty.The mandate set out by United Nations Educational ,Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) set out it its constitution of 1945 specifically calls on the Organization to “promote the free flow of ideas by word and image”.  In recent times, the United Nations (UN) has highlighted the importance of Freedom of Information in its Brisbane Declaration of 2010 when UNESCO had organized  International Press Freedom day conference at Brisbane Australia on 3^rd May 2010 titled “The Right to Know”. On fostering Freedom of Information, Right to Information and empowerment of people Maputo declaration was adopted in 2008. During 2005 Dakar declaration was adopted on Freedom of Information during annual celebrations of World Press Freedom day at Dakkar the capital city of Senegal. During his message on this year’s Press Freedom Day (May 3^rd 2016) , UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon said :

“ On this World Press Freedom Day , I urge all Governments , politicians , businesses and citizens to commit to nurturing & protecting an independent , free media . Without this fundamental right , people are less free and less empowered. With it we can work together for a world of dignity and opportunity for all” .

Press Freedom in Kashmir :

Due to political uncertainty and conflict the press in Kashmir  has not been able to be free and independent . The un necessary interference of various state and non state actors has hampered the growth of the fourth estate in Jammu & Kashmir. Not only the press but other institutions as well could not grow here due to this conflict. The Kashmir based print media  has been literally sandwiched. If it writes against Government or what people demand, the DAVP advertisements are snapped or even news papers banned as happened in case of Kashmir Reader recently. If local press writes what favours  Government of India , the particular newspaper has to face the wrath from resistance camp , Hurriyat leadership  and even militants. Recently a press reporter was targeted by stone pelting youth who smashed his car windshield when the journalist showed them his photo identity card during a Shutdown (hartal).

“ You publish Modi’s huge photo in your newspaper” one of the young protestors shouted at him. This is not only a single incident but there are more than one dozen incidents wherein press reporters were thrashed or harassed by protesting youth in the recent days,  but these incidents were not  reported. On the other side journalists have been physically harmed , injured  and abused  by Indian security forces as well.

Conclusion :  

This is the age of information. If authorities disallow publishing of a  newspaper in 21^stcentury , I think we are pushing our state into dark ages. What kind of message do we send to the world communities ? New York Times , CNN and other international media highlighted banning of a newspaper in Kashmir. If authorities feel facebook & wattsapp can incite violence , what is the need of banning emailing as well ? How can this incite violence ? Constitution guarantees us Freedom of Expression and Speech. The theme of 2016 Press Freedom Day is :

“Access to Information & Fundamental Freedoms- This is your Right “.

By banning newspapers isn’t Government violating all these international conventions, laws and declarations ? Isn’t Government creating a barrier by not allowing us to have access to Information ? On one side Government gives us the  Right to Information (RTI), but  on the other hand it  invokes Obsolete Laws which override such pro people legislations thus depriving us from having the Access or Right to Information ? …..

Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat is a Srinagar based Social activist and columnist.  

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