Though top brass of the army, paramilitaries and army claimed to achieved a major breakthrough by killing of top Hizb Ul Mujahideen Commander Sabzar Ahmad Bhat in an encounter in Tral but fact is that killing of militants have not changed the situation on ground in Kashmir since 1989 the year when armed uprising erupted in the state. Curbing militancy has neither resolved crisis in Kashmir during last 27 years of armed nor will it change the ground situation in Kashmir. Last year killing of Sabzar’s predecessor Burhan Wani didn’t change situation in Kashmir and instead Burhan’s killing triggered a massive unrest that started on July 8 the day Burhan was killed and last till November when the offices moved to Jammu the winter capital of the state . Sabzar’s killing won’t also change the situation on ground in Kashmir in the absence of political initiative needed to address the seventy year long vexed Kashmir issue. Mishandling of the situation has created a political vacuum in the state but the central government does not show willing to take any measures for filling this political vacuum. Ultimately PDP, BJP National Conference and Congress strike a common chord in playing politics over the dead just to keep the pot boiling for the furtherance of their political motives. Had democracy been allowed to take roots in Kashmir then army major won’t have tied a civilian with the bonnet of a jeep after casting his vote on the election day in the recently held parliamentary by election in Budgam district. Though political parties are crying over the tying of a civilian with the bonnet of a jeep but instead of waiting for the outcome of the Court of Inquiry (CoI) ordered by army itself the army major was surprisingly awarded commendation. Consequently such a provocative decision would push more and more youth to militancy as a civilian being tied to the bonnet of a jeep by army is bound to fuel anger against the army among the youth who find themselves at the receiving end.
As long as Modi Government continues policy of awarding uniformed men for provocative actions like the tying of a civilian to the bonnet of a jeep after casting his vote on election day, peace can’t return to restive Kashmir valley.
Such actions by the uniformed men are bound to keep alienated people of aloof from the democratic exercises as the tying of the civilian to the bonnet of a jeep by army has created an impression that democracy does not work in Kashmir. In past the successive central governments failed to fulfill the promises it made to the people of Jammu & Kashmir at the time of accession and thereafter and now tying of civilian with the bonnet of a jeep by army has disillusion Kashmiri youth so much that youth prefer to joint militant ranks and snatch rifles from the soldiers patrolling streets. If Kashmir is to witness peace, punishment but not reward to the soldiers like major Gogoi who tied a civilian to the bonnet of a jeep after casting his vote on election day is the only way out. As long as Modi Government continues policy of awarding uniformed men for provocative actions like the tying of a civilian to the bonnet of a jeep after casting his vote on election day, peace can’t return to restive Kashmir valley.
