Policing the Friday prayers has become a routine affair in Kashmir and more so after the unrest triggered by the killing of top Hizb Commander Burhan Wani on June 8,2016 and continuing unabated till now. After the announcement of the suspension of operations against the militants in Kashmir for the holy month of Ramadhan by the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh the people in Kashmir valley expected respite from clashes and killings in the holy month of Ramadhan. The provocations by army, police and paramilitaries are however not heading for any dead end as an attempt to bring people to an Iftar party by army in Imamsahab Shopian few days back triggered clashes during which many civilians were injured. Few days back Hurriyat Conference (M) Chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq proposed withdrawal of government forces during prayer times in the Jamia Masjid and offered the help of volunteers in maintaining peace and order at this grand mosque. The suggestion of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was acknowledged by both the people and the police but again the government deployed government forces in the Jamia Masjid area and clashes broke out during which one youth was killed.
Unless and until the saboteurs of peace showing their presence in police are not identified no unilateral ceasefire or suspension of operations against the militants can work in Kashmir.
Registering a case against the driver who mowed down a youth during clashes is not enough but the action has to be contemplated against the police officials who have ordered deployment during prayer times in the Jamia Masjid area. As the offer of volunteers by Mirwaiz Molvi Umar Farooq was responded well by the police also, the deployments during the prayer times in the Jamia Masjid area was a flagrant violation of the assurance the police officials had given on deployments in response to the offer of Mirwaiz Molvi Umar Farooq. The failure of the authorities to keep their word on deployments in the Jamia Masjid area shows the presence of black sheep in the police. Unless and until the saboteurs of peace showing their presence in police are not identified no unilateral ceasefire or suspension of operations against the militants can work in Kashmir.
