More than 60 year after independence Pakistan and India are still to behave as good neighbours. Both countries have their stand for not having friendly and cordial relations. It has always been the Issue of Kashmir. Several times during these past decades leaders of India and Pakistan have tried to sit together to solve the problems. India insists that Kashmir is a part of India; Pakistan argues that it is a disputed territory. One part is controlled by India by deploying a very strong contingent of Indian army and the rest is controlled by Pakistan of course not with the military might. Indians argue that Pakistan should vacate the territory under its control. Pakistan insists that Kashmir is the core issue and should be solved according to the wishes of the people of Kashmir.
Since after 1987, disputed State elections resulted in some of the states legislative assembly to form militant wings later on after the election, creating the catalyst for the insurgency; the Indian-administered JAMMU AND KASHMIR VALLEY has been the site of conflict between the Indian armed forces, militants and separatists. Furthermore, India alleges these militants are supported by Pakistan. This turmoil in Jammu and Kashmir has resulted in thousands of deaths.We,the Indian people are used to read and hear about the violent activities in Kashmir since we were born,but what is striking me for the last couple of months is that, the people of Kashmir are protesting against the armed forces without caring for their lives.
Last week I a saw a photograph in the news paper that a boy hardly about 8-9 years old was desperately running after a military van with stones in his hand.A boy of this age who is supposed to enjoy his childhood has become so desperate to attack on the armed forces.This is a protest of the common people against the nation,against the army.The army is empowered by the act ARMED FORCES SPECIAL POWER ACT.This is more like a shield to them,they have got the right to kill or rather brutally murder the civilians but no one will ask them whether it was really needed or not.
Our home minister Mr.P CHIDAMBARAM has constantly argued that behind this protest of the Kashmiris there are the helping hands of Pakistan.It is often very easy to blame others to avoid your own onus.What is the reason behind this turmoil in the valley???What caused them to ignore the fear of being arrested,killed or being brutally tortured by the armed forces??The civilians are protesting against the gunman with only stones in their hands.The youth of Kashmir who are likely to be of my age are protesting against the police without thinking what could happen to them.
The act of the government is not praiseworthy at all.Even after so many years of Independence INDIAN government has completely failed to improve the socio-economic condition of the Kashmir valley.The child who is born in Kashmir has no bright future,most of the families in the valley are in acute poverty.Only tourism is not gonna help them to improve their economic conditions.When day after day a person spends his life without any ray of hope he is bound to loose his loyalty towards his country,towards his government..and the jihadis like al-quaeda are taking this opportunity..Only war against war, deployment of more forces,bullets to stop the violence can never be a solution..for the last 1 month television broadcasting has been stopped,only 15 mins a day one national channel is allowed to broadcast news,no news paper have been published for the last one week,sms cannot be sent.The human activities have come to a halt.
Stiil we will go to Kashmir on our vacations,we will enjoy the Dal lake,we will stay in houseboats and we will say that Kashmir is still ' heaven on earth'..but cries of the mothers who have lost their innocent child,whose sons are killed by the armed forces will be lost into the oblivion..because there are the civilians of heal.