India, the cradle of civilization.. India, the largest democracy in the world.. India, the epitome of tolerance and religious freedom. Do we ever look beyond the glossy 'India Shining' advertisements and feel beyond the 'feel-good' factor?
Do we stop and take notice of the problems facing our OWN brothers in other parts of the country?? Do we notice the pain our OWN security agencies put our OWN people through?? There's a lot happening in Kashmir that we are not aware of..
Right now whats happening is NOT abt Kashmir being a part of India or Pakistan or being Independent.. It is NOT about bashing security forces like the human rights people do.. Its NOT about what separatists or organizations from ACROSS the border do to instigate and infuriate the forces.. Its NOT about how the Kashmiri pandits were treated a decade ago.. All these issues are complex and need deeper insights and the political will to resolve them..
What it IS about though is the plight of INNOCENT kids.. 12 teenagers have died in the past month falling to police bullets/ tear gas shells and the like.. Its about what THEY have started thinking of Indians as and what THEY will grow up to be.. Its about how future generations will perceive US if we let this continue..
When Jessica Lal was murdered and her killer set free, there was a huge public outburst.. when Ruchika Girhotra's molester was let loose same thing happened.. but when 15 INNOCENT people are killed by the bullets of those who are supposed to maintain peace everybody is busy taking sides.. Security forces AND Kashmiri people are BOTH citizens of India.. the attacks on security forces are to be condemned but they did not lead to the death of TEENAGERS and KIDS!!
We totally justify the use of force.. but only against TERRORISTS and not against the Innocent civilians who are exercising their constitutional right in protesting against the killing of another innocent protester.. whether they want to stay with India or not, they are our own people and deserve to be dealt with dignity!
There's a time to stand up and support each other for a higher cause.. There's a time to stand up against the atrocities committed on innocents, There's a time to protect the Human rights of your own people in your own country.. And the time is NOW! We have to wake up to our realities and deal with them if we truly want to transform our Country into a true Nation..
If we still don't stand up for our own people's rights, one day WE will be at the receiving end and we'll have no one but OURSELVES to blame for it.. We OWE this to Humanity and our OWN idea of Our nation..
Like the famous Swades dialogue, 'Koi desh mahan nahi hota, usse mahan BANANA padta hai!" We need to recognize what's happening in our own backyard and try to help those who are suffering.. Hoping that we can at least start a dialogue and start building bridges.. Please take some time to sign the petition and forward it to your contacts.. http://www.petitiononline.com/
Do we stop and take notice of the problems facing our OWN brothers in other parts of the country?? Do we notice the pain our OWN security agencies put our OWN people through?? There's a lot happening in Kashmir that we are not aware of..
Right now whats happening is NOT abt Kashmir being a part of India or Pakistan or being Independent.. It is NOT about bashing security forces like the human rights people do.. Its NOT about what separatists or organizations from ACROSS the border do to instigate and infuriate the forces.. Its NOT about how the Kashmiri pandits were treated a decade ago.. All these issues are complex and need deeper insights and the political will to resolve them..
What it IS about though is the plight of INNOCENT kids.. 12 teenagers have died in the past month falling to police bullets/ tear gas shells and the like.. Its about what THEY have started thinking of Indians as and what THEY will grow up to be.. Its about how future generations will perceive US if we let this continue..
When Jessica Lal was murdered and her killer set free, there was a huge public outburst.. when Ruchika Girhotra's molester was let loose same thing happened.. but when 15 INNOCENT people are killed by the bullets of those who are supposed to maintain peace everybody is busy taking sides.. Security forces AND Kashmiri people are BOTH citizens of India.. the attacks on security forces are to be condemned but they did not lead to the death of TEENAGERS and KIDS!!
We totally justify the use of force.. but only against TERRORISTS and not against the Innocent civilians who are exercising their constitutional right in protesting against the killing of another innocent protester.. whether they want to stay with India or not, they are our own people and deserve to be dealt with dignity!
There's a time to stand up and support each other for a higher cause.. There's a time to stand up against the atrocities committed on innocents, There's a time to protect the Human rights of your own people in your own country.. And the time is NOW! We have to wake up to our realities and deal with them if we truly want to transform our Country into a true Nation..
If we still don't stand up for our own people's rights, one day WE will be at the receiving end and we'll have no one but OURSELVES to blame for it.. We OWE this to Humanity and our OWN idea of Our nation..
Like the famous Swades dialogue, 'Koi desh mahan nahi hota, usse mahan BANANA padta hai!" We need to recognize what's happening in our own backyard and try to help those who are suffering.. Hoping that we can at least start a dialogue and start building bridges.. Please take some time to sign the petition and forward it to your contacts.. http://www.petitiononline.com/
JAI HIND!
Give PEACE a CHANCE!!
22 comments:
Dr.Vineet I would object to this statement, that security agencies are causing human right violations. How easily we assume that ppl frm security forces hv no human rights.. they stay away from their homes in inhuman conditions, their patience is tested time and again, any passing teenager in kashmir would not think twice before he mocks a ... See Moresecurity personnel (seen it myself)..are these not human rights violations..when local people are pelting stones hurling abuses on security forces are these not human right violations..when their vehicles are blown away..this and much more ...but still ppl expect them to exhibit retrain..Why?... who would float a petition for human rights violation of security people killed all these years in acts of terror.
I totally agree with what u have said bro! But we always tend to think of the plight of our own security people.. my own uncle was posted in Ladakh in BSF and i have seen the tough life he lived there.. but things have changed over the past years.. with the granting of Special Powers to defence forces in Kashmir and Manipur we have created mutinies... See More amongst ourselves..
I am in touch with many people in the valley and my words r not picked up from a new channel or the print media.. its what is actually happening there.. Power corrupts my friend and even though it is hard to see our devoted forces in such a role, somewhere or other they are also at fault in the escalation of this situation..
Kashmir is such a complex issue.There are the terrorists,separatists,armed forces and the civilians.It is very difficult to hav an unbiased perspective.Because only when we are in that place we know what's really goin on.Till that we have 2 rely on the hearsay and what we read.But one thing we should all acknowledge is no innocent person should be ... See Morehurt.And unfortunately that has not been happening.Even though the armed forces grant was introduced to combat terrorism,a lot of times ,it has been used against innocent citizens.Now this is adding fuel to a fire.This has been repeatedly used by the separatists against the state.Now there is no simple solution to this.The original suggestion was a plebiscite.That is not pragmatic under the present circumstances.I do totally agree with the fact that our armed forces are doing a great service to the nation but we can't deny the fact that atrocities are happening.And that should be prevented for the larger good:)
Very well said Anoop.. agreed it is a complex issue but no innocent should ever die and least of all because of the very people who are supposed to protect them!!!
Agreed that there have been instances of power abuse but to brand the forces as being inhumane or against human rights is not correct.
they r the same forces who jump for restoration of food supplies wen snow cuts off certain parts of valley, who swing into action in every natural calamity n provide healthcare n other facilities to locals.
Can we... See More for a sec imagine the hostile conditions in which security personnel are operating in kashmir..if a group of people start pelting stones and burning the tricolour do you expect the security forces to continue practicing restrain... what is done mostly is the last resort to disperse an unruly group of ppl.
Yes there r instances of forces being at fault but so r many instances of public, administration n human rights activists taking the forces for granted.
Problem is most intellectuals overlook the forces' side of story and instead go with media painted picture.
And if u feel that terrorism can be tackled by restrain then we hv Punjab's example what it had turned into during years of back foot playing by govt. and how ultimately some proactive measures by forces helped it regain normalcy.
@Harsh i totally justify the use of force.. but only against TERRORISTS and NOT against the INNOCENT civilians who are exercising their constitutional right in protesting against the killing of another INNOCENT protester..
And i don't agree that ANYONE overlooks the sacrifices made by the forces in safeguarding the nation and securing its ... See Morefrontiers.. they were our saviors when 26/11 happened and i stood in the Gateway Peace March and cried with thousands others and clapped for them.. But they are not ABOVE the law.. they are supposed to protect these people and are meant to show some restraint to the situation in whatever provocation they face..
Remember how police forces cracked down on peacefully protesting doctors when the reservation issue was on??? Now imagine them using guns and bullets instead of lathis and batons and then think of whether what was done was right or not..
Absolutely @Vineet.If the security forces suffer,then the civilians suffer equally.Imagine living in an environment where u r always at d mercy of others.U jus dont know what's going 2 happen in d nxt moment.Where many families hav lost their members due to firing.Even their economic situation is so weak.No proper means of livelihood. Lack of education.So how can we expect them 2 behave well.They are always used by the separatists and encouraged 2 vent their anger at the state.Very difficult for us to empathise with them. So the onus is on the forces and the state.They should exercise restraint.And Kashmir cant be really compared with any other state.Because if u look into the history,even its accession itself was such a tricky issue.
I am not pointing fingers on ur patriotism.. dont tk it that ways!!
I hv an opinion on the way generally human right activists work n a strong one..that its a biased reporting which puts the blame on security forces most of the time.
Its right that use of force should be on terrorists..but we dont realise terrorists dont come out wearing a uniform... See More like our forces ..so any stone pelter who comes to the street might just b holdin one Kalashnikov under his faran..so its not that easy to single out a terrorist frm a non terrorist.
of course no one is above law but so r not ppl who spare no opportunity to gain political mileage of every thing that goes wrong in valley, n neither r ppl who think damaging public property is part of a protest.
There the doctors were protesting peacefully n not burning vehicles, stepping on the tricolor n were not pelting stones on forces, the two scenarios are different, though security action is excessive but the two situations are different.
@Anoop Yes it is a well kept secret indeed..
@Harsh i understand what you are saying, and what is happening there now would not have anything to do with Pakistan if security forces try to behave in a more mature fashion..
And to clarify one thing here, these protesters were not doing any of the things mentioned above.. they were there to ... See Moreprotest against the killing of another innocent kid who was shot when HE himself was protesting the killing of another innocent kid who was hit by a tear gas shell and died..
I agree, there indeed are troublemakers who may or may not be from across the border and who spark such incidents but it is the innocents who get caught in the crossfire.. we have to avoid any COLLATERAL damage at any cost if we are to prove ourselves different from our enemy states!!
"Restraint" is d key word in Kashmir..... but y only on d forces i ask.... y the miscreants not covered by d same discipline !!????!!!
Bcoz the onus is on our authorities to keep restraint and help diffuse the situation otherwise all the steps taken towards maintaining peace till now will just go down the drain!
wht is the use of having a gun or a weapon if u cant use the same......izakhmi ho jao par weapon use na karo.....kyun ki hume apni wisdom dikhani hai....wht is this... waise bhi ppl in the armed forces do not as a hobby go to the valley n disturb the peace..it is as an honoiur towards their duty go to disturbed areas..aur agar civilians yeh baat nahi samajhte toh too bad...it is very easy to sit in a peaceful area n comment abt peace n wisdom
I agree wid what Ashima has said.. wht is the use of a gun if u cant use it.. but wid power comes responsibility.. when u hv a gun in ur hand u HAVE to b more responsible abt WHOM u r shooting..
When u r shooting the enemy all heads will BOW down to u but when u shoot ur OWN people u HAVE to face the criticism.. the 12 people who have got killed in the last month were innocents protestiors and NOT terrorists..
I respect Indian army to the core but they r also not above the INDIAN constitution which grants EQUAL rights to ALL its citizens irrespective of the state they belong to..
It is easy to talk abt bravery and honour when its not YOUR brother/son/sister who are getting killed..
t is very easy to sit in an ac office/home n talk abt responsibilities...kabhie socha army mein bhi log hi hote hain ...unki families ko pata hota hai ki una papa/husband /son wapas aayega bhi nai...koi shouk se apne logon ko nahi marta...aur ghar baithe kaise pata chalta hai ki jis bullet se jo mara hai woh army ki thi ya terrorist ki..y akhud protestors ki...army kisi ko nahi kehti ki aake disturbed areas mein protest karo...aur army ko bulate hi civilian govt hai.....aur agar yeh proestors army wale ko maar de phir civilians unhe shaheed bana dete hai...tab koi comment karta hai civilians ko apni responsibilities samajhni chahiye...
and to add to rohit and ashima ..the protesters were surely not taking out a candlelight march ..they were a mob with stones ..bottle bombs sharp waepons etc ...also how come no hue and cry is made when army and crpf jawans are mercilessly killed ..
Unwillingly I had to comment, sitting here in the heart of Jammu & Kashmir... See More…as it is my hometown & runs in my blood..not sitting in peaceful area/ AC rooms & commenting as some people thought...as seldom I comment...We were the first one to throw stones in our own police & security forces…when Amarnath Agitation started in Jammu region last year...we were on the roads..bt we expected restrained…as they had power & authority to Kill…as any bullet could have entered me..but I am alive to write this comment…and with highest regard to Army n their family..as they have Great role to play, with Great Sacrifice..but with Great role..comes Great responsibility, Great thinking, Great decisions…as Great Countries does not run only with emotions…but with decision making, restraint, power, authority, laws, people & of course with “WISDOM”…Jai Hind
@Narinder& Vineet.... as per ur comments i infer that just coz i adorn d uniform be it khakhi or olive i am duty bound to get attacked/bitten up/and even killed coz of my affiliation while a maddening mob who not only targets my camp/my body and my buddy has HUMAN RIGHTS???? woow! guys u r worst than what we are fighting for....
aaah! HUMAN rts ... See Moreare for humans not for mercenaries. Today ARMY was deployed in Srinagar after 15 yrs!!! at least 200 CRPF men have been killed in last 2 months alone forget the count of Army men laying their lives every day..... but yes thats their job many say.... as if they are not humans at all.
What a pity! our citizens is have this thought then y curse the pakkis!?!!
@Kannu and all d rest as expected u r being emotional and TOTALLY missing the point.. army is doing a great job but they are NOT demigods! they CAN and DO make mistakes and should be punished for it like everyone else in the country is..ARMY is not a sacrosanct institution and in recent times there have been NUMEROUS instances of fudging, fake encounters, bribes, molestations etc. which probably u turn a blind eye to but which according to our LEGAL and CONSTITUTIONAL machinery which is our nation's GUIDING principle, HAVE to be punished.. Otherwise there will be no diff btw our army which we all respect and the notorious Paki army!
Anyways the current situation is not abt Army, it is the Central forces and J&K police who have brought this situation.. they r not condemned for bringing peace, but they certainly NEED to be condemned for HELPING the separatists bring the state on the verge of rebellion..
And btw protest karna is every citizen's constitutional RIGHT. Security forces or Govt. CAN NOT stop people from protesting.. what they can do is to make sure things dont get out of hand and they should control the troublemakers..
BUT mind u, the 15 people killed till yesterday, 13 have been teenagers whose average age is 13 and one of them is a 9 yr old kid.. when u can b so passionate and charged up just READING wht i hv written, how do YOU expect the relatives of these kids to sit silent??!!!???
Maybe its just easier to pretend that everything tht happens in Kashmir is bcoz of pakistan.. helps us put the blame on smone else without looking at our OWN mistakes and BLUNDERS.. if we still dont stand up for our own people's rights, one day WE will b at the receiving end and we'll hv noone to blame but OURSELVES for it..
If anyone who has a gun and can justify his stand is allowed to kill people freely, we should NOT be trying Ajmal Kasab.. we should be worshipping General Dyer for causing Jallianwala Bagh and Hitler for his persecution of Jews.. They also had their OWN justifications for what they did and they may even have been heroes for their OWN countries but does that make wht they did pardonable???
MIGHT is NOT always RIGHT. What has happened thr is MURDER and DESERVES PUNISHMENT according to our LEGAL framework!
It's true that not everything in Kashmir happens because of Pak, our government is to blame too. But tell me don't you think that the average army/para military jawan would rather be relaxing at his home than battle people who have no notions about their own future?? When protesters and militants kill security forces, no rights body comes forward to utter a word. Even they are humans, even they feel anguish. But they can't protest by pelting stones, they are expected to show restraint.
They are dying at a place and for the people of a land where even constitutionally they are de facto foreigners!! Yes our forces aren't clean but the case is similar with all those stone pelting and rioting Kasmiris too.
@Suman you are judging them based on what you have seen/read in the media.. the reality is not that simple.. interact with some kashmiris and try to understand how they are living everyday then maybe you would not be this judgmental in your comments..
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