Salient Features of the Present Mass Uprising
Some aspects of the present popular
uprising are quite salient. The most important aspect which renders it
exemplary is that of widespread participation of people. The phenomenon is not
limited to a particular social group or a few youth. How the Kashmiri hearts
crave for freedom and how they hate Indian rule and army, is extraordinarily
expressed in the present wave of protests. Everyone is part of these protests, from poor
peasants to small businessmen, from unemployed youth to urban middle class and educated
youth. The participation of people in
the protests is record breaking. Occupation by India is not acceptable to the
people and slogans of freedom are echoing all over. This spontaneous protest
wave is an expression of people’s deep felt anger. The aspect of mass
participation of people is so salient and forceful that is has rendered meaningless
the claims of Indian politicians and their stooge Kashmiri politicians about
Pakistan’s hand behind the protests. For the past some time one distinct
emerging feature being observed about this struggle is that the people do not
fear providing refuge and defence to the armed militant youth at the time of encounters
with army. At the time of funeral of Burhan Wani the Hizbul Mujahideen
militants could make gun salutes to their commander because the massive
gathering of the people blocked all the routes to the graveyard so as not to
let through any army vehicle. There have been numerous occasions during the
collision with army when thousands of people come together and shield the
militants and pelt stones on the army. Such actions of the armed militants and
the common people are a novel characteristic which is not found during the
earlier protest waves. This sort of bravery by the Kashmiri people is cause of grave
concern for the Indian army. According to the army officials it is very tough
task to tackle this kind of resistance and this makes the situation very ticklish.
Whether it was Handwara district
incident in April or the present protests the southern Kashmir region has
witnessed the maximum restlessness and outrage. Earlier this region used to be
relatively calm to such protests, response to call for bandhs used to be mild
but now the way the people of this region have been in forefront of the
struggle; it has become amply clear that the yearning of the people to be the makers
of their own destiny is shared by the whole Kashmir valley and not limited to a
particular region. The widespread participation of the rural people is another
important aspect of this militant uprising. There have been dozens of
demonstrations in small towns which were joined by thousands of people from the
nearby villages. During the funeral procession of Burhan Wani also people from
far off villages took great pains to join the procession. The villages became
the centres of struggle. The people of Shar I Shaali village in Pulwama
district protested against the unfurling of flag by the army during the eve of
15 august. And after this incident the army attacked the village at night,
people were beaten in every house, 20 youth were arrested and taken to police
station and one of them was beaten to death. The fact is worth noting that
participation of rural areas in the Kashmiri struggle is increasing for past
sometime. It is a positive aspect of the struggle which makes it stronger and durable.
Apart from providing a sound and solid base to the national struggle, the
increasing participation of the laboring classes, the foundation of the
Kashmiri society, has potential to become an aspect of strength, helpful in
pushing the struggle forward in the correct political direction.
The public rage is so widespread
and intense that even the local police and other officials are becoming targets
of this rage along with the Indian army. The local police officials are biding
their time in fear dreading the people’s anger. It is becoming increasing
difficult for them to return home from their duties in their uniforms. They are
experiencing social isolation. Many of them have expressed their wish to leave
their job. It has caught the imagination of the lower employees that the higher
officials have been provided security in their homes but they themselves are
without security with no one to take care of them. People have already pelted
stones at the houses of many local police and civil officials. Afraid of
people’s rage the policemen are too afraid to go to police station in the four
districts of south Kashmir which have been rendered all empty but only about
four police stations in southern Kashmir. These police stations are now being
guarded by the army. The same is the situation with all the mainstream
political parties and politicians. They are isolated from the people. The
representatives of the people are so afraid that they are biding their times in
their homes. Not even a single one has dared to go amidst the people to appeal
for peace. Almost all opportunistic political parties have been exposed as stooges
of the Indian state and are unable to provide any relief to Delhi. Their
newspaper appeals have no effect on anyone.
The Kashmir struggle despite having
some religious shades does not have any communal colors and this is a very
important aspect of the Kashmir struggle. Efforts are being made to provide the
struggle with communal colors by the Indian ruling classes and its agents on
one hand and Pakistani ruling class on the other. Although some organizations
with Islamic agenda are active but this agenda is a very small and unimportant
aspect of the struggle. Even though the affect of Islamic fundamental forces
which arose 10-15 years back against the imperialism in the Middle East is present
and they do inspire the youth but still the character of the Kashmir struggle
is not a religious one. The Kashmir struggle is characterized by the militant
resistance and determination. Even the Indian officials agree that there is no
evidence of presence of organizations like Al-Qaeda and Islamic State.
There are many such other strong
aspects of the people’s uprising in Kashmir which further establish that the resistance
by the people cannot be subdued. And these are the aspects which can be
fruitful to garner support of the people of India and the world. Spontaneous character of the movement is such
a limitation which underlines the absence of an established unified and
nationalist leadership. The gap between the people’s forceful upsurge and a
resolute leadership which can guide the struggle in the correct direction is
waiting to be filled from decades. The people of Kashmir are still searching
for the genuine leadership which has a programme for obtaining freedom from
imperialism and feudalism, the leadership which could seize close bonds with
Indian struggling people and based on these close bonds can successfully
accomplish the glorious cause of national self-determination.
No comments:
Post a Comment