The 420 Rulers

A recent government figure justifies a post, published September 2006, whether Srinagar deserves being called a city at all (The post is reproduced below).

A survey has revealed that Srinagar is the 420th cleanest city in India (seeing the glass half full) among the 423 cities ranked. Whether there was some clever manipulation of the ranking to make sure it wasn’t ranked 419 or 421 – one can not tell. Coincidence or otherwise, 420 is an apt number for the rulers of Kashmir.

Jammu, the Cry Baby that never stops crying injustice – ranks at 186, giving us a decent indicator of where the money is being spent.

And why? The answer can only be guessed: the forever fear within the administration and rulers that they will eventually have to give up Kashmir. And that is good news.

And, as the government mulls outsourcing sanitation, one fails to understand what is this government capable of. Recently it had shown helplessness to construct parking lots and was therefore considering privatising prime locations of the city to Non-Kashmiri corporates, including Palladium Cinema. Public Private Partnership is another buzz word – and an idiots playground to jump into for a state torn by conflict.

And the post of September 2006:

Omar v/s Omar

Its been weeks of Sundays since a new post appeared on this blog! Today, I end that hiatus. My next post would be ihrams – a new Kashmir that I see emerging. A Kashmir which is losing touch with reality. And this post, to an extent, is what the people, the politics and the media of Kashmir seem to be focusing on: an internetKashmir. A tabloid version of the Afghanistan.

What exactly is the difference between Omar and Umar – the two OUmars of Kashmir who represent, in reality, nothing. Both love designer labels. One can flaunt it, the other just doesn’t want to (or can’t).

The difference between them: one sports watches…

…the other doesn’t.

And, before I sign off – here is a little something about Umar and Omar:

The Abdullah wears the Hindus sacred thread Mali and Farooq wants to look a lot like his father.

The Writing On The Wall

“We do not recognise UJC. They are carrying swords. We do not accept diktats,”

Ansari said that his organisation was not in favour of enforcing orders on others and will leave it to the people of Kashmir to decide about the elections as per their “conscience”.

“Why are we people targeting Lone for contesting elections? Have you forgotten the late Sheikh Abdullah also contested elections after heading the Plebiscite Front,” Ansari said. The Hurriayt yesterday said it would not boycott the elections. ( business standard)

Hurriyat’s imminent failure.

Update:

Malik Sajad’s cartoon on Greater Kashmir depicts the situation more precisely than the writing on the wall.

And don’t miss the color at Malik Sajad’s site: of nostalgia and the shattered truth of Kashmir.

 

He Never Knew!

“I was surprised to learn that most of people in New Delhi were unaware of the plight of Kashmiris. They think Kashmiris are terrorists and fighting against Indian rule without any rhyme and reason,” Geelani said. “A senior doctor in Delhi’s leading hospital was in tears when I told him about the Kashmir dispute and the suffering of Kashmiris at the hands of Indian security agencies. I told him under India’s so-called democratic system troops violated the chastity of hundreds of Kashmir girls and killed thousands of youth in the past two decades. He was shocked and he plugged his ears with his fingers.” (greater Kashmir)

Mr. Geelani you realise all this now!? They year we are living in is 2009, you know that, right? It actually took you a couple of visits and a two month stay in Delhi to understand something which has been obvious since like forever!

And Mr. Geelani is candid:

“The group told me that they had never heard this side of Kashmir dispute. I invited them to Kashmir and told them you should have courage to hear the reality and suffering of Kashmiris. But I cautioned them not to forget their identity cards otherwise they wouldn’t escape wrath of the troop,” said Geelani.

And laughs, when he needs not to!

“Now I have got a handful of supporters in New Delhi,” Geelani (laughing) said, “Truth will one day prevail upon the World. Sacrifices of Kashmiris will not go waste.”

Perhaps those are the only supporters he will ever have, in sometime.

Hurriyat’s Lies

The Hurriyat Conference has claimed that it is closing district offices, slashing the pay of its employees and laying off employees as a restructuring measure in wake of the recent assembly elections. Mirwaiz has also claimed the global recession to be a cause of its financial cutbacks and layoffs.

The Hurriyat, whose death is inevitable, believes, as do the mainstream politicians, that Kashmiris suffer from short term memory loss. It was in October 2007 that Hurriyat had shut down its district offices because of the financial crunch it had been facing for some time and had planned then to lay off its employees. Recent elections, restructuring and introspection are mere deceptive words being used by an organization which is failing within and outside Kashmir.

1521 For 1

The figures are out; it is a startling and disturbing revelation of figures by the Central Reserve Police (with Kashmir being the barrack for the reserve!). According to Sify News there are just around 200-250 militants active in Kashmir.

According to the official, only 225 to 250 trained militants of various outfits are currently active in the Kashmir Valley.

Sify News

1521 Well Trained Forces For 1 Militant

0.7 millions troops for 460 militants (other news sources put the number at 400, 450 and >1000; the average is 460) i.e., 1521 well trained, fully armed, professionally backed, free to move and immune from the laws of the land men for every single badly trained and bearded militant with restricted movement and immune from nothing but his fear.

What do these numbers tell us? These numbers do not merit keeping gun-pointing and ready to kill 0.7 million troops in Kashmir or do they?

India Wins…

For those who claim that India is just rooting out terrorism from Kashmir, then India has definitely won. Hasn’t it? 460 militants should not too tough to deal with.

…Not

For those who want to know, this is a clear indication that the fight in Kashmir is not just with the 460 odd always on run militants but something greater. What is that greater? That greater is the burning desire in every Kashmiri for Freedom. The never dying desire to breath the crisp fresh air of Freedom; Freedom from slavery, subjugation, torture and oppression or perhaps just the freedom from having to carry an Identity Card for moving outside our homes in our land or still just perhaps the freedom to know that every morning won’t bring the news of deaths by bombs and bullets. Increasing number of tourists visiting Kashmir or decreasing number of militants is not an indicator of peace, as the Government is trying to potray. Kashmir is a volcano about to burst, like it did in 1989.

The Stress Of 460 Militants

Is it really the 460 odd militants keeping the armed forces on toes in Kashmir? Why aren’t the troops being reduced in Kashmir? Why seek further therapeutic help (earlier measures have failed) for its men.

It is pertinent to mention here that earlier measures taken by Indian army and paramilitary forces to de-stress their jawans working in Kashmir had failed as there was no decline in the number of suicide and fratricide incidents.

Sources said the army has decided to take the help of music therapy to de-stress soldiers working in hazardous conditions in Kashmir. “the army has in fact organized a meditation music therapy concert in one of its commands in Kashmir,” they said.

NewsBlaze

Two Failures Together

India has been seeking help from Israel , but to no avail. Israel has equally failed to curb the resistance movement in Palestine. Two failures together won’t make a success story.

Why all these claims without even a proposal to reduce troops though allegedly back of Hizbul Mujahideen has been broken!

We have broken the back of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen: CRPF

Hindu

Propaganda For What Or Whom?

One can not ignore the claim of Hizbul Mujahideen

“Revealing the minimal figures of active militants by IG CRPF is actually propaganda to boast morale of its men who are committing suicides, as they have become tired.” Islam said.

KashmirWatch

Not just that, even if we agree that the numbers are wrong, it is not just the militants that India fears, it is the people. With elections not too far away, a sense of normalcy has to be instilled in the world much before the elections (or their absence) takes place.

Hizbul Dares India!

“If the strength of militants has declined then why India has positioned lakhs of troops in valley. Why don’t they dare to decrease their strength,” he said.

KashmirWatch

India Dares Not!

“It would release the pressure from the militants who are on the run at the moment. It is not the right time to talk about reducing the strength of security forces at the moment.

We should focus on eliminating the militancy from the valley,” the IG said while replying to a question.

News Today