(Kashmir Times, July 8, 2008)
Editorial
Serving nobody's interest
Violent protests harming social, economic stability
There appears to be no end to the violent protests in Jammu, which may not augur well for the social and economic stability of Jammu and Kashmir, particularly Jammu region. Whether or not those spearheading the agitation have a genuine grouse against the government, the ongoing protests with mobs on the rampage, is not a good omen. Most importantly, it is affecting the day to day life of a common man, for whom, at the end of the day, the question of bread and butter is more important than who gets to run the affairs of the Amarnath shrine, or even the larger regional disparities question. A one legged government has certainly been unable to do much in providing even the basic amenities to the people or in fulfilling their needs of essential commodities which are either scarce or available at exorbitant prices. In this scenario, many people huddled indoors, because of both the enforced bandh and the curfew, have nothing to even eat. Barring this, the ailing people are unable to get adequate medical attention. In fact, the one week long agitation so far has caused the entire region loss of several lakhs of rupees with business receiving a great set back. The economic blockade targeting business of Kashmir has adversely affected the business in Jammu as well. Tourism and Amarnath pilgrimage, the cause of which the protestors seem to be espousing, has also been adversely affected as many pilgrims travel via Jammu for the Valley. It is not simply a question of economics but also the social fabric of the state which has been severely damaged by the protests taking up a communal form. Even if the protest is sought to be legitimised on grounds of regional aspirations, the communal tones are apparently visible. Interestingly, those supporting the ongoing agitation, in response to allegations of creating a regional and communal divide, have stated that there is no attempt to create communalism in Jammu region and that some Muslims have even offered support to the protest. In fact, they are making strong appeals for maintaining communal amity and have ensured that no Muslim of Jammu would be targeted. This indeed may be a tricky assurance given the fact that such an assurance is silent about minorities and Muslims other than Jammu Muslims. And what really is the definition of a Jammu Muslim? Is it essentially a person from the city. Though no specific cases of harassment to the Muslims have come to the fore in Jammu city, there have been incidents on the outskirts of the city and on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway as also the other routes. The temporary shelters of some nomadic tribes too have been set on fire at some places. Such instances are being justified in the name of enforcing bandh. The BJP and others supporting the agitation maintain that such attacks were resorted to as normal part of protestors enforcing bandh and not selective targets against any particular community. Going by reports that all persons moving on the highways are subjected to some form of harassment or the other, from questioning to being physically heckled, this may be true. But is a party that seeks to use this protest as an election agenda and ensure a larger representation in the next state legislative assembly even aware that use of such forceful means to ensure bandh are violative of the civil rights of citizens and downright undemocratic?
Without going into the rationality of the demands, the violent street protests must stop immediately. So must the prolonged Jammu bandh, forcefully enforced by mobs on the streets so that curfew can be lifted from various parts of the region including the winter capital. Instead, if those wishing to get some political mileage out of the protests feel that their demands are reasonable, there are other democratic forms of protest that they ought to take recourse to. Holding the ordinary citizens to ransom and creating serious regional and communal divides, adding to the fear psychosis and insecurities of certain sections of the society will in the ultimate run not only be detrimental for Jammu region but also for the agenda they are pursuing. Neither the election card, nor the larger Hindutva agenda of the Sangh Parivar can in the long run work successfully here. A culture of hatred cannot sustain for long in a society that is plural, tolerant and has a history of not succumbing to provocations. The ongoing agitation, at least in its present form, is in nobody's interest. There has to be an immediate end to it.