Sir,
I am writing in support of the strong condemnation issued in the columns of MEL of July 15-31, 2016 in the article entitled ‘Brutal attack on protests against the killing of Burhan Wani: Condemn the barbatic persecution of the Kashmiri people!’.
The CGPI must be praised for its long, committed and principled stand against state terror which is the principle instrument of rule in Kashmir, and for that matter in many other parts of India. Kashmir is a special sticking point because of the dispute with Pakistan, the Siamese twin of India. These twins has been joined at the hip since their birth, and their mutual rivalry and antagonism plays itself out in the bloodied cities, towns and and countryside of Kashmir.
Having no solution to the national question in Kashmir, India runs its writ through the bullet much of the time, when the ballot is unable to do so. In the latest events which have been precipiated by the extra-judicial killing of Mr. Burhan Wani at the tender age of 22, tens of young persons have lost their lives, when they have, in fact, come to exercise their democratic right to rally and protest. What has happened is the collapse of `civil society’ which in Kashmir is conducted by the use of force on a daily basis. The manner in which the Indian state carries out its activities is to paint any one who protests as an anti-national and as someone engaged in destroying the unity and integrity of India. Of what use is such an India, if the people of India do not accept such a vision? Of special note in this instance are the following:
- that it was not possible to establish Mr. Wani’s role in any specific criminal act, and that he was only a user of social media to express his feelings,
- that the killing of innocents is passed off as killing of “dreaded terrorists”,
- that youth and children are fired at for simply waving banner and shouting slogans,
- that the state rules using the draconian machinery of the AFSPA, and there are thousands of disappearances and violation of women,
- that anything and everything is defended as due to “crossborder terrorism” and “separatism”,
- that the alienation of the people of Kashmir is due to its annexation by the Indian Union and due to the reneging of promises towards self-determination.
I am proud to note that the CGPI continues to condemn the killings of innocents and demands a political solution. I wholeheartedly second this call.
Sincerely,
A. Narayan, Bangalore