Whither Migrants ?

by P. N. Magazine

They are under a wishful impression and false hopes raised by misleading statements made by the government that militancy has been contained and the law and order situation is normal. On the contrary the situation in the valley is worsening day by day. Little do the migrants know that so long as the present rulers are at the helm of affairs, this turmoil in the State would not end at all, it would linger on.

No militancy or terrorism, anywhere in the world, has ever been controlled with appeasement policies or practically financing and aiding the militants by the concerned governments. It has been observed from the very beginning of the turmoil in the valley that extra ordinary huge amounts are pumped regularly in to the State for the so called developmental works and other projects which straightway go into the pockets of the militants with the connivance of local officials, who are non-cooperative and pro-militants. Practically there is no development work worth the name seen anywhere in the valley. On the contrary, unabated destruction of private and government properties, buildings, bridges etc. and schools is going on an increasingly large scale. Hence the militancy, which practically is financed by the government, thrives menacingly with the Indian tax payers' blood despite unrealistic and all claims made by the government that the law and order situation has improved considerably and that the militancy is under control. There is absolutely no iota of truth in these claims. Instead, militancy is spreading menacingly to Jammu region as well on a large scale.

The Central Government has no clear-cut and determined policy with regard to Kashmir, nor has it any will to settle this issue speedily. It acts timidly and cowardly with a wavering mind and weak-kneed policies, apparently under the influence and pressure of Western Powers and even some Muslim countries. As such, our brethren are living in a fool's paradise. If they hope that the situation in Kashmir will improve and they will be able to go back.

People of the valley continue to be under the threat of gun. Even though they are fed up with gun-culture, they are unable to give expression to their feelings. Rapes, abductions, kidnappings, murders of innocent people, extortions, arson and loot continue to be the order of the day. Under these circumstances, there is no immediate hope of restoration of the law and order in the valley in the near future, nor can any elections be possible as claimed by the government. So the displaced persons have no option but to resign themselves to continued apathy, agony, plight, and insecurity in their present state of forced exile. Our security personnel have also to be prepared as before to suffer unusual loss of life, for more than in a regular battlefield while fighting in a regular war, due to lack of proper, determined and realistic directions from the government which is too busy in appeasing the militants, and the Muslims in general, which also sends wrong signals across the borders.

In order to hang on to power by hook or by crook, the Centre continues to ignore the legitimate aspirations of Kashmiri migrants. Four Prime Ministers have ruled the country during the period of turmoil but not a single PM or any politician at the national level, except of course the BJP, has ever cared or deemed it proper to visit the hapless migrants and see for themselves in what plight, unhygienic and inhuman conditions they live. On the other hand, delegation after delegation visits Kashmir to woo the militants and the Muslims and to appease them. No justice can be expected from this prejudiced government which rules with discrimination and has practically allowed Kashmir to be totally Islamised. I do not think or expect any justice from this prejudiced government or have any hope of economic development and prospects of any survival in future in the valley.

We should not ignore the fact that while succumbing to the temptation of returning back to a valley, where even the Head of the State is not safe, lives of innocent foreign tourists are in extreme danger, and local employees are continuously non-cooperative and getting their salaries without doing any work or atending their offices, then how can we migrants be safe on our return.

There are only four alternatives or options left for the migrants. One of it is to get ourselves converted to Islam and go back to the valley with all grace, respect and honour, mix with out Muslim brethren there, and live with them together as before and join hands with the militants and subversive elements against India. This also meets the Hurriyat Conference conditions set for our return to the valley which would ensure our safety and security in all respects.

Alternatively we have to forget about our ancestral homeland for ever and rehabilitate ourselves and settle somewhere outside Kashmir, beyond the State borders, wherever we get a little space to our liking and where we can fend for ourselves economically with some comfort and in a better and dignified way.

If these alternatives are not acceptable or feasible, then we should seek a political asylum in some foreign country which is prepared to take us its care and give protection to us in all respects, economic, educational, professional and so on, and rehabilitate us on permanant basis at a place suiting us environmentally and climatically. In this way, we can preserve our culture, rituals, traditions, heritage and also Kashmiryat.

The last option left for us is to be prepared for making huge sacrifices and save the country as a whole and also the crown of Bharat Maata (Kashmir) from the misrule of unpatriotic and selfish rulers and politicians by coming out in the open, and awaken our countrymen across the length and breadth of the country about the lapses, misrule, blunders, and unpatriotic actions of our present day rulers. We shall have to go from door to door, village to village, throughout the country explaining our plight so that the people are made aware of the facts as they are and warn them that another partition is in the offing in the country. Our community has the capacity and potential to bring about a revolution of this kind a successful culmination. All these options are open for consideration. Let the migrant community and their leaders decide and make a unanimous choice from the above alternatives and act accordingly as our patience is getting exhausted. Let us be up and doing, muster our courage, have a presence of mind, and show our mettle to the world by bringing the rulers on the right path, making them realise their mistakes and blunders and show them that ours is not a dead community. Surprising and miraculous results and success can be expected and achieved provided we unite ourselves, come under one umbrella, follow one leader and have a united platform.

Beware of the interests, opportunists and paid agents who are active now and about to lure the migrants to return to the valley, which will prove very disastrous at this stage.

Awake, Arise and Assert!