The scale of violence and atrocities that I have witnessed during the course of my political career has ensured nothing really shocks or rattles me anymore. But I was left stunned by a gruesome, abominable video that is doing the rounds over social media. The video, little less than a minute long, shows Army jawans clad in uniforms using abusive language while mercilessly thrashing civilians who appear to be half dead. Not satisfied with lashing them with sticks, they then go onto to strip them naked and pour heaps of red chilli powder on their gashed and wounded bottoms. A few hours after the video was verified, another disturbing fact came to light. One of those innocent civilians was already dead while this act of violence was carried out.
A deeply distressing question came to mind. Who would dare to shoot such a video under those circumstances? Certainly not a civilian. Clearly it was one of them. The video was deliberately leaked and disseminated with the diabolical intention of conveying a chilling message. By the very same persons whose unprecedented presence through every nook and corner of Jammu and Kashmir is justified in the guise of securing our lives. This is the side of the story that the media doesn’t want you to see.
This shameful incident took place after five Army men were killed in an ambush by militants in Poonch. Its certainly not the first time in recent years that the Army has suffered huge casualties despite the fact that the Pir Panchal area never gravitated towards militancy. The last two decades witnessed relative peace in the area where people have cooperated in every manner possible with the armed forces. For militancy to erupt here is a worrying sign. Notwithstanding the government’s false claims that it has wiped out terrorism from J&K with the abrogation of Article 370. This couldn’t be further from the truth. If anything, it has now engulfed even a region like Rajouri and Poonch which have remained peaceful even during peak insurgency years.
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Today a retired SP was shot dead at a mosque in Baramulla despite a heavy security presence, The falsehood created and propagated by the ruling party about Article 370 being responsible for unrest and violence in J&K stands exposed. This is the argument that was invoked for their unconstitutional and illegal action of scrapping the state’s special status. In doing so they didn’t just desecrate our special constitution but also subverted the constitution of this country.
The Supreme Court which offered a glimmer of hope to undo this political harakiri ignored its own earlier decisions and went along with the majoritarian sentiment. To put facts into perspective, in cases like Sampat Prakash, Vijay Lakshmi Jha and State Bank of India, the top court upheld that Article 370 though a temporary provision can be scrapped only with the recommendation of J&K’s constituent assembly to the president. In its absence, no other institution including parliament had the right to tamper with the state’s special status and constitutional provisions.
The Indian constitution is the supreme authority and cannot be overruled by a government that commands brute majority in the parliament. Even the apex court is bound to uphold its provisions. But when it came to Article 370, it seems that the constitution has been relegated to the corner. At a time when minorities are being reduced to second class citizens, as residents of the only Muslim majority state which has been dismembered and disempowered after 2019, it was natural for us to place some faith in the judiciary. Alas, even this glimmer of faith was misplaced.
This verdict was a test for the honourable institution to not only uphold its earlier judgements regarding J&K but also save the Indian constitution from being undermined even further. For those of us who believe and cherish the idea of India, Article 370 was like a bridge that connected us to the country. It had little importance for those who nurtured the sentiment of separatism. By doing away with it, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has obliterated the middle ground that pushed for democracy and peace with dignity. Instead, it has strengthened the narrative of separatists.
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The facade of normalcy continues to exact a heavy price from the people of J&K. They have to pay with their lives and liberty to maintain a sullen silence. For the ruling government, the uptick in tourism has become a marker for its fake narrative of normalcy and is touted to strengthen its claim of establishing peace in J&K. There is no doubt that a visiting tourist enjoys his short stay in the valley. Because unlike its inhabitants, he is not subjected to suspicion, religious prejudice, the threat of anti terror laws like the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA) and Public Safety Act (PSA). Nor does the sword of agencies like the Enforcement Directorate, National Investigation Agency or the State Investigation Agency hang over their head.
Kashmiri youngsters are packed off to jails in and outside J&K on trivial grounds. Businessmen and even small time entrepreneurs are raided day in and out just to instil fear within the community. Journalists whose duty is to speak truth to power are put behind bars for their reportage. Government employees are gagged through official orders to prevent them from articulating their demands.
By the Union home minister’s own admission, countless properties of common people too have been sealed without even giving them a chance to defend themselves. Even religious heads like maulvis and imaams are told what to include in their weekly sermons. The masses cannot protest peacefully even about day to day issues like gruelling power cuts that affect their lives. Even the Union’s claims about getting huge investment in J&K is a patent lie. All major government recruitment schemes since 2019 have been marred by scams, one after another.
If anything has changed after the abrogation of Article 370, it is that J&K which was ahead of model states in terms of development indices is now lagging behind. There is growing unemployment (one of the highest rates in the country), our local economy has been battered and even developmental contracts are being outsourced to outsiders who sublet it to locals after extorting a monumental commission. A beautiful prosperous state like J&K is being torn apart psychologically, financially and socially. All this in the name of integrating J&K with the rest of India.
The unfortunate fact is that this state and the pain inflicted on its people will always be used to earn votes throughout the country. Far from the show window former Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru promised to transform J&K into, it is now on the brink of ruin.
Mehbooba Mufti is president of the Jammu Kashmir Peoples’ Democratic Party and a former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir.
Note: An earlier version of this article made reference to a fourth civilian death, reports of which were unconfirmed.