Do and Dare
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  Painting on Kashmiri Refugee Camp by Virender Sumbly |
 elf-Improvement Guru Dale Carnegie once said, "The person who goes farthest is generally the one who is willing to do and dare". Are we willing to do and dare?Change is abhorred, particularly by those who seek comfort in the security of the status quo. Whether it is the dread of uncertainty in changing course after years of chasing a dodging target; the blind faith in the supremacy of their belief; or mere obstinacy in rejecting divergent views that may be more in tune with the reality, there seems to be no more doing or daring at Panun Kashmir. Among those who suffered the scourge of insurgency and violence that engulfed the Valley in late 80’s and beyond, a class has emerged that subscribes to a false belief that somehow it alone can devise a solution that ensures safe return of the victims of the forced exodus. Those of us who didn’t suffer the horrors are often brushed aside as non-stakeholders, and thus incapable of being party to the solution. The concept of “Safe Zones” or “Clusters” for the rehabilitation of our languishing community is Government of India's brainchild. This new kid on the block offers a glimmer of hope that may lessen, if not eradicate the suffering. Regrettably, the initiative has received no recognition from those who remain mired in their inflexible homeland demand. While it bears little resemblance and merits no comparison, many may find that demand reminiscent of Jinnah’s obsession with a separate homeland for the Muslims. Unmindful, perhaps unwilling to recognize the obstacles that are stacked against their difficult demand, the proponents of a separate homeland are willing to wait for as long as it would take to accomplish their stated goal. Needless to remind, irrationality must give way to sound judgment. There is no denying Panun Kashmir has, since its inception, assumed an eminent position in the struggle for the recognition and protection of those who may have survived the horrors of ethnic cleansing but, to this day, continue to suffer the horrendous after-effects of Kashmir’s own holocaust. It commands a significant following, primarily among those who have been wronged by just about everyone; Kashmiri Muslims in the Valley, the government of Jammu and Kashmir, and most tragically, the government of India. Size matters. We are a minuscule community who must accept our God given disadvantage of a low headcount. That severely limits our ability to flex our muscles the same way Muslims can, often do, and always get away with. Abrogation of Article 370 is crucial but it needs an extraordinarily strong political Will to push it through, which is explicitly absent both, at the State level and in the Center. A facet we may not have considered up until now is the prospect of a legal challenge to the abrogation of Article 370 or to the earmarking of an exclusive enclave. A legal battle could set the homeland clock back by a few decades and provide munitions for the radicals to call it, no matter how preposterous that may be, their religious persecution and a direct assault on Islam. Twenty three years of constant struggle and nothing to show for it; that’s our collective failure. Next will be the failure of our conscience if we don’t listen to the voices of reason and make the most of what is available. Reversing the hopelessness that has permeated the psyche of the Kashmiri Hindu community stuck in one place for nearly a quarter century necessitates a quick and decisive action. That entails an alliance among our leading organizations to collectively seize the moment and not let the vagaries of time fizzle out the government’s initiatives. We don’t have the luxury of being a large community that can sustain decades of rejection. Allowing another quarter century to pass by aimlessly will prove fatal. Predictably, there may be no community left to follow the “Margdarshan” to its finality. So long as the Muslims enjoy the benevolence of the ruling party, they will have unhindered authority to unleash violence and mayhem against all “enemies of Islam”. While we have every right to demand constitutional safeguards, living in a separate homeland provides no guarantee that the radical forces of Islam will not come knocking at our door. Those who take comfort in the belief that the government will provide safe sanctuary are in for a rude awakening. The stark reality is - we will always have to take the first step in defending ourselves together, and as ONE. As the first line of defense against the modern era Islamic invasion of India from the West, the Kashmiri Hindu community has suffered untold misery. But, we must repulse our own tendency to become fatalistic. Whether we live in a separate homeland or end up living in clusters, we must exhibit our determination that sends a clear message to our past tormentors; come next time and we SHALL retaliate with full force of the law, with or without the backing of ournincompoop administrations in Srinagar and in New Delhi. It is incumbent upon us to open our eyes to the concept of "Safe Zones”. It’s a master stroke that may offer us both - a communion and homecoming with dignity. Best of all, safe zones don't carry the burden of legal and administrative approvals in the same way that a separate homeland does. Therefore, we could get back much sooner, not just to a small piece of the real estate that we have been waiting to call our own, but to the vast expanse of the Valley that is already our homeland. Are we still willing to do and dare? The solution to our crisis may be awaiting a collective YES. |
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