Excesses By Indian Forces In Kashmir
The Indian government has given its army a complete authority to
harass and even kill innocent Kashmiris. Creating unnecessary problems,
they have completely ruined our lives. They create new draconian laws
which everyone must follow. Here such laws exist, which most of the
other people living in other regions of India, mustn’t have even heard
of or perhaps think of:
ID Card
While as most of the people in other states of India wouldn’t be know
what it is, here in Kashmir, its our lifeline. Its a mandatory document
that needs to be carried with yourself wherever you go. If by chance,
you may not be having it, you are gone. The ID card proves that you are
you. Imagine a non- Kashmiri asking a Kashmir that if he’s a Kashmiri.
Traffic
Traffic has been most hit due these security forces. Unnecessary
diversion have been created everywhere, roads occupied, unauthorized
bunkers erected. Suppose an army convoy is moving having around 200-300
vehicles and suddenly an ambulance or any other car comes and tries to
overtake the convoy, they would simply smash its windscreens. Now, if
you happen to be at a crossing, you cannot cross the road until the
whole of the convoy has passed. Sometimes when security force vehicles
have to enter their camp, the entire traffic is halted till the
vehicles get in and their camp is fortified again. Unnecessary
check-posts erected everywhere. They close down the roads adjacent to
their camps during the night time.
Illegal Occupation
The security forces in Kashmir have illegal occupied a lot of buildings
and don’t even pay the rent. Militants closed down the cinema halls
here during the early nineties , but when the time came to re-open
them, the security forces are not willing to move out. The youth hostel
meant for sportspersons has also been occupied and because of it, the
sportspersons have to look for other arrangements. The security forces
cam to the hostel for three days, but twelve years have passed and they
haven’t moved out yet. Fruit industry which forms the backbone of
economy also has to bear the brunt of the security forces. They have
illegally occupied the fruit orchards and forced the farmers to look
for other businesses.
Crime Against Women
This is the most serious concern Kashmiris have. Passing lewd comments
is a common thing here. The India Army have been repeatedly accused of
molestation, but not a single soldier has been booked, neither by civil
courts nor by the army courts. They have committed several rapes, still
no one has been booked. They take pictures of young girls with their
phones and then run inside their camps.
VISIT OF V.I.Ps FROM THE CENTRE
And when some VIP visits Srinagar, we see how important he really is. We
aren’t allowed to move out of our home till that SO CALLED VIP leaves
Kashmir. An incident I would like to share of which I form an
eyewitness. Once Dr. Manmohan Singh, our Prime Minister, was to arrive
in Srinagar. No one was allowed to even step out of their houses, all
they alleys were sealed. While I was experiencing this thing, I noticed
a taxi driver, talking to a military officer. I went near only to find
that a boy who was injured in an accident and the taxi driver was
carrying him in his taxi to the hospital. The boy was seriously
injured, but military didn’t allow him to reach the hospital. Then a
lot of people assembled and appealed to the officer. The officer called
his superiors and they allowed him to be taken to the hospital, but
only after a gypsy arrived and accompany them. All this persuasion to
around 40 minutes and we don’t know what happened that boy.
These are just some of the innumerable hardships faced by Kashmiris.
Our patience has been repeatedly tested. Every Indian who visits
Kashmir pities us, and they too feel that we have fallen prey to a lot
of injustices. Experience a week of your life here in Kashmir and see
that life is no less than hell to us. Now if we demand ease of life,
what sin do we commit? India calls us an INTEGRAL PART of it, but still
they keep on arresting Kashmiris outside our state for no fault of
theirs. All that police does is arresting a Kashmiri, brand him as an LET
terrorist and have a promotion, medal and a prize money plus media
fame. Is this want you want Kashmir for? If you can’t give us a good
and a happy life, then let us do that. You neither help us, nor allow
us to help ourselves.
