Truth sometimes seems very far from reality; numerous times
we get trapped in illusion because our thinking rests upon newspapers,
television and radio. No doubt that 90% of the information we get from the
media itself which I think has 70% credibility too but still we thinks on the
basis of what we see and hear, but sometimes it's not necessary that whatever
we hear or see is true.
Kashmir has always been a very sensitive topic to talk
about. In fact I think I am no wrong if I say almost 90% of our population has
a very firm and static opinion on the issue of Kashmir that it's an integral
part of India and I too agree with it. But
just for a minute if you forget about the land Kashmir holds in and talk to
people of Kashmir for what they want…. You will get a simply different answer
which I am sure 90% of us hard core Indian fanatics will not agree with. I am saying this all because I have
experienced this rigidness in me on this particular Kashmir issue. I still
remember a talk with my dear friends from Kashmir, Bilal. Tahir and Imran where
I refused to go with every logic they gave me in favor of azaad Kashmir. But as
yesterday I was watching a documentary
on Kashmir by human rights commission, something
triggers on me, it made me think of this from a different view and Now when I
think deeply about it and that
particular talk with tahir ad bilal, I feel I did missed the humanity part in
that talk, I listened to them but didn’t understand them, and the reason behind
that I guess is our stubbornness on this issue. We always talk about Kashmir
with our national pride attached to it but without human touch.
We don’t have even a slightest of idea of what they people
go through, during my telephone conversation with Bilal ,I don't remember
actually how many time I have heard him saying , “her jagah curfew hai didi, hum ghr pe hi band hai”.colleges
/schools all shut, no touch with the
outside world, no newspapers and even
many times they are out of food too. Have
we ever thought about their freedom? How terrible it must be to all the time
being watched and guarded by army jawans.
I am no way against India’s occupation over Kashmir. Even I know
and agree that it's an integral part of India but what I mean is, try looking
out in the hearts of the Kashmiri people for what they want? Remember no one
wants to be murdered, or raped, everyone wants a secure, protected, happy
democratic life. They very well know what's best for them.
With due respect to all the technicalities , and security
issue over this particular place, what I say is we need to change our approach
towards our people residing at that place, it's easy for us to say that people
of Kashmir are same as us and enjoy democracy like we do,,,,,, but think hard on it…… is it true??
We never know what happens to them during late night, we
don’t know how many times they have been scared of bombs, curfew is pretty
normal to them, and being watched and questioned is their normal routine….. No
doubt for security reasons it’s all important but then on humanitarian grounds
I don't know how much valid it is to constantly
be in spying...
I know speaking and writing on this will be of no use to
them but I know those people have thousands of untold stories hidden in their hearts,
they want to share it, but with whom? Because whoever they meet is as rigid as
I was at that particular time. But now as I start knowing many of them more and
more, I have started listening to their stories with more humanitarian ground
than national pride, I now feel and understand their every talk and try to
clear them as much as I can.
I can’t say about all but for those three brothers of mine from Kashmir whom I met in a camp at Assam and particularly Bilal the youngest one, I know they suffer a lot,
they miss a lot of things that we are free to do with our day times. And I know
many of them don’t even give a damn to India or Pakistan. They just want to
live happily with no one’s dominance on them. This land, occupation, religion matters
little to them, what matters is their loved one’s safety and happiness.
May this dispute get solved and people of Kashmir live
happily with no one to spy on or special guard them. May they enjoy as much freedom as
we enjoy in our respective states. -)
love
kiran
