One of the more unfortunate social realities of this region is the tendency to regard women as repositories of community honour. Constant are the efforts, therefore, of fundamentalists everywhere — no matter their religion — to subjugate women through arbitrary diktats and physical threats. The manner in which the Taliban ruled a nation through the often violent suppression of women is well-documented, but it is by no means unique. A state that has long prided itself on the liberal values of Kashmiriyat is today fighting a rearguard battle against assorted groups that make their presence felt by attacking, or threatening to attack, women who do not conform to their own extremely narrow vision of the world.How dangerous they can be was confirmed when three young girls were killed in Hasiyot in December, allegedly for not wearing the burqa. The widespread repugnance and anger that met this attack actually provoked the perpetrators of the outrage to ‘apologise’ for the killings and reassure the people that the burqa was not mandatory. Yet, soon after this so-called apology, a group calling itself the Harkat-e-Jehad-e-Islami has issued a stern warning to women in the J&K police to quit their jobs or face ‘serious consequences’. It has also reiterated that girls should be married by the age of 15 and that the local imams must ensure this.Fighting the perpetrators of such terror is particularly difficult given the anonymous manner in which they function. The name of the outfits they claim to represent is unfamiliar and their writ may appear on a poster in a remote corner of the Valley. For instance, a group calling itself the Laskar-e-Jabbar, raised a ruckus over the burqa issue several months ago and then seemingly disappeared, only to emerge again in early January demanding that women quit their jobs and stay at home. There must, however, be links between these various groups. The Harkat-e-Jehad-e-Islami, interestingly, in its recent statement had referred to the Laskar-e-Jabbar’s earlier order, which seems to suggest a connection between the two. Fighting this lot, therefore, could be a bit like battling the wind. Perhaps, the only way their influence can be neutralised is by creating public opinion against them — there is nothing that makes the terrorist operating in the Valley more anxious than the possibility of an eroded support base. But the people will only stand up against such arbitrary and cowardly attacks if they gain the confidence to do so. The first task then for the Mufti government in J&K is to ensure the security of the people in general and women in particular. The message must go out to the remotest corner that the elected government of the state will protect the right of citizens to pursue a lifestyle of their choosing.
