Trapped in official neglect, Kashmir village challenges stereoty

There is an amazing difference in perceptions between people of this hamlet and neighbouring villages. "The fauji connection has literally given a different tinge to Lanker Gund," explains a village elder who lost his soldier-brother to landslides while serving at the border over 10 years ago. "For example, if an Army or BSF patrol passes the village, unlike neighbouring villages a window will surely open offering them a cup of tea, few walnuts or apples as many mothers here have sons on similar duty elsewhere," he said. "People here do relate to the uniform; so presence of soldiers in the village, even if they have come for search or crackdown operation, is not scary."

The villagers admit that militants do frequent the village for shelter and food. But there are not much sympathy for them. It has nothing to do with any ideology or patriotism but the mere fact that militants are fighting soldiers and many boys of this village don the uniform. "Whenever we learn about an encounter anywhere between security forces and militants, we get anxious. My son is also in fauj," said a villager. "The women even start crying."

However, joining the forces does not have much to do with any nationalistic sentiment. Rather, unemployment and scarcity of land. "The villagers had been joining armed forces as a last resort. But now it has become a trend," said an ex-serviceman, Ghulam Rasool, whose two younger brothers are in the armed forces. "These boys had seen uniform since their early childhood, so they tend to get attracted," he said.

The unusual fauji character of the village has, however, not helped Lanker Gund come out of its perpetual state of backwardness. Rather, it has added to the woes of inhabitants. Around 8 km from Bandipore, this remote hamlet has a pugdandi (walking path) connecting it to the world outside – the only link road having been washed away in floods a few years ago.

"We have no facility. No roads, no dispensary. The water supply scheme lies defunct and community taps dry. We even have to carry patients on our back two km to reach the nearest bus-stop," Ghulam Mohammad Mir, a villager said.

Though Lanker Gund rears its sons to fight for India, the government has not bothered to take care of it. Had it produced politicians, maybe the story would have been altogether different.