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Journalism of Courage
Now that the Indo-Pak track is proceeding satisfactorily, a quick look at the human dimensions of Kashmir. History must be revisited before the cobwebs can be cleared: 8220;You should know how important it is to win the hearts and minds of the Kashmiri people in favour of India. By our actions we should remove from their minds whatever doubts they may have about us. But, unfortunately, no attention is paid to this important fact8221;. The man who wrote these lines was president of the Congress at a crucial time in history 8212; Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.
The historic breakthrough achieved during President Musharraf8217;s visit to New Delhi and the 8220;irreversible8221; nature of the peace process, places on New Delhi a huge responsibility to look at Kashmir innovatively. Traffic and trade across the LoC will change the chemistry slowly. Meanwhile, the people of Kashmir are waiting for that unquantifiable 8220;Something else8221;.
8220;Communications and Defence have been transferred to the Centre. We are asked mockingly that if this is the way Kashmir, Kashmiri Muslims are going to be treated by the Communications and Defence Ministries, then what hope will there be for these people if other departments are transferred to the Centre? How do we respond to such charges?8221;
He reverts to Jagjivan Ram in another letter: 8220;The state government has been complaining repeatedly that Kashmiri Muslims are not recruited by the State Posts and Telegraphs department. Jobs are given only to non Muslims. Recently, an examination was held for the recruitment of clerks in the northern circle. There were 73 non Muslims and six Muslims who applied8230; 60 non Muslims and only three Muslims were recruited8221;.
8220;Sheikh Abdullah and his colleagues inform me that an overwhelming majority of educated Kashmiri Muslims are unemployed and there is nothing that the state can do to find work for them. If these clerical posts had been properly advertised, 300 to 200 Kashmiri Muslims would have applied, not just six8230;8221; Much water has flowed down the Jhelum since. The Pandits are no longer in the Valley. Without their return, the Valley will not recover its elan. But before the Pandits return, Kashmir has to be at peace with itself.
Let me take you on a brief visit to Srinagar in 1990. Satish Jacob, then with the BBC, had invited me to the house of his friends 8212; educated, liberal, open minded. I was introduced to their son, Feroz, a toddler of six, obsessed with cricket. To strike a conversation with him I asked him if he liked Imran Khan, the biggest cricket icon those days. Feroz fell silent.
His mother whispered that I had asked him a very sensitive question. The CRP, in the course of its house to house searches in Srinagar, had come across Imran Khan and Wasim Akram posters in several houses and taken aside the young admirers of these cricketers and questioned them whether so and so 8220;uncle8221; had ever visited and did the 8220;uncle8221; carry arms.
From his playmates, Feroz heard these stories and reported them to his mother. He then picked up his scrap book and carefully pulled out all the photographs of Imran Khan, leaving gaping holes in the book.
Of all the horror stories coming out of Kashmir, I have nursed this one for its Dickensian appeal. Feroz must now be over 20. By now, this gentle, cricketing story must have been crowded out by more brutal events.
The frequency of my visits to Kashmir was reduced after I was nearly lynched during the funeral of the Mirwaiz, the present Mirwaiz8217;s father. Srinagar was tense but local journalists advised me to turn up for the funeral. There was nothing I had written or said on TV which would incur the wrath of the crowds expected for Mirwaiz8217;s funeral. But immediately after the Mirwaiz8217;s murder, BBC radio had asked me: Who could have murdered him? I said it could be any one of the numerous groups active in Kashmir.
During the funeral some people surrounded me, saying the same thing in chorus, rising to a crescendo. Why did I accuse local groups and not the Indian army? In less than a minute I was surrounded by 5,000 very angry men. How I escaped is another story for another occasion.
Of course, the Valley began to settle down after the state elections which installed Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. We may soon hear reports of troops withdrawals, release of prisoners, a ceasefire, even as more people to people contact blow fresh breezes on both sides. But the important task is to reclaim Feroz, win the hearts and minds of thousands like him.
