Anguish and ‘Azaadi’
Sep 16th
To them, to the young Kashmiris born into strife and drawn to the idea of “azaadi”, I can say only one thing to ease such anger – join the gang.
You must realise Kashmir is not a particular target of New Delhi’s indifference, violence and incompetence. The Indian state is degenerating into one of the politicians, by the politicians, for the politicians. The people don’t register or matter, except when it is time to ink their fingers with a spot of navy blue.
If Kashmir is without water, electricity, food, and care, so is more than half of India. If Kashmiris dread even walking past a man in uniform because he can beat, arrest and even shoot them without real accountability, so is it for millions of Indians, for whom the policeman is the symbol of oppression, state-controlled violence, political intimidation and naked crime.
Time to Decide
Sep 15th
So, the All Party meeting has produced nothing. Impotent people seldom do, and there’s no doubt the Centre and all parties have become impotent on Kashmir. Impotent, and frozen. They have no idea what to do. Frankly, this is always how it’s always been, only now it is obvious.
Somewhere in our hearts we know what we’re doing in Kashmir is wrong. We kept ignoring the problem and hoping it’ll fade away. If a few million Muslims have had to live under virtual martial law for 20 years, and 75,000 people had to die, that was fine with most of us.
Temple of Doom
Sep 15th
India has simply moved on. Or more accurately moved back, back to the centre. Religious rightists are as shrinking a breed as atheist Leftists. Lakshmi has replaced Ram as the deity of most homes. Eight percent growth has its distractions. Who needs cheap political theatre when you’ve got 200 channels and Deepika Padukone? Even Narendra Modi has moved on from being the “merchant of death” to being just a merchant.
Sure, the Lucknow Court’s decision of later this month will be appealed. But in the face of a public whose concerns and priorities have changed, I predict – and just plain hope – that eventually the Ayodhya issue will die a quiet death in some un-airconditioned courtroom and be put to rest in some incongruous file.
(Perhaps this was always Narasimha Rao’s plan, for he knew better than anyone how studied indecision coupled with bureaucratic and legal protraction will asphyxiate anything.)
Power and its Abuse
Sep 14th
There’s no doubt in my mind that excesses and abuses by Indian troops shielded by AFSPA have done more to alienate the ordinary populace in Kashmir and the Northeast than anything Pakistan or China have ever done. That old ladies are joining youths in pelting troops with rocks across Kashmir and the Northeast stands as proof of this.
Deep public hostility to troops in places like Manipur is particularly important for one reason – it tears down the bigoted notion that Kashmiris, being Muslims, are just born violent, and fight the Indian state as part of their DNA.
People are people, and when abused, raped, shot, tortured, and murdered, they will stand up and fight back.
Since the abuses straining Kashmir’s and the Northeast’s ties to India have been carried out under the AFSPA, dropping it doesn’t take any special wisdom, only common sense.
Thank you Ms Dixit and Mr Kalmadi
Sep 10th
Mumbaikars, Bangaloreans, Kolkattans, and others who love to hate Delhi are smirking. But here’s the rub. The acts of commission and omission committed by this peasant and political city affect us all.
What Sheila Dixit and Suresh Kalmadi have really done is kill any chance of India hosting the Olympics in the next 25 years.
Beyond any anger is the numbing reality that India’s headlong rush to acquiring the sheen of a rising power – hosting Games, building up our military – will always fail unless we first focus on fixing our foundations.
