THROUGH A propaganda offensive an impression is being sought to be created that most Kashmiri Muslims are for joining Pakistan. To prove the point, the support being received by the pro-Pakistan elements from the people for its calls for bandhs and demonstrations, is being cited. It must be understood that the pro-Pakistan element in Kashmir wield the gun and the gun, as we know, can get the people to do a lot of things, which may not have been possible otherwise.
Without doubt the introduction of violence and the gun makes any movement look much larger than it actually is. Let the pro-Pakistanis drop the gun and show to the world how many Kashmiri Muslims are on their side. But this they obviously cannot do.
Notwithstanding, self-determination as its rallying cry, what is going on in Kashmir is Pakistans proxy war under the guise of local insurgency. Under this game plan terror must remain an indispensable weapon for garnering peoples support for the dubious cause.
The genuineness of the support of the people for the cause be it Azadi, self-determination or accession to Pakistan may be gauged from the fact that the terrorists, (majority of whom are foreigners), have had to kill thousands Kashmiris to subdue their voice and control the situation in Pakistan.
The role of terror in insurgency has been highlighted by numerous experts on the subject. All agree that terror that is employed in urban insurgency is of two types selective terror and indiscriminate terror.
While selective terror is used to coerce cooperation and to neutralise actual or potential individual enemies, indiscriminate terror is, according to the veteran French fighter and author, Roger Trinquier, a particularly appropriate weapon for bringing the populace under control.
A shattering effect of indiscriminate terror on the population is caused when, as Trinquier puts it, in the street, at work, at home, the citizen lives continually under the threat of violent death and in the presence of this permanent danger surrounding him, he has the depressing feeling of being an isolated and defenceless target.
The fact that the public authority and the police are no longer capable of ensuring his security adds to his distress.
Consequently he loses confidence in the state whose inherent mission it is to guarantee his safety and gets more and more drawn to the side of the terrorists, who alone seem to be able to protect him.
Trinquier also explains, why it is difficult to catch the terrorist. The terrorist, he argues, kills without personal interest and without the motive that could provide the police with leads, while he is surrounded by a vast organisation which prepares his tasks and assures his withdrawal and protection.
To top it all, he runs practically no risks - neither that of retaliation by his victims nor that of having to appear before a court of justice; it being quite easy under the existing laws to escape the police.
Both selective and indiscriminate killings have, indeed, been carried out in Kashmir as per the text book, not only for silencing dissent but also for ensuring positive support of the intelligentsia for their cause.
Even as there is a long list of intellectuals killed by the insurgents for refusing to follow their dictates, there are a lot more of them, who, though at one time on the hit list of the insurgents, have bought their lives through written assurances of such support as may be demanded of them.
These are the intellectuals in the Valley who speak up for the insurgents and, who, while lending dignity to every insurgent activity, make wild allegations against the government and the security forces; if only for discrediting the two as per dictates of the insurgents.
The fact of the matter is that people, who are faced with terrorism are not so much concerned with ideologies and causes as they are with their security and have a tendency to flock around the side that can ensure this.
When the terrorists have the upper hand they are with them and when the security forces dominate, they switch loyalty towards the government.
Punjab may be taken as a case in point. There was a time when a large majority appeared to be pro-Khalistan, today, when terrorism stands totally eliminated, there is hardly any one, who would appear to be its protagonist.The strong action taken by the state and the centre against the terrorists emboldened the people to veer back to the constitutional authority. Such strong action against the terrorists and their supporters seem to be lacking in Kashmir and, therefore, this apparent support of the people for the militants.
In this connection it would be pertinent to look back into the period between the Pakistani invasion of Kashmir in 1947 and the start of its proxy war in the State in 1989 when the pro-Pakistani element had no guns to support its cause.
While the Kashmiri Muslims largely and unmistakably welcomed the Maharajas decision to accede the State to the Indian Union to save them from the Pakistani marauders, masquerading as liberators, they gave a befitting rebuff to Pakistan in all the three wars it fought with India over Kashmir during this period.
The refusal of the Kashmiri Muslims to cooperate with the armed infiltrators that Pakistan had pushed into Kashmir during the Indo-Pak war of 1965, for inciting the Kashmiri Muslims to revolt against the so called Indian occupation of the State, is considered, in authoritative military circles, as the single major factor that caused the failure of Pakistans design to take Kashmir by force.
It is only after 1989, when Pakistan started pushing in armed terrorists into Kashmir that the pro-Pakistan element has been able to raise its head in Kashmir.
Even in context of the present situation in Kashmir, why talk of only those Kashmiri Muslims who are supporting the terrorists whatever the circumstances under which they may be doing so.
What about those, who are bravely standing up to them. It is a fact that behind every success of the Security Forces there is the "tip off", from none other than the Muslims, which continues to flow-in despite the brutality with which even those suspected of having links with the security forces are treated by the terrorists.
Let us also not forget that during the last elections held while Pakistans proxy war, (which it has been trying to pass off as local insurgency), was at its height the Kashmiri Muslims went out to vote in face of threats of having their hands and fingers maimed threats that were not only made, but also carried out a number of times.
May be only 10 per cent went out to vote (as alleged) but then how many other states in India could boast of even this percentage of brave people, who would go to vote under such circumstances. God willing they may even better their showing at the hustings due in the coming months.
(AND THEY DID)This is the only way they can cast the yoke of the terrorists from off their backs and breathe free once again.
Kashmiri Muslims not in favour of Pakistan
