THE common perception is that those throwing stones at the security forces in Kashmir are only economically deprived ruffians, but their profile has undergone a change in the past few years. Many educated youth are now taking to this form of resistance.
Stone-throwing has always remained a part and parcel of political turmoil in Kashmir. Even during the time of Sheikh Abdullah, this was used to register protest. Scanning the leaves of history, one can find evidence that this method was used to give vent to anger loaded with political ambitions. In 1931, when Sheikh Abdullah led a revolt against Dogra rule and asked the royalty to Quit Kashmir, stone-throwing was a part of his resistance strategy. That year, in July, several Kashmiris were killed outside Srinagar Central Jail, and their sacrifices are remembered every year at the official level.
When the Government of India dethroned SheikhAbdullah in 1953, stone-throwing was used by his supporters to register resentment. Nearly 1,600 people, mostly in Pulwama district, were mowed down by government forces to quell the anti-New Delhi and anti-Bakhshi Ghulam Mohammad (who replaced Sheikh Abdullah as Prime Minister) upsurge. In the subsequent political upheavals in the State, stones formed a major part of resistance.
Stone-throwing as a way of showing anger re-emerged in Kashmir in 2008 when the youth of Kashmir Valley resorted to it and made the State police and the Central Reserve Police Force defenceless. The two weeks since mid-June have been reminiscent of the 2008 agitation, which erupted following the allotment of 100 acres (40 hectares) of land to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board, with the youth virtually holding the government hostage on the ground. So far, in Srinagar alone 700 youth have been arrested for stone-throwing but there is no let-up in the situation. Finally, it was the Army's visible presence on the streets that infused fear into the trouble-makers.
Sheikh Showkat, who teaches law at Kashmir University, says stonethrowing is an adopted method of anti-government protest across South Asia. But in Kashmir it has always remained a part of the political struggle.
It has become the order of the day in Srinagar and other parts of Kashmir to wake up to the sound of stones being thrown, invariably at a police party. It is astonishing to see other people joining the youth without caring about the losses Kashmir is suffering each day.
Many theories about the profile of the stone-throwing mobs have been put forth. Home Minister P. Chidambaram says the mobs are backed by the Lashkar-e-Taiba. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah says a political party is sponsoring them. A police officer said they were motivated by money.
But in downtown Srinagar and the uptown locality of Maisuma, the situation is not what the governments perceive it to be. Somehow one is forced not to believe these theories with one's eyes shut. It is actually anger against the unresolved Kashmir dispute that drives the stone-throwing mobs on the streets. It is hard to believe that the stone-throwers come from the downtrodden class.
Wearing branded jeans and shoes and fashionable watches and carrying expensive mobile handsets, these educated boys do not mince words about their involvement with what they call the struggle for freedom.
Meeting one such stone-thrower in the Khanyar area of Srinagar gives one an inkling of the new rebellion that is taking shape in Kashmir, which those at the helm seem to have underestimated. This anger has nothing to do with Omar Abdullah being the Chief Minister, though in the past weeks people have held him responsible for fresh blood being spilled on the streets of the valley. It is largely connected with the sense that the Kashmir dispute needs to be resolved and Kashmiris are being pushed to the wall. I am throwing stones to ensure azadi [freedom] and not for a money. I am not a terrorist because I don't hold a gun, says Haroon Ahmad (name changed), a graduate from a local college. I have no remorse about what I do, he says. Every morning he conducts a meeting of his friends and determines the day's strategy. When asked whether he fears for his life, he says, I know I can get killed any time but I do not care. His friends echo the sentiment.
Haroon is in his early 20s and belongs to the crop of youth whose distance from the mainstream is increasing with each passing day. They have not accepted any separatist as their leader but are set to chalk out a course for themselves. There are certainly some elements who do it for fun, but the larger picture is very disturbing. The reality is that this frustration among the youth is being channelled by the separatists who find it easy to further their cause.
On social networking sites such as Facebook, there is tremendous support for the youth from educated Kashmiris. There are many groups for Stone Throwers and the majority of Kashmiris on Facebook Like them although they know they could aggravate the situation and increase the problems manifold.
Shujaat BukhariCOMMents
COMMents
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