India-Perpetually in the line of fire

In the line of fire.... This could be the controversial autobiography of former Pakistan president, Parvez Musharraf, but this one sentence defines India's current problems most accurately. The nation is always burning or bleeding somewhere. Where there are no blasts we find violent protests, Jammu being the latest ongoing example. Following the Amarnath land grant controversy, the region is continuously burning for last one month.

If for once it has been spared from the bomb blasts, then people of the state are all set to put their own state ablaze. The echo of the bomb blasts is something which is not in the hands of a common man. But the peaceful protests are definitely in the hands of the common people, who perhaps have forgotten the all the teachings of our civilizational history.

The situation in Jammu is deteriorating very fast after the Gulam Nabi Azad government revoked its decision to transfer a patch of forest land to Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB). Though, Governor, N N Vohra has been reiterating and calling for a peaceful negotiation but nothing seems to be working out towards resolving this crisis in Jammu. Police firing, which has injured many, is still on and clashes with policemen across Jammu are a common site these days.

I have been receiving letters, SMSes and blogs ever since Hindus rose in arms in Jammu. To give an idea of what is simmering in the state, I would like to quote one of the SMSes, which says, “Muslims in J&K want land given to create temporary facilities at Baltal for Amarnath Jee Yatra, to be taken (back) by the government. Why are we Hindus tolerating Haj Terminals at airports, Haj subsidies by government and Haj complexes in cities?” And, one of the blogs said, “Amarnath is pure provocation, a scandalous demonstration of intolerance by groups and parties that take their cue from external sources.”

Amidst a situation like this, our leaders have never shown their intelligence to infuse confidence among the people that they fate is in competent hands. This is more true about the state of Jammu & Kashmir. Why has the government not been able to frame an infallible strategy to tackle this situation so that it does not go beyond the land row. Let’s not be adamant that what I did is fine.

Finally, there will be a solution, but then, I am afraid too much would have been lost. Can we just take it as the final wake up call? Can the Hindus of Jammu & Kashmir understand it for once and all that they are not the only Hindus in the whole of the country, who visit or feel about Amarnath? Can government for once stop taking the sentiments of the people for granted? Because only when politicians stop playing games, will we see Muslims standing by the side of Hindus supporting the a religious issue saying, yes it is required for a Hindu pilgrim and vice-versa.

Musings