The terrorism was spreading so rapidly that with each passing day, the state was turning into a battlefield. The Hindus feared even stepping out of their homes for their business and professional activities and education. Most of the Government machinery had been infected by terrorists and their supporters. And, this was not all, the people at home, especially the women and the children were unsafe even inside their homes.They lived each moment, unsure when they could be targeted and attacked even within the confinement of their cocoon.
The Farooque Abdullah led government had manifested (their conduct and decisions) complete indifference towards these atrocities. It was the most important task to control the insurgency from across the border as well as to direct the local population, especially the youth towards nation building. The young generation had been poisoned with the anti-national (anti-Bharat) agenda. There was anger on the faces of people, fire on their lips and frenzy in their hearts. It had to be eradicated to take away the justification for the cult of guns.
The elected government’s disinterest in motivating utmost regards towards the Constitution of Bharat and its authority has caused sparks of upsurge. Thus, it became essential to dissolve the State Assembly, in order to rectify the present and future situation.
Farooque Abdullah had resigned on January 19th itself, when the barbaric acts of terrorism had created mayhem in the state. Unable to control the situation (or, disinterest for professing and attesting integrity with Bharat) he had left the country amidst this anarchy.
On January 30th 1990, Governor Jagmohan sent letters to the Hon.President, the Vice President , the Prime Minister and the Home Minister, understating his intentions for dissolution of the State Legislative Assembly.
On February 19th, Governor Jagmohan notified orders to officially dissolve the Legislative Assembly.
“The events of the last one or two years have clearly demonstrated that the Assembly could not even pretend that it had a representative character.”
As regards the working of the State Government, its catalogue of maladministration was unending.
He advised the youth to play a positive role in building a strong and just state by making use of the enlightened and liberal provisions of the Bharatiya Constitution. He specifically advised them that the terrorism was a hydra-headed evil which would consume its own propagators.
The dissolution of the state government led to implementation of Governor’s rule in the state. The army was employed to take charge of the situation. It was the most essential step, to enforce law and order and curtail insurgency. But, the “champions” of Human Rights, viewed this applied rigorousness of the armed forces as the ferocious clutch over the freedom of the local Kashmiri Muslims.
The truth is invariably the first casualty in any strife-torn region. The truth, as always, lies somewhere along the Grey areas in-between.
While the advocates of Human Rights – the Civil Liberty groups, such as the People’s Union for Civil Liberty (PUCL), Citizens for Democracy and the newly formed Committee for Initiative on Kashmir, have reprimanded on the alleged atrocities by the Security forces, they have chosen to ignore the excessive access to Militancy by local Kashmiri population.
The members of Human Right Committees have stressed upon the hardships faced by Kashmiri Muslims, the same have underplayed and overlooked the torment faced by the Kashmiri Pandits and around 90,000 Pandit’s exodus from the valley.
It has been the largest migration in the country post independence. The Kashmiri Pandits, the original inhabitants of the state, have for decades lived in transition camps, away from their Motherland, but none of the Human Right propagators have shown their empathy towards their perils.
During the period, the militants had brutally killed 350 persons, excluding 55 security personnel. They had kidnapped as many as 102 persons.
Immediately after the implementation of the Governor’s rule, on the March 1st, two plainclothes J&K Armed Police Constables, Ram Paul and Mohammad Ashaq, stationed at Safakadal police station, were abducted by terrorists, beaten, given Electric shocks and their skin was pulled by pliers…
On June 18th, Romesh Kumar Bhat, a resident of Shopian, was kidnapped by terrorists and tortured. Bashir Ahmed Khan lived in Wantpora. He was suspected to be an informer, thus he was abducted, tortured and released with an explosive tied to his body. This ‘human bomb’ was then publicly detonated.
However, none of these barbaric incidences have been documented by the Civil Liberty groups!!!
Suhasini Mulay, a filmmaker and a member of the all women team that investigated human right violation in Kashmir, has defended such savagery with an boorish opinion :
“There will always be fanatical groups which may indulge in torture. We are only concerned with the problem of the state machinery (the security forces) resorting to unlawful actions.”
Such churlish opinions diminishes the impartial and equitable elements from the significant responsibility imparted as well as it destroys the noteworthiness of the Human Rights commissions.
Suhasini Mulay and her team have conveniently overlooked the human rights of the victims from the security forces, as individuals.
Secondly, she has criticised and attacked over the violation of human rights by the Security Forces but not mentioned a word about the uncanny atrocities on Kashmiri Hindus by the Farooque Abdullah Government machinery, in 1987-88.
Was it not the then, Government machinery, when large numbers of people were imprisoned without charges.
Thirdly, the methods adopted by these groups were questionable. The members had spent an extremely brief period in the valley to analyse the situation. Approximately, three to seven days!!! Moreover, they derived at the conclusion without resorting to neutral grass root connect. Their observations were based on their local contacts, who were sympathetic towards the militants or had links with them!!!
The PUCL report on the alleged mass rape at Chahanpura states, “Instances regarding molestation of women in Chhanpura were brought to the notice of the team members, Mr. Balraj Puri and Inder Mohan, who were taken to the house where two young girls were said to have been raped by the Security forces. This was victimised girls.”
This ‘confirmation’ was by the victim herself and there was no valid proof to support the allegation!!! Regarding the number of people involved, whether a medical examination and an official investigation were conducted, no authentication was presented.
Subsequent official investigation revealed that the incident was a hoax. Director General of J&K police, J N Saxena confirmed that “No rape was committed. We have ascertained that, medically, beyond doubt. Even the women have denied it.”
Apart from insufficient investigation, the report lacked accuracy and was exaggerated.
The report by the Committee of Initiatives for Kashmir, read -” The local police station was instructed not to file FIR’s or register any case, against the Security forces!!!
Ved Marwah, advisor to the Governor, denied this allegation, “There are no such instructions. Nobody is above the law.”
Saxena presented detailed reports of at least 15 cases, including Six of murder and three of rape, that have been registered against the Security forces, Hence this myth was also bursted.
The second report of Committee for Initiative on Kashmir, “Kashmir Imprisoned” read on page 38, illustrating of one Ghulam Hassan Mohju, 65 narrates his tale of torture by Central Reserve Police.
He says, ” The doctor came and some medication was provided. When I was asked about the weapons, I said that I had lied to save my life. Again, the beating started. Again I said, “Yes, I have weapons.” and fell unconscious.
A three-star officer came in and I told him, ” If I tell You lies You stop and at the truth You beat me.” Than they made me wear a uniform. I was put in a jeep and was brought back to Baramulla around 5 am. They dug the grounds and searched my house, and took me back. Again the beating started. Then they handcuffed me and threw me in a rubbish heap, thinking that I was dead. Two days later, finding me still alive, they took me to Sopore police station and left me there.”
This concoction itself appears forged. Come to think of it, a man being ‘considered’ dead by the CRP, instead of having it confirmed by the doctor who was available!!!
Just imagine, the CRP being so foolish as to throw the ‘dead’ man on the rubbish heap of Baramulla and that too, the man they had picked up from his own home in the presence of his own relatives. Just imagine, the CRPF team again appearing on the same spot where they had dumped the old man, picking up the man again whom earlier they had considered to be ‘dead’ and taking him to Sopore police station and yet no one noticed, at all!!!
One more bizarre allegation has been recorded on page 33 of the report.
The group of women lawyers have alleged that, “Women BSF tell us to say “Jai Mata Ki” and threaten to take the girls to Delhi and make them prostitutes or to take them to Mandir (temple) and put Tilak on their forehead. Is this secularism?”
The fabricated story appears too glaring for a knowledgeable person to believe.
First of all, the BSF has no women’s wing. The disingenuous intentions of those making allegations and those accepting them, manifests their cloddish imagination.
Moreover, the allegations are made by none other than the lawyers!!! The expression of “Jai Mata Di” has also been designed to convey a sinister impression.
It is so evident on the face of the matter, that the Committee has been plain ignorant or with malevolent intent.
The phase of Kashmiri Pandit’s misfortune has been the most calamitous. Their bleak tragedy has been compounded by equally dismal irony as one of the most intelligent and versatile communities of the country was being forced to leave their Motherland of centuries, leaving their heart and soul behind. They were on the path to being reduced to extinction in independent Bharat.
Their sorrow and that too in free Bharat, was too collosal to be ignored or taken lightly and to fill in their cup of grief, the bodies like “Committee for Initiative on Kashmir” were frenzied to rub salt into their wounds.
Sources of Information :
हमारी भूलोका स्मारक : धर्मांतरित कश्मीर
नरेन्द्र सहगल
कश्मीर : दहकते अंगारे
जगमोहन जी
जम्मू कश्मीर की अनकही कहानियां
कुलदीप चंद अग्निहोत्री
Kashmir : Behind The Vale
M J Akbar
My Frozen Turbulence in Kashmir
Jagmohan ji
100 Documents
Kul Bhushan Mohtra
Madhvi Bhuta is the National Executive of BJP Mahila Morcha and a Columnist on various Forums.
