Doda Satyagraha: UPA gets exposed

By instituting criminal charges against senior BJP leaders, Sarvshri Sahib Singh Verma and Vinay Katiyar, the UPA government at the Centre and Congress-led State government in J&K have only, once again, proved they are soft towards the terrorists and hard on those who raise their voice against terrorism. In this article, Prof. Hari Om, has aptly exposed the “liberalism”, ‘secularism’ and commitment to nationalism of those who have tried to brand the BJP leaders as “seditious” and threat to peace and law and order in the State while shaking hands with respect and smile with those who call for Kashmir’s freedom or its annexation with Pakistan or those who refuse to accept themselves as citizens of India. This step has further emboldened the anti-national and terrorist elements in the country and lowered the morale of those fighting them.

Pro-Pakistan and fundamentally sectarian Hurriyat Conference leaders, like Mirwaiz Omar Farooq pour venom on India and preach seditious views day in and day out. They use inflated or turbid language and provoke rebellion against the Government established by law. They consistently create a feeling of hatred, contempt and dissatisfaction in the minds of the average men (read innocent and gullible Muslims). Yet they can roam about freely everywhere. The Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government in New Delhi and the Congress-led coalition Government in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) would not take action against anyone of them. Any action against them would, according to the trouble-shooters in the South and North Blocks and in the State’s Civil Secretariat and their advisors, further alienate the people of Kashmir and derail the ongoing “peace process” between India and Pakistan.

These rebels attack the Indian nation from right and left, cross over to Pakistan after willfully violating the laws relating to travel to foreign countries, paint India black, make common cause with the Pakistan President there, propagate “independence” for and “demilitarization” of J&K and come back to Kashmir. But the policy-makers in New Delhi and J&K would refuse to initiate legal proceedings against them to bring them to justice. Such a move against anyone of them would, according to the custodians of the Indian State, mean a great setback to the ongoing “composite dialogue process”. These rebels and undesirable elements virtually snub and insult our Prime Minister and his men; they meet their Pakistani masters and diplomats in and outside India to seek support for their separatist cause; and they dismiss with contempt leaders of various social and political outfits as “Tom, Dick and Harry”. But our masters in Delhi and the State’s Civil Secretariat would not mind. They would certainly become part of the “dialogue process at an appropriate time”. Our top-ranking leaders, including Prime Minister, would not give up such hopes.

These rebels and murderers, who are responsible for ridding Kashmir of all or nearly all non-Muslims, would direct the voters not to take part in electoral exercises; repeatedly use force to intimidate them; even slaughter some of them; and order a complete shut down. Supporter of Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Yasin Malik and Shabir Shah shout anti-India and pro-independence and pro-Pakistan slogans at the Jammu Airport and other places in the State. But the powers-that-be in New Delhi and J&K would keep their eyes shut. They would watch all these unlawful activities and perpetration of barbarities on the innocent civilians as mute spectators.

Instead, the powers-that-be in Delhi and J&K would say that whatever these separatists and militants are saying is permitted under the Indian democracy. “Democracy is nothing but a battle of ideas”, they would repeatedly tell their critics (read those who denounce such activities as fatal to the country’s paramount interests). Instead, they would try to the hilt to conciliate these militants, fanatics and separatists; they would depute high-ranking officials to persuade them to sit across the table and explain away their seditious designs; and they would treat them as government guests. Instead, they would sit up and discuss ways and means that could ensure a foolproof security to these anti-social and anti-India elements. Instead, they would call them “progressives”, “large-hearted” and “‘moderates” - moderates because they are demanding independence and not merger of J&K with Pakistan.

Instead, they would initiate action against those security force personnelt whom these rebels accuse of “violating the human rights”. “Zero tolerance for human rights abuses”, our rulers would very loudly declare, and again and again. Instead, the authorities at the behest of these rebels would hold out a solemn commitment that they would see to it that all those who have been imprisoned under charges ranging from revolt against India to murder of soldiers to physical liquidation of civilians to what not are set free. Instead, they would dismiss out-of-hand the suggestion that the Congress should snap all its ties with those who are singing the Pakistani song, demanding “self-rule” and “demilitarization” and urging the Union Government to allow I&K to become a “‘free economic zone”. Instead, the Congress would further strengthen its ties with those who are asking the Union Government to share sovereignty with Pakistan as far as J&K is concerned and describing the terrorists as “‘freedom fighters” and those get killed in the encounters with the Army and paramilitary forces as “martyrs”. Instead, the Congress would shield its legislator who is helping the terrorists to smuggle into J&K large quantities of deadly and sophisticated arms and dismiss such charges as part of a deep-rooted conspiracy hatched by their political adversaries to tarnish the image of the country’s premier political outfit.

I am only referring to the top-ranking leaders of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP),, including its President - the “secular”, “progressive” and “mainstream” Mehbooba Mufti. I am also referring to the demands being put forth by the “progressive” Leftists, including Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami. It would not be out of place to mention here that the PDP leaders and the Leftists are, among other things, asking the Government of India to accept their suggestion that seeks involvement of Pakistan in the management of the State’s such natural resources as water and power projects. I am also drawing attention to the front-page report in a leading national daily that clearly established the involvement of former minister and Congress legislator, Ghulam Ahmad Mir, in arms smuggling and in the sex scandal that has rocked the Valley and shaken the Congress-led Government.

This is one side of the story - story that shows that the Congress is not only more than soft towards the terrorists but also shows that it doesn’t mind association with outfits who have been making common cause with the separatist forces and subverting the Indian polity from within. The story is disturbing. Even more disturbing is the other side of the story.

The case in point is the Congress-led Government’s undue haste in booking BJP national Vice-president, Shri Sahib Singh Verma, and BJP National General Secretary, Shri Vinay Katiyar, for making what it called “provocative statements” in Jammu on June 8 while participating in the “Save Doda, Save Nation Satyagrah”. And, do not forget that the State Government booked both these senior leaders under Sections 124-A and 153-A of the Ranbir Dand Bidhi. In other words, the State Government accused both of them of two very serious charges - sedition against the State and act of “‘inciting communal passions” or act of creating ill-will between the communities.

What did these BJP leaders say on June 8? They said those who would kill terrorists need to be rewarded and that the BJP stands for such an approach to the menace of terrorism. Did they utter a single word against any particular community? No. Did they utter a single word against the institution of the State? No. However, they did say that the State Government was soft towards terrorists and killers and that it had completely failed to discharge its duty of protecting the lives of innocent civilians, Hindus and Muslims included. They did say: “If civilians on the VDCs are killed, the Government should compensate them. And, if they kill militants while defending themselves, they should be rewarded and the BJP is prepared to contribute towards this”’.

These criminal charges against Shri Sahib Singh Verma and Shri Vinay Katiyar are “tantamount to pampering terrorists and discouraging those fighting terrorism in the troubled State. BJP National President Shri Rajnath Singh only hits the nail on the head when he says,” it is the constitutional right of any political party to protest against the gross mishandling of the scourge of terrorism and to institute cases of sedition for speaking against is an unconstitutional and undemocratic manifestation of dictatorial mindset”. Shri Sahib Singh Verma and Shri Vinay Katiyar too are absolutely right when they say: “‘By registering a case of provocation against us on flimsy grounds he (the State Chief Minister) seems to be provoking the terrorists to target us and other BJP leaders.”

The Congress and its collaborators would do well to review their whole policy towards those who are terrorists and killers and those who are fighting against them. This is a must. Otherwise, the results would be disastrous. You simply cannot be soft towards the terrorists and hard towards the nationalists and anti-terrorists.

(The writer is a well-known columnist)