Kashmir... A trouble unnecessary???

 Recent developments in Kashmir spurred me into writing this article. For a month now,I have been coming across reports in newspapers suggesting that elusive peace has finally been found in Kashmir.Bollywood is again turning towards its once-favourite shooting spot.Cinemas,that were closed down over a decade ago,are slowly re-opening.Shopping malls are coming up.In fact,things have been so peaceful recently that it was possible to organise a national level football tournament,the Santosh trophy,successfully without any incidence of violence.All this made me happy,and yet I was a bit sceptical about this peace in Kashmir.Was it for real,or was it just government propaganda?

The J&K govt.,around 8 days ago,decided to hand over 39.88 hectares of forest land to the Shri Amarnathji shrine Board(SASB),a body that looks into the welfare of pilgrims headed for the Amarnath Yatra.Now,this is a classic act of dirty politics by our esteemed politicians.The Congress-led govt. wanted to play a communal card in Kashmir.And it has seriously backfired.The people there,by thousands,are
out in protest.There have been clashes with the security personnels,killing 3 and injuring hundred others.
A strong popular demand has been made to revoke the orders.However,the BJP & VHP have warned of nationwide repurcussions if the order is revoked.

I was very happy at the turn of events.All this is very familiar to me.It happens all over India every other day.Since what happens in rest of India is also happening in Kashmir,it has thus become very much like the rest of the country.So I was happy.

But then,there is also something that is disturbing me.The masses that were agitating on the streets were shouting anti-India slogans,and slogans of freedom.This is disturbing.We see anti govt. protests everyday.But we never hear anti-India slogans.Being against the government is one thing,and being against the country quite another.

I have 2 questions.What should we make of such anti-india demonstrations?Did Kashmir really ever become peaceful?Or was it just like our earth,cool at the surface,boiling from wuthin?The moment we scratched the surface,the fire came out.

Secondly,a state,after being violent for decades,was slowly returning to normalcy.But politicians would not have it,and things were messed up.How do we hold our politicians accountable for this blunder?In a bid to play their own petty games,they are holding the lives of thousands to ransom.Can we,by any means,forever neutralise these miscreants?How long shall the country keep enduring these creatures?

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