“The Terrorists are on the run with their cadre strength depleted and leadership in disarray. The security forces are continuing their relentless operations to degrade the terrorist Tanzeems. The Terrorists are now in self preservation mode, trying desperately to conserve some strength for the forthcoming “summer of reckoning.”
Jaibans Singh
The Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir, Omar Abdullah, during the discussion on the motion of thanks to the Governor for his address to the joint session of the two houses of the state legislature on February, 17, was outright in his rejection of allegations that peace in Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) was ‘deceptive’ as it had been achieved by ‘force’. He gave full credit to the people for defeating conspiracies “hatched to disturb the law and order situation in the state.” He was stinging in his response to detractors of the peace process in the state; “they want to carry the false propaganda as if the government has filled jails and pressurised the people to remain peaceful,” he said.
Many of his antagonists feel that by complimenting the army and other security forces for their exemplary professionalism in combating terrorism as well as displaying commendable concern for the people, the Chief Minister was trying to blow the trumpet of his own ‘lame-duck’ Government. While making the statement, the Chief Minister was well aware that it would be rejected by such indignant opposition. He, therefore, wisely chose to qualify his assertions with statistics. He said that, “Militancy has declined by 71 per cent in the last five years and no collateral damage has occurred in the anti-terrorist operations by security forces.” Even if this statement was made (as his detractors would like to believe), for motivated reasons, the Chief Minister was well within his right to showcase the ‘good governance’ of his coalition government. With the statistics on the table none can challenge the veracity of his claims!
Kashmir watchers will agree that there was no let-up in the attempts made by terrorists to infiltrate into J&K from across the Line of Control (LoC) in 2013. On the contrary, in the aftermath of Afzal Guru’s hanging, leaders of Lashkar-e-Toiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, Al Badr Mujahideen, Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen and the Harkat-ul-Mujahideen held a meeting at the National Press Club in Islamabad and publically vowed to take ‘revenge’ for Guru’s execution and step-up ‘Jihad in Kashmir’.
What is of significance is that despite an unusually cold winter the army has been successful in its winter strategy to counter terrorism. The reduced terrorist attacks this winter, clearly indicate the success of this strategy. The army has not let down its guard and in the first one and a half months of 2014 alone, it has killed 10 terrorists and apprehended 16.
That the evil proponents of the proxy war are dreaming of a big bang is quite evident from the reports of resurfacing of Maulana Masood Azhar, the most rabid anti-India, anti-Kashmir leader of the banned Jaish-e-Muhammad who has, for the last many years, been kept confined to the compound of his safe house in Bhawalpur, Pakistan. His reactivation indicates that the terror masters are not happy with their fast depleting presence in J&K and are not shy of using even an internationally wanted criminal like the Maulana to give an impetus to their evil cause.
The security forces deployed in the state are equally determined to reduce terrorist capability to a mere whimper. So, what will dominate the summer of 2014, the bullet or the ballot? It would be safe to place a bet on the ballot, Masood Azhar and his gang notwithstanding!
Sankalp Diwas to remind of resolution on PoK
Social Cause and Jammu & Kashmir Study centre jointly organised a seminar on “Unanimous Parliamentary resolution on Jammu & Kashmir; Any effective followup in last two decades?” at the Badruka College Auditorium in Hyderabad. The meet was presided by Prof Tirupath Rao, Fomer Vice Chancellor, Osmania University; Prof Kashinath Pandit, Academician, Writer and Former Director, Centre of Asian Studies Kashmir Univeristy addressed the seminar along with Sh MVR Shatry, Editor Andhra Bhoomi to discuss the issues in Governance.
Recapitulating, the historical background of the resolution, under the question of unanimously adopted by both houses of Parliament. Prof Pandit regretted that the custodians of the India, instead of giving effect to the national resolve, are yielding and not taking any concrete steps to defeat Pakistan’s evil designs. Prof Pandit regretted that 80 per cent the parliamentarians are ignorant of the issue at hand and India had fought three wars with Pakistan and subsequently Pakistan lost Bangladesh but for India proxy war continues unabated. The resolution, with UN Commission Human Rights (UNCHR) approval, was to be referred to the UN Security Council for initiating economic sanctions and other punitive measures against India.
Petition against renaming Shankaracharya Hills
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has renamed the Shankaracharya Hill on the head view of Dal Lake in Srinagar, to ‘Takht-e-Suleiman’ with the content of Central Government. This attempt has been made by UPA to secure the alliance at Muslim front. But, some intellectual bodies and scholars are in against of the activity to dilute the authenticity of the great Indian history. In continuation to that a petetition has been raised to the President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee against the decision taken by ASI with support of UPA. ASI itself presented an absurd and fictitious version of history of the Shankaracharya Hill on the tourist information plaque, claiming that this was a hill once controlled by Jews, therefore, the name has to be’Takht-e-Suleiman’.
The History counts in for the facts that the Shankracharya temple of Kashmir, India dedicated to Lord Shiva and has been recognised to be the oldest shrine in the Kashmir valley. The Great Philosopher Shankaracharya stayed there when he visited Kashmir to revive Sanatan Dharma.The structure on the hill has stood there for centuries before the arrival of Islam in India and yet the plaque makes no mention of it. These facts are opposite to the history presented by the Archaeological Survey of India. All India Parties Coordination Committee (APMCC) has also come down in against of Temples and Shrines Bill. Considered, it as an attempt of anti-Hindu parties to influence the vote banks. APMCC will soon issue a white paper on the temple encroachments to expose the strategy of dividing the people on religious lines. These attempts of re-writing history will be met with deep resentment, anger, protests and violence which inturns will harm Secularism and will support Communalism. This will provoke Hindus and Muslims in the country to Sikh riots, Muzaffarnagar riots, etc. for the sake of Muslim vote bank only. Yet, one more instance of how the minority is usurping the majority. These communal acts by the governing authorities seem insignificant at the time; will fester into full blown religious riots, and even wars. —Bureau Report
