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| Indian Democracy’s Black Spot | | |
Recent parliament elections have been proclaimed as the triumph of democracy in India. However, the global acclaim of this achievement gets pulled down by the “Black Spot” of Kashmir!
M ASHRAF
The results of the recent parliament elections made many people jubilant and even euphoric as these had made the secular and democratic India assert itself in no uncertain terms. The extremist fundamental forces have been virtually routed and are in total disarray. A number of analysts have predicted that it is the beginning of the end for these parochial and communal elements. Notwithstanding the last minute tussles for sharing the power among the constituents of the United Progressive Alliance, one must concede that the democracy has taken roots in India. It may not be the parliamentary democracy of the British model which was supposed to grow after the British left India; still it has by and large evolved into a democratic set up. There are many deficiencies and India has not become a welfare state in the real sense even after 62 years of independence. There is still a large chunk of population below poverty line. The democracy may not be so “vibrant” as claimed by some yet it has been continuing without any major interruption except a brief set back during Indira Gandhi’s emergency. A number of political analysts feel that the pursuit of power seems to have become the main motivating factor for a large number of politicians. Again the power is attempted to be concentrated in a family or a dynasty. Democracy is turning into a family or dynasty oriented aristocracy. Pre-elections appeals are made on the basis of caste, creed, and religion. Even though most of the parties joining together for government formation claim that the unity is for strengthening secular and progressive ideals, yet the main consideration has remained the getting of plum cabinet posts for various family members to enjoy fruits of power. The election gave a drubbing to the leftist and the rightist forces. Unfortunately, the centrist parties which have come up continue with the same old faces and the dynamism of youth is just a sprinkling. One would have expected that the youth would be framing the future and carrying forward the new ideas for progress and development. However, the mafias and fiefdoms of the old politicians are reluctant to make way for the new generation. The neglect of the poor especially people living in tribal areas is increasing naxalite activities. They have become bold and are launching sizeable attacks. Similarly, the lower castes have also become quite active and vociferous. In spite of numerous short comings, the Indian democracy is carrying on and with the infusion of young blood and an alert middle class may soon be able to take care of the basic requirements of a welfare state.
However, all these democratic, secular, and liberal proclamations cease as soon as one enters the State of Jammu & Kashmir. For last 20 years the state has been under the jack boots of the security forces. The so called elected representative governments exist in name only. Everything that happens in Kashmir is controlled from Delhi. One may ask in which part of the democratic world a populated area is put for 20 years under the worst draconian laws giving unbridled and unaccountable powers to the security forces to take human lives at their sweet will. Where else in the free world are people put behind bars without trial for a period exceeding several times the maximum punishment normally attracted by the offences supposed to be committed by them? Where else in the free world is there a competition between the judiciary and the security forces for releasing and re-arresting political detenues? Let us forget the free and democratic world at large and confine ourselves to various parts of India. Which metro in India has security forces camps, bunkers, and watch-towers in every lane, at every road-crossing, in towns and villages. Where else in India can teenagers be killed in cold blood and women gang raped repeatedly? In any other part of India any crime even against ordinary people gets total media attention. In fact, the media coverage goes sometimes totally berserk. Media takes on itself not only the duty of ensuring the arrest of culprits regardless of their status but pursues the event till the justice is meted out. However, in case of Kashmir everything gets buried under the ubiquitous “National Interest”! Horrible incidents against Kashmiris only get a scroll line on the electronic media in India. In what part of India are peaceful protests and demonstrations put down with the use of such brutal and indiscriminate use of force? Where else in India does a police force and the keepers of law and order use the term, “Undeclared Curfew”? Which political leaders in other parts of India are put under house arrest not only for days and weeks on end but for months? In which of the cities and towns of the country are people mandated to carry Identity Cards round the clock? In which part of India are almost all citizens indexed by the CID? Citizens of which other part of India are harassed everywhere in the name of verification? The term Human Rights has lost its meaning in Kashmir. One has also lost the count of the inquiries ordered into the violations of Human Rights by the security forces. Even in cases where the crimes have been established by the country’s highest and most trusted investigative agency CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) nothing has materialised. All such trials have got stalled by the inordinate delays in sanctioning prosecution by the Central Government. The State Government has no authority or jurisdiction to even arrest or try such cases in the absence of consent from Delhi. Prime Minister’s declaration of zero tolerance for violation of human rights has become a pathetic and tragic joke.
The main reason for these gross violations is the over-militarisation of Kashmir with limitless powers to the security forces. Many foreign journalists have often observed in their despatches that every part of Kashmir is swarming with uniformed personnel. In fact, BBC’s Chris Morris while reporting about elections in Srinagar had stated that he had never in his entire life seen so many soldiers as he saw in Kashmir. CIA in its fact book has stated that Kashmir is the highest militarised disputed territory anywhere in the world! In fact, some diplomats have likened Kashmir to a vast prison with its inhabitants being held hostages in their own land! In early nineties when militancy was at its peak, one could understand the necessity of covering every nook and corner with security personnel to prevent free movement of militants. Now that it has been repeatedly stated by all the top security bosses that the total number of militants does not exceed 500 or so, one fails to understand the necessity of maintaining such an extensive and vast security grid. The security set up which was meant to protect the citizens from harassment has itself become the greatest source of irritation and harassment. Every liberal leader and politician from India has been pleading for lessening of alienation of Kashmiris. However, on the ground the recent chain of gory incidents against the helpless civilian population is increasing the alienation in geometric progression. One can easily observe the dark clouds gathering before another storm which may burst upon us sooner than later.
If the Indian Government wants its triumph of democracy hailed across the world, it must remove the “Black Spot” of Kashmir. There is an urgent need for the Government to clean what many foreign journalists have called, “India’s dirty backyard!” India may not be ready to accede to the popular demand of “Azadi”. It may not agree to grant Kashmiris their fundamental right of self-determination committed through international organisations. But it is legally and morally bound to restore the basic rights to Kashmiris whom it claims to be its citizens. The minimum it can do is to give same rights to the people here as are not only guaranteed under the constitution for every citizen of India but are in actual practice ensured to them in other parts of the country. The first step in that direction is the total demilitarisation of all the civilian areas both in the towns and villages. In addition, the draconian powers given to the security forces need to be immediately withdrawn. Almost every section of the society and every shade of political opinion are demanding it. This is not asking for moon! Unless this minimum possible relief is given to common Kashmiris the situation is liable to become explosive. These decisions for giving relief from harassment should not be left to the biased and prejudiced Security Advisors but boldly taken by the newly emerged stronger political leadership. There is still time for the Indian leadership to remove the “Black Spot” on the global image of the world’s largest democracy. But it has to be done today. Tomorrow may be too late!
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