TERROR STRIKE IN SRINAGAR

Shock In The Valley

O N Trisal

ON October 18, 2005, the high-security residential complex at Tulsibagh, Srinagar witnessed simultaneous terror attacks on Mohammad Yousuf Tarigrmi, the J&K state secretary of the CPI(M) and Dr G N Lone, minister of state for education, living about 200 meters apart in the same complex. While the former escaped unhurt, thanks to an alert security guard at the gate – Abdul Rashid Wani – who grappled courageously with a heavily armed militant and did not allow him to enter the outer gate of the residence, the latter unfortunately fell to the bullets, as the militant there, succeeded in forcing his entry into the minister’s residential premises, where he shot him dead, while he was attending to some public men, in his drawing room.

There does appear to be a spurt in violent acts in recent days in Kashmir, though the frequency of such acts had been marking a declining trend during past few years. Fingers are crossed as to what course the militancy in the state is going to take in the coming days in Jammu and Kashmir, after the latest Tulsibagh attacks.

Only a day before (i.e. on October 17) militants had gunned down Ghulam Nabi Ganaie, a district level leader of the Party, outside his residence at Seer Hamdan, Anantnag 65 kilometers away from Srinagar. Comrade Ganaie, a popular figure in the area had contested the 2002 assembly elections, though unsuccessfully. Thousands condoled his death and joined his funeral procession at Seer Hamdan. Ganaie was a prominent member of district committee CPI(M), Anantnag. His brave sacrifice for the cause of the Party and people of Kashmir shall always be remembered and appreciated.

In fact, the militant attack was carried out upon Tarigami just at the moment he was about to leave his residence for Seer Hamdan to console the crestfallen family members of Comrade Ganaie.

It is really baffling that terror attacks at Tulsibag, Seer Hamdan and numerous other places in Jammu and Kashmir are being executed at a time when the people of Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan and its administered Kashmir are facing unprecedented miseries in the wake of the devastating earthquake, considered the severest during the last 120 years. One fails to fathom the logic behind these inhuman killings at a time when thousands  have lost their lives on both sides of the LoC, parts of Pakistan and millions have been rendered shelterless, injured and isolated under the impact of the killer tremors. It is shocking, particularly when the people of the state, the governments of India and Pakistan are engaged in a grim struggle, on a war-footing, in rescue, relief and rehabilitation operations, which has been rendered all the more hard and difficult due to the onset of a severe Himalayan winter, accompanied by shivering cold nights. Since the massive earthquake, measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale with its epicenter in the Hindu Kush mountains, exhibited that the natural disaster recognised no boundaries, the shared devastation on both the sides of the dividing lines called for a shared response by the two countries. It is gratifying that the two governments recognised this reality and undertook to cooperate in the daunting task of relief and rehabilitation. It is important to note that Pakistan has gratefully accepted Indian aid for quake victims and both the countries have agreed to allow Kashmiris to easily travel across the LoC for the purpose of saving quake victims lives. 

In this backdrop, one had expected that the ongoing dance of death would stop, even though transitionally, after an announcement of ceasefire by the United Jehad Council, an umbrella organisation of various militant outfits, in the wake of October 8 earthquake. But alas! This was not to be! It appears that the troubles of the unfortunate people of this state are not over yet and there still exist formidable impediments in the daunting task of minimising human sufferings which have tremendously added to the hardships of large number of people though natural calamity.

HITTING AT INDO-PAK PEACE PROCESS

Even apart from the human sufferings caused by nature’s fury, on both sides of LoC and Pakistan, which have common features and call for united action, the Indo-Pak peace process is entering its third year in less than two weeks hence.  This period witnessed a ceasefire at the LoC, international border and Siachen, which exists till date.  In addition to this, Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road has been reopened. A number of other confidence building measures are also in place. At the top of it, there is an open commitment on both sides that all outstanding issues between the two countries, including that of Jammu and Kashmir shall be equitably settled in a peaceful atmosphere through the process of dialogue. Taking into account the massive urge of peace in the state as well as in the sub-continent, the top leadership of the two countries have unambiguously declared the peace process as irreversible. This is clearly demonstrated on the ground as well, either through constant interaction by the two governments at various levels, or more significantly, at the people’s level in both the countries.

While the peace process between the two countries has been forging ahead, surely, though slowly, despite hiccups which are bound to be there taking into account the complexities inherent in the Kashmir situation, the people of the state are demonstrating their urge for peace and settlement of issues peacefully.  The interaction between the people living in the two parts of Jammu and Kashmir as well as two countries is an example of this urge. The state CPI(M) has been contributing its bit in the state to strengthen this process, remaining all along with  people.

Tarigami, who stayed in the valley, when almost the entire political leadership of the state had fled, conducted himself as a link between the people and the administration during governor’s rule, always identifying himself with the people and their hardships. It was a period of stress and strain, when the mere presence of a leader in the valley invited deep trouble, including risk to his life. Undoubtedly, this earned a tremendous amount of good will for the Party, which later on translated into securing the CPI(M)’s presence, though small, in the state legislature for the Party. It is gratifying that the store of goodwill for the Party among the common people continues to grow under the leadership of Tarigami.

SIGH OF RELIEF

A stream of people belonging to all the walks of life in Kashmir – the ordinary people, the leaders of the political parties, journalists, intellectuals, students, youth and peasants, workers and others heaved a sigh of relief on the miraculous escape of the CPI(M) state secretary. They continue to throng his residence soon after the abortive attack on him and express their solidarity and feelings of sympathy. The incident has aroused a deep sense of shock and surprise among ordinary people here, as to why Tarigami has been made the target of attack all along, although he is known to have been forcefully pleading the cause of the common man, both inside and outside the legislative forum.

The incident is, no doubt, an attempt to weaken and destroy the peace process, which has caught the imagination of the people in the state and the millions in the sub-continent. The state CPI(M) under the leadership of Tarigami has remained at the forefront of the peace process in the state and the huge vested interests, operating at almost every level, are out to defeat the process. They are driven by the fear that their ‘shops’ could be closed forever if the peace process succeeds. The machinations of these elements can be defeated only through the united actions of the people, who will have to come-out openly on the field and take charge of the situation to put an end to the trail of innocent human blood that has smeared this beautiful and heaped untold miseries upon the people.

It needs to be stated here that the latest incident at Tulsibagh was a clear case of gross security lapse, in as much as the gun wielding terrorists, with deadly explosives on their bodies, were allowed to easily enter a highly sensitive areas. They could breach the security lines and kill with impunity.

The state and central governments will have to reassess thoroughly the security planning and operation so that such dastardly incidents are not allowed to reccur.