Srinagar is a city with a population of less than a million. It sets the tone of social, economic and political life in that state. Srinagar has been under curfew for more than three months except for a break of a fortnight or so. When that break was given, procession s were formed and people marched to the small UN outfit located in Srinagar. Estimates of the number of marchers vary from 4 lakhs to 25 lakhs. Whatever be the exact strength, there is no doubt that it was a massive turnout.
What did they all want? This is precisely the point at issue in Srinagar. Almost everybody wants India to withdraw from Kashmir so that the State can become independent. The local administration has collapsed and civic life is totally disrupted. Things have deteriorated to such an extent that while, normally speaking searches and arrests can be made, only the local police, in J&K the Central security forces have been authorized to undertake both these jobs. Eventually of course whoever is arrested has to be turned over to the police but the police is not performing at all.
Things are so bad that there was a rumor (which could not be confirmed) that two very senior officials connected with the law and order business came to blows at an official meeting. Each one accused the other of leaking out secrets, whether such a thing occurred or not, the very fact that this rumor is being circulated and was widely believed is an indication of how far things have gone.
To restore the credibility of the administration is the obvious thing to do. But the instruments of administration have virtually crossed over to the militants. Senior government servants talk so critically about India’s enslavement of Kashmir that it is not possible to argue with them beyond a point. What is true of other departments of the government is equally true of the police. One police constable who had been in service for only three years talked so adversely about what was being done that one had to remind oneself that he was a member of the police force and it was his job to carry out orders.
Prolonged spells of curfew are seen as a form of punishment. Those who impose curfew intend to use it as a preventive device against masses of people congregating but the militants manage to use the relaxation period to stage incidents and provoke the security forces. It is a vicious circle. If the curfew is relaxed there are in dents. If the curfew is kept on, it amounts to bottling up people.
There have been confrontations between the security forces and the local police, In certain cases, the local police acts at cross purposes with the Central security forces. The situation is so difficult that, whichever way one tums, it is Possible to criticize. However one thing should be clear beyond doubt.
When roughing up and molestation take place indiscriminately as is happening most of the time, alienation from India gets intensified rather diminished. This is because India is seen as the occupier of that territory.
Article extracted from this publication >> June 29, 1990
