Page 46 - 30NOV2018E

JAMMU & KASHMIR
Killing of Parihar n November 5, posters
signed by the militant
outfit Hizbul Mujahideen
brothers: Is militancy O Gurmal areas of Doda dis-
appeared in Dhandal and
trict of Chenab Valley, asking people to
returning to Chenab boycott the ensuing Panchayat polls.
The posters emerged days after the
suspected militants shot dead the sen-
ior BJP leader, Anil Parihar, 52, and his
Valley? brother Ajit Parihar, 55, while they were
on their way home.
The successive developments have
created fears about the revival of an
otherwise long dead militancy in the
Recent activities of the militants have created fears region that equals Kashmir Valley in
geographical size. Split more or less
about the revival of an otherwise long dead militancy evenly between Hindus and Muslims
in J&K’s Chenab Valley, RIYAZ WANI reports — albeit latter command a slim ma-
jority — Chenab Valley, as the region is
popularly called, was declared largely
free of militancy over the past one and
a half decade. Until 2016, the region had
just three militants who too were sub-
sequently killed.
What has shifted the ground in
Chenab? The spillover of the militancy
from Kashmir is the obvious answer.
The region’s politics is the other. Mus-
lims of the region which form 58 per-
cent of the population are from Kash-
miri ethnic stock and therefore trace
their ideological and political outlook
to Kashmir Valley, whileas Hindus are
of mixed Kashmiri and Dogra descent
and identify themselves with Hindu
majority Jammu and mainland India.
On the other hand, separatist poli-
tics of Kashmir has often resonated in
Chenab Valley and run up against pro-
New Delhi stance of Hindus. Chenab
was a hub of the secessionist politics
through sixties and early seventies
when Sheikh Abdullah led Plebiscite
Front found some of its most vocal
advocates in the region. But before the
outbreak of armed separatist cam -
paign in 1989 both communities had
found a way of getting around their
differences and retain a peaceful social
engagement.
But three decades of relentless
bloodletting in the state as part of the
ongoing separatist movement has
unhinged the old communal bonds.
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The distrust and suspicion runs deep, armed groups of Hindu villagers called ratio of Hindus to Muslims is 40:60, 3174
out of 3287 VDC members are Hindus.
bordering at times on paranoia. Rise of
Village Defence Committees (VDCs).
The VDCs are supposed to bar the entry In Doda, with a 30:70 ratio, 5874 out of
the BJP as the dominant political force
in Jammu province has further strained of militants into their villages and also VDC members are Hindus. In Ramban,
take them on.
the communal ties and in turn sharp-
with 40:60 ratio, 2697 out of 2901 VDC
ened the divergence in the ideological
members are Hindus.
There have been six major massa-
But this arming of one community to
affiliations of the two communities: cres of Hindus by militants in Chenab fight the militants from another com-
Valley over the past three decades: 17
Muslims hurtled politically closer to
Kashmir Valley and its separatist tinged killed at Sarthal in April 1993, 16 at Bar-
munity has over the years taken its toll
on the inter-communal relations. And
politics and Hindus got drawn to a
shalla in January 1996, 17 at Sumbar in
nationalist discourse championed by May 1996, 25 at Chapnari in June 1998, the potential fresh wave of militancy is
the BJP. This division, in turn, deter-
likely to make things worse.
35 at Kalaban in August 1998 and 22 at
mines the outcome of the polls in the
Kulhand in May 2006.
It was in response to these massa-
Before the killing of Parihar brothers
region. Despite being a region where cres that the government in 1996 took Stirrings of fresh militancy
Muslims enjoy a modest majority, the
BJP won 2014 Lol Sabha seat from the steps to arm the villagers. The offer to there have been two militant attacks
take up arms was made to both com-
in Chenab Valley this year: In May, a
area: The trick was simple: the BJP
was able to consolidate Hindu vote in munities but Muslims refused to do special police officer was killed and an-
its favour but Muslim vote split into so. There were two primary reasons other injured when militants attacked
Congress, National Conference and their post in Tantra in Doda district.
the PDP. Similarly, in June, an SSB jawan
But the local political factors are Chenab was a hub was killed and another injured when
not necessarily the cause of militancy. their patrol party was attacked in
Kashmir observers see the signs of of the secessionist Banihal area of Ramban district. The
revival of militancy in Chenab Valley as militants fled from the scene with the
the organic expansion of the ongoing politics through service rifles of the slain and injured
violence in the Valley. sixties and early SSB personnel.
“South Kashmir and Chenab Val- According to police estimate, there
ley are adjacent to each other. So, it is seventies when are just three listed militants active in
but natural that the rise in militancy Sheikh Abdullah Kishtwar district, one of them, Jehan-
in South Kashmir would rub off on the gir, the oldest surviving militant in the
Chenab Valley,” says Gowhar Geelani, a led Plebiscite Front region. In July, however, a labourer Abid
political commentator. “Also, the mili- found some of its Hussain Bhat of Sazan village, around
tancy in the state operates in a certain 25 from Doda town, joined Lasker-i-
historical and political context. It will most vocal advocates Toiba. The news spread through social
always find a conducive environment in the region media. Now, security agencies suspect
for its growth unless steps are taken to Bhat might have since recruited more
address this context”. youth across Chenab.
Though, there have been some at-
Local faultlines for this. One, Muslims sympathised tempts to revive militancy in the region
While there is a tendency to attribute with the separatist cause and conse- over the past few years also, they didn’t
the renewed drift towards militancy quently identified with the militants, a succeed. In 2015, two special police
in Chenab Valley to the spillover from large number of whom were local boys. officers had joined Hizbul Mujahiddin
Kashmir Valley, there are also very Second, they feared that their decision but they were killed within a month.
powerful local factors that keep Chen- to accept government arms will align It was first encounter in Doda district
ab on edge. Both Hindus and Muslims them with the government position on after 2011.
have a reason to be deeply skeptical of Kashmir pitting militants against them. But as the killing of Parihar brothers
each other. And this mutual suspicion There are 26,567 VDC members shows, this time round the militancy
between the communities is something fighting militancy in 10 districts of Jam- in Chenab Valley may have been able
on which much of local politics thrives. mu province and Leh district of Ladakh to struck some roots. And if this is the
Hindus harbour a deep fear about and around 96 per cent of them are case, much like Kashmir Valley, the
the revival of separatist militancy in the Hindus. region looks headed for another round
region. Three districts of Chenab Valley, a of turmoil.
And Muslims have a reason to be part of Jammu province, reflect the
skeptical about the government backed same picture. In Kishtwar, where the LETTERS@TEHELKA.COM
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