Page 47 - 30NOV2018E

JAMMU & KASHMIR

Killing of Parihar n November 5, posters The distrust and suspicion runs deep, armed groups of Hindu villagers called ratio of Hindus to Muslims is 40:60, 3174

signed by the militant
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
outfit Hizbul Mujahideen
the BJP as the dominant political force
brothers: Is militancy O Gurmal areas of Doda dis- in Jammu province has further strained of militants into their villages and also VDC members are Hindus. In Ramban,
appeared in Dhandal and
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-
trict of Chenab Valley, asking people to
But this arming of one community to
returning to Chenab boycott the ensuing Panchayat polls. 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
The posters emerged days after the
Muslims hurtled politically closer to
suspected militants shot dead the sen-
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
ior BJP leader, Anil Parihar, 52, and his
Valley? brother Ajit Parihar, 55, while they were 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-
on their way home.
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.
The successive developments have
It was in response to these massa-
created fears about the revival of an
Before the killing of Parihar brothers
otherwise long dead militancy in the region. Despite being a region where cres that the government in 1996 took Stirrings of fresh militancy
Muslims enjoy a modest majority, the
Recent activities of the militants have created fears region that equals Kashmir Valley in BJP won 2014 Lol Sabha seat from the steps to arm the villagers. The offer to there have been two militant attacks
geographical size. Split more or less
take up arms was made to both com-
in Chenab Valley this year: In May, a
area: The trick was simple: the BJP
about the revival of an otherwise long dead militancy evenly between Hindus and Muslims was able to consolidate Hindu vote in munities but Muslims refused to do special police officer was killed and an-
in J&K’s Chenab Valley, RIYAZ WANI reports — albeit latter command a slim ma- its favour but Muslim vote split into so. There were two primary reasons other injured when militants attacked
jority — Chenab Valley, as the region is Congress, National Conference and their post in Tantra in Doda district.
popularly called, was declared largely the PDP. Similarly, in June, an SSB jawan
free of militancy over the past one and But the local political factors are Chenab was a hub was killed and another injured when
a half decade. Until 2016, the region had not necessarily the cause of militancy. their patrol party was attacked in
just three militants who too were sub- Kashmir observers see the signs of of the secessionist Banihal area of Ramban district. The
sequently killed. revival of militancy in Chenab Valley as militants fled from the scene with the
What has shifted the ground in the organic expansion of the ongoing politics through service rifles of the slain and injured
Chenab? The spillover of the militancy violence in the Valley. sixties and early SSB personnel.
from Kashmir is the obvious answer. “South Kashmir and Chenab Val- According to police estimate, there
The region’s politics is the other. Mus- ley are adjacent to each other. So, it is seventies when are just three listed militants active in
lims of the region which form 58 per- but natural that the rise in militancy Sheikh Abdullah Kishtwar district, one of them, Jehan-
cent of the population are from Kash- in South Kashmir would rub off on the gir, the oldest surviving militant in the
miri ethnic stock and therefore trace Chenab Valley,” says Gowhar Geelani, a led Plebiscite Front region. In July, however, a labourer Abid
their ideological and political outlook political commentator. “Also, the mili- found some of its Hussain Bhat of Sazan village, around
to Kashmir Valley, whileas Hindus are tancy in the state operates in a certain 25 from Doda town, joined Lasker-i-
of mixed Kashmiri and Dogra descent historical and political context. It will most vocal advocates Toiba. The news spread through social
and identify themselves with Hindu always find a conducive environment in the region media. Now, security agencies suspect
majority Jammu and mainland India. for its growth unless steps are taken to Bhat might have since recruited more
On the other hand, separatist poli- address this context”. youth across Chenab.
tics of Kashmir has often resonated in Though, there have been some at-
Chenab Valley and run up against pro- Local faultlines for this. One, Muslims sympathised tempts to revive militancy in the region
New Delhi stance of Hindus. Chenab While there is a tendency to attribute with the separatist cause and conse- over the past few years also, they didn’t
was a hub of the secessionist politics the renewed drift towards militancy quently identified with the militants, a succeed. In 2015, two special police
through sixties and early seventies in Chenab Valley to the spillover from large number of whom were local boys. officers had joined Hizbul Mujahiddin
when Sheikh Abdullah led Plebiscite Kashmir Valley, there are also very Second, they feared that their decision but they were killed within a month.
Front found some of its most vocal powerful local factors that keep Chen- to accept government arms will align It was first encounter in Doda district
advocates in the region. But before the ab on edge. Both Hindus and Muslims them with the government position on after 2011.
outbreak of armed separatist cam - have a reason to be deeply skeptical of Kashmir pitting militants against them. But as the killing of Parihar brothers
paign in 1989 both communities had each other. And this mutual suspicion There are 26,567 VDC members shows, this time round the militancy
found a way of getting around their between the communities is something fighting militancy in 10 districts of Jam- in Chenab Valley may have been able
differences and retain a peaceful social on which much of local politics thrives. mu province and Leh district of Ladakh to struck some roots. And if this is the
engagement. Hindus harbour a deep fear about and around 96 per cent of them are case, much like Kashmir Valley, the
But three decades of relentless the revival of separatist militancy in the Hindus. region looks headed for another round
bloodletting in the state as part of the region. Three districts of Chenab Valley, a of turmoil.
ongoing separatist movement has And Muslims have a reason to be part of Jammu province, reflect the
unhinged the old communal bonds. skeptical about the government backed same picture. In Kishtwar, where the LETTERS@TEHELKA.COM
TEHELKA / 30 NOVEMBER 2018 46 WWW.TEHELKA.COM TEHELKA / 30 NOVEMBER 2018 47 WWW.TEHELKA.COM
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