Page 48 - English Tehelka Issue 1&2

kashmir

• Name matters The killing of Junaid Khan
by a mob on a train sparked huge protest

Khalil-ur-Rehman Sajjad Nomani. espite the Already, separatist groups
The Jamaat-e-Islami Hind also deteriorating and militants have called
flayed the bill, saying that “it is un- security situation, for boycott of the exercise.
necessary, against justice, against the the Jammu and The Joint Resistance Leader-
Shariah and against the Constitution DKashmir govern- ship (JRL) comprising Syed
of India.” Separately, Muslim cleric ment has announced that the Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar
and general secretary of Jamiat long-delayed Panchayat polls Farooq and Muhammad Yasin
Ulama-e-Hind, Maulana Mehmood will be held in February. The Malik has issued a statement
Madani, accused the Centre of using decision comes even as fear of calling out for “exemplary
the triple talaq bill to diverge the at- violence has forced the state boycott” of the polls so that
tention of the people from the main government to not hold the “Kashmiris deliver a message
issues. “This is not even an issue. The already deferred by-election to India and the international
cases of instant triple talaq are very for South Kashmir parliamen- community that Kashmiris
during his election campaign, which Personal laws of less. It seems like the Centre is using tary seat vacated by Mehboo- want freedom.”
was a departure from the past for the the bill for its own benefit. So, I don’t ba Mufti after she took over as There is another fear too: a
Congress party. the community, think this effort would benefit the Chief Minister. potential surge in militancy-
Earlier, the saffron party had won particularly Muslim women. It is not a legal re- The last panchayat polls related violence and killings
the Uttar Pradesh Assembly election form but a matter of social reform. It were held in 2011 when more of candidates. In April last
with a thumping majority, even in triple talaq, too is a calculated step to divert people’s than 80 percent people cast year when by-election was
the Muslim-dominated areas. Yogi remained in focus attention from core issues,” he said. their ballots, defying the sepa- held in Srinagar parliamenta-
Adityanath, a hardliner mahant of Shia scholar and All India Muslim ratists’ boycott call. This was ry constituency, eight persons
Gorakhnath Temple, was made chief Personal Law Board vice-president surprising considering that lost their lives while resisting
minister of the state. Since then, he Kalbe Sadiq believes the triple talaq only a few months ago, J&K the election, the highest toll
has announced policies and pro- wish that 2018 would prove to be system is unfair to women. “Howev- had witnessed a five-month- ever in the state on a polling
grammes that do not go well with better in terms of safety of Muslims. er, it is a personal affair of the com- long separatist revolt in which day in a single constituency. In
the majority of Muslims. Madarsas, “Though there are a handful of hate- munity and we will solve it ourselves 120 youths had lost their lives. addition, a meagre 6.5 percent
Haj subsidy, removing Taj Mahal mongers, majority of the people in within one to one-and-a-half years. The polls were held after a gap people cast their ballot.
from the tourist destination list and the country are peace-loving. With The government should not inter- of 32 years, and they were a “There is every likelihood
strong implementation of beef ban their help, this year we will try our fere in it.” roaring success. A sense of dejA vu As j&K that such a scenario would
being some of them. best to change things as much as A lone Muslim minister in Uttar Similarly, fresh pan- again unfold,” warns local
Personal laws of the commu - we can,” said Intizar Naeem, Assis- Pradesh, however, recently slammed chayat polls will also follow prepAres for locAl polls columnist Naseer Ahmad. “So,
nity, particularly triple talaq, too tant Secretary for Community and those supporting triple talaq, arguing an exceptionally troubled there is need for the govern-
remained in focus last year. In De- National Affairs, Jamaat-e-Islami if uttering the word ‘nikaah’ thrice 2017 which witnessed the ment to tread cautiously and
cember, the lower house of the Hindi. “Jamaat invites and supports does not solemnise a marriage, how maximum violence in the Though the previous panchayat polls were a not to thrust an election on
Parliament passed a bill that seeks everyone who seeks to work for can uttering the word ‘talaq’ thrice last seven years. According to the state when the conducive
to criminalise ‘triple talaq’, a style creating peaceful atmosphere in result in divorce. “My simple ques- South Asia Terrorism Portal, massive success, this time around there is fear of conditions for such an exer-
of instant divorce used by some the country.” tion is if saying talaq-talaq-talaq re- around 358 people were bloodshed during the elections, RIYAZ WANI writes cise don’t exist”.
in the Muslim community despite Muslims also hope that the com- sults in divorce, then saying nikaah- killed, 218 of them militants. A An editorial in a local daily
the country’s top court suspending munity will be given due importance nikaah-nikaah should mean that higher number of 375 people carried a similar warning:
the practice in August. The Mus - in national policies, programmes wedding has been solemnised,” the were killed in 2010. killed. Five CRPF personnel militancy”. “Should the situation go
lim Women (Protection of Rights and events. Majority of Muslims also state’s Waqf and Haj Minister Moh- Will the 2017 polls replicate were killed when three JeM Such a situation, adds wrong and lead to bloodshed,
of Marriage) bill 2017, introduced oppose any interference in their sin Raza said. the success of 2011? There is fidayeen stormed a security Gowhar, is likely to forbid par- the government will have
by the Narendra Modi government personal laws. On triple talaq, the All A fresh year has begun. It’s time no easy answer. Though the camp in South Kashmir and ticipation in the polls. “In 2011, only itself to blame. Nobody in
in the Lok Sabha could see men India Muslim Personal Law Board for the community and the country precedent points towards four policemen were killed in militancy was sporadic and Kashmir would want an early
found guilty of divorcing their wives (AIMPLB) has voiced reservations to start anew. As former union min- massive participation of the an IED blast in Sopore. scattered and the anti-New election after what happened
through triple talaq end up in jail for and vowed to take steps through ister Salman Khurshid puts it, “For people, the prevailing abys- “This underlines a Delhi sentiment had moder- during the Lok Sabha by-poll
three years. The bill is, in part, the democratic means to “amend, im- Indian Muslims, co-existence, not mal security scenario makes very fragile security ated. But now the militancy, early this year”.
result of decades of campaigning by prove or scrap” the proposed Muslim confrontation, is the answer for sur- it an extravagant hope. True, situation,”political analyst even though not endemic, has As Panchayat polls draw
Muslim women groups and victims Women’s Marriage Right Protection vival and prosperity. People who de- the Valley hasn’t been going Gowhar Geelani told Tehelka. developed a presence which near, a sense of deja vu
against a practice that allows Muslim Bill. “We will take whatever steps re- monise Islam to serve their personal through mass unrest but “And it would be supremely far outstrips the number of deepens in Kashmir. Few
men to divorce wives instantane- quired through democratic means agenda are no better than those who violence has only escalated. In challenging to hold an elec- militants. Besides, the anti- people expect the exercise to
ously by uttering “talaq” three times. to amend, improve or scrap it. There use it to perpetuate everything that the past fortnight, the Valley toral exercise as sweeping as New Delhi sentiment is at a go smoothly, yet people are
The community leaders are not is no move to go to court as of now... it opposes in its true, sublime form.” witnessed two successive a panchayat election. It will record high. This doesn’t bode keeping their fingers crossed.
too happy about several develop- The bill was brought in a haste,” said militant attacks in which involve the entire rural belt, well for the exercise,” Gowhar
ments that took place in 2017 and AIMPLB spokesperson Maulana letters@tehelka.com nine security personnel were most of which is affected by said. letters@tehelka.com

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46-48 Crime Abdul.indd 4 12/01/18 4:11 PM 49 Kashmir.indd 3 12/01/18 4:12 PM