Slowly, steadily, Kashmir wakes up a spate of dastardly inhumane acts of violence by terrorists. And we are watching Kashmir’s own Not In My Name movement. The fear is there. So is the hatred for terrorist acts. Every soul in Kashmir is mourning the killing of innocent unarmed civilians. Kashmir is watching with pain that there is no consideration of religion, caste, colour, or creed. Just total unadulterated evil and brutality.
This deep undercurrent in society makes us believe that our society is back to the living. The Pakistan constituency is shrinking every day. This constituency may be celebrating death. The society as a whole is in a state of mourning. Some are mourning it silently. Some are expressive. Some are agitating. But all are mourning.
The killing of innocent, unarmed civilian teachers belonging to minority communities in the Eidgah area of Srinagar city has shaken the collective conscience of the people of Kashmir. Late it is, but the hope is alive. From teacher’s associations to civil society organizations, media, and politicians –everyone is condemning the brutal killings. The fearless Sikh community as usual took the lead in hitting the streets against the barbaric killings. The majority community should follow the suit. Yes, condemnation is there. People are also mourning. But we need to agitate, protest and send the message across that the killings had never been, are not, and shall never be in my name.
Not. In. My. Name. Perhaps every society accepts violence for a period. Perhaps every society accepts violence up to a limit, particularly when the society has a long list of perceived grievances. In Kashmir, the violence has reached saturation point. The time has come for Kashmiris to rise to the occasion and reject violence in all its manifestations. Time has come for us to reject violence for all the justifications whatsoever attributed to it. This decisiveness shall make us a living society and living people.
