METHOD IN MADNESS

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Killing Of Soft Targets

 

Method In Madness

 

 Militants Focus On Soft Targets During Harvest Season In Kashmir. Pakistan Attempts To Whip Up Violence Against Kashmiris In Mainland India

 

After a brief lull, the militants are again on killing spree. In just 48 hours, three people were killed in South Kashmir’s Shopian district. Militants are particularly targeting members of the minority community and non-local labour. Their handlers across the border, according to credible intelligence inputs, are also identifying soft targets from the majority community. Militant organizations active in Kashmir have been asked to focus on soft targets by activating hybrid cells. The three killings perpetrated in Shopian in a span of three days were executed by hybrid militants, with militant outfits guiding them.

If we look at the developments of the corresponding period in last two years, the analogy is somehow same. Killing of soft targets from minority community and the non-local labours is mostly executed in the last quarter of the year. The non- locals labour killed during last three years were targeted in these months.

Spate Of Killings During Harvesting Season

This is an interesting coincidence. Perhaps the security agencies may examine this and connect the dots. It is more important to review the situation with specific references, which can help in understanding the logic that why do militants focus on soft targets in the months of October, November and December. Does it have something to do with the season of harvest in Kashmir?

There are certain indicators which suggest that killing of soft targets in the harvesting season has both local and foreign dimensions. The fruit harvesting season has always remained normal by and large even during the most violent uprisings in Kashmir. The larger section of the population gets completely detached from the rest of the world and remains busy in their fields and orchards. This is the season which gives the picture of an absolutely normal Kashmir.

There have been attempts to vitiate the atmosphere and present a grim picture of Kashmir. The past developments also give us an idea that similar attempts are made in Srinagar city during the months of May, June and July when the tourist season remains at peak.

So there is a definite pattern to the madness of terrorism in Kashmir. Srinagar city is prone to such attacks during the tourist season. In rural Kashmir, a definite pattern is followed to kill the soft targets during the fruit harvesting season.

Pakistan Wants To Provoke Violence Against Kashmiris In Mainland

In one of our earlier editions we have referred to this madness in a particular context. The context is that the movement of apple produce to the mandis and markets across the country is the highest during this period.

The intention of ISI Pakistan is to provoke the people across India to attack the Kashmiris who travel with the fruit. That is why attacks are engineered by militant organizations in Kashmir so that hate and violence against Kashmiris can be whipped up across the country. The militants are tasked to do their bit by their masters from across the border.

The government seems to be conscious of the designs of the militants. That is the reason why the Ministry of Home Affairs keeps sending advisories to the state governments, cautioning them against harming the Kashmiris in any manner.

Narrative Of Separatism Rests On The Premise Of “Alienation” Of Kashmiris

On the other hand, the fruit growers of Kashmir valley have some grievances against the administration. Their complaint is that they are not able to find a market for their produce according to their expectations. Even after the commencement of the harvesting season, the Srinagar-Jammu national highway remained blocked for more than two weeks. This adversely impacted the ferrying of fresh fruit to the outside market.

Now there is an effort to create a situation which could further affect the farmer community. The larger game plan is also to isolate Kashmir and Kashmiris from the rest of the country and vice versa. This is in the interest of the adversaries of the Indian state. The whole narrative of separatism rests on the premise of “alienation” of Kashmiris from mainland India. This narrative can only survive if a gulf is created between Kashmir and the rest of the country. Therefore it seems a meticulously planned road map to kill the soft targets during this season.

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