The Second Chance

The second Chance
The recent turn of events had created a ray of hope that the Indian government might allow the people of Kashmir to march towards the symbolic lal chowk , a measure that could have echoed as a positive step towards the so called peace process but the nefarious designs time and again to oppress the voice of Kashmir’s were again visible with the restrictions imposed in all ten districts of Kashmir..
The so called largest democracy was shaken to the core by the Id gah chaloo and UN chaloo marches and to avoid further embarrassment the curfew imposed was disguised as a safety measure .The sentiments of the Kashmir’s cannot be restricted or oppressed with curfews or baton charges . The dream of Azadi has long been dreamt by almost every pair of eyes in the valley and countless number of them have gone to the grave with it while as rest of them still hold it closer to their hearts. The sentiments of freedom have always echoed in the form of protests, demonstrations etc and will continue to be so until a finite resolution is not achieved. The problem is not that easy but it is not impossible to achieve as well. The Hurriyat Conference has once again gained a new life thanks to the unification efforts and let’s hope that it remains the same. Our leaders have lacked the vision, the farsightedness to ascertain the patience and sacrifice it takes to attain freedom. The recent uprising has given the second life for the freedom struggle and this is the time when our leaders should capitalise on the sentiments and lead from the front. I remember the turbulent nineties when every colony, mohalla had its own share of martyrs, freedom fighters, widows and orphans of what they were proud, which over a period of time had gradually decreased and the emotion for azadi had dried to certain extent if not died at all..The leadership needs to take this opportunity in a stride and make sure that the sentiments do not die within a span of time and the best way would be awareness among the youth.
As a Kashmiri I often come across questions as why do we need azadi ? Are we not better off with India? Has anybody stopped you from praying, fasting etc?.The irony is that these questions are raised by none others than my own brethren , my generation , my friends who have only seen the turbulent times of the nineties and had perceived freedom as something achievable with little sacrifice ..The explanation of the these questions can only be sought by turning the pages of history and realising that the struggle for freedom has been echoing in Kashmir since the age of Maharaja.. The martyrs of 1931 are our first heroes among a line of thousand that have been buried in graveyards spanning over large areas and not to forget those martyrs who did not even get a burial. The ignorance about these facts is something that has played a pivotal role in giving rise to such stereotypes in our society. The land row has ignited the spark and this time it cannot be neglected. Our media also has to play a role alongside the Hurriyats and other separatist organisation to educate and bring awareness among the youth about the struggle, the causes and the basic identity of being a Kashmiri.