India’s preoccupation with Kasab

Published in Rising Kashmir 

India’s preoccupation with Kasab

http://www.risingka shmir.com/ index.php? option=com_
content&task=view&id=23262&Itemid=44

Waseem
Shah

“Ajmal Kasab gets what he gave: Death” reads the headline
of one of the India’s leading daily. The lone “assailant” of Mumbai attacks was
handed out death sentence on four counts and life term on five counts by Special
Court judge M.L Tahiliyani, who said “Death penalty must be imposed there is no
other option”. Mumbai attacks were shocking and heinous in which more than 150
innocent people got killed. No body with his senses intact will condone this
horrible incident and no cause what so ever can be justified in which innocent
people loose their lives.

But the way Indian media portrayed the verdict of awarding
death sentence to Kasab showing extra mile of energy in body language, people
bursting crackers, from bigwigs to tea vendors jumping in joy, political
parties from all hues and cries welcoming death sentence as if India has got
rid of some big monster makes it look like an act in vengeance rather than what
they say getting justice. Even some went to an extent of asserting that his
(Kasab’s) “arms and legs be chopped off”.

I fail to understand what will be reaction of same people
jubilant over this death sentence if suppose Pakistan announces the similar
kind of judgment to Sarabjit Singh, an Indian citizen alleged to be a spy
convicted for his involvement in 1990 serial bomb blasts in Lahore and Multan.
Demanding his release and pronouncing Kasab’s death sentence a clear message to
Pakistan smacks dichotomy on the part of Indian body politic, you can’t have cake
and eat it too there can’t be contradicting rules for the same game.

Those who have got swayed by the verdict on Mumbai attacks
“lone surviving culprit” fail to realize and think over the many important
questions as of how the attackers easily managed to cross sea barrier and enter
with such heavy amount of arms and ammunition. What about the Killing of Hemant
Karkare (ATS Chief) who died due to the bullets which hit his chest when he was
wearing a bullet proof jacket.

Hemant Karkare and his colleagues who were killed during
Mumbai attacks had unveiled the brutal truth of India’s home grown saffron
terror activities, how many of them were convicted for carrying deadly blasts
in different parts of India in which innocent people were killed. So much of
time has went since Gujarat riots despite clear and ample evidences available
of who the culprits and perpetrators are how many of them were awarded death
sentences for killing, massacring and mutilating thousands of people.

There is another version relating to Ajmal Kasab that he
was arrested in Katmandu in 2006 by Indian agencies with the help of Nepalese
forces. This version is that Nepalese forces arrested almost 200 people
including Kasab before 2006 and his application in this regard was lying pending
in the Nepalese Supreme Court in which Nepalese forces and Indian High
Commission were made respondents. Whether this is true or not but the fact is
that Kasab was just tool at the hands of those who were behind all this
episode, by hanging him nothing will change.

The motives of the extremists and those with vested
interests need to be hanged and defeated and it can’t be done by using rhetoric
meant for containment of local populace. For that India needs to move beyond
its closed mindset and reciprocate and show the willingness and commitment
towards talks the way Pakistan is showing. The guarded reaction shown by
Pakistan towards the death sentence of Kasab shows their commitment towards
talks with India which unfortunately is lacking from Indian side as any
incident leads to knee jerk reaction which derails entire process.

The recent meeting between the Prime Ministers of India and
Pakistan at thimpu in which they decided to carry forward talks is a welcome
step and should be carried forward without letting any incident having its
ramifications on it. But India needs to understand that the best way to
eradicate the menace of violence backed by vested interest who want carry on
their mill at the cost of peace and tranquility in the region is to defeat them
by showing will and courage to address the core issue of Kashmir, of course
keeping in view the national interests of Kashmiris for which the pro-freedom
leadership needs to rise and divest of the self defeating mode and exert like
true protagonists of the cause dearer to each and every Kashmiri.

 


 

Time to accept the facts

Published in Daily Rising Kashmir

Time to accept the facts

http://www.risingkashmir.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=21415&Itemid=44

Against the solemn pledges of its founding fathers, India can’t escape from its international obligation of granting the right of self-determination to Kashmiris

Waseem Shah 

Eight young souls have fallen prey to the military prowess of Indian forces since the beginning of 2010. Bolstered with the unbridled powers, the security forces have become reckless and callous with least regard for human life. They easily escape from any sort of accountability and enjoy the freedom to kill whom they like. Kashmir is nothing but a combatant zone where they (security forces) have been deployed to restrict, stifle and muzzle the voice of people.

According to Universal Declaration of Human Rights, it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of law, which is rarely seen in Kashmir. As even peaceful protests by Kashmiris demanding their right of self determination, promised by India, are being dealt with iron fist.

It was India who took Kashmir dispute to UN and promised plebiscite to Kashmiris before the whole world. In his historic address broadcasted by All India Radio (AIR) on November 2, 1947 then Indian PM Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru said, “We have declared that the fate of Kashmir is ultimately to be decided by its people. This pledge we have given, while the Maharaja has supported it, not only to the people of Kashmir but also to the world at large. We are prepared when peace and law and order has been restored to have referendum held under the auspices of UNO.”

But how bizarre it is, on the part of India which claims to be world’s largest democracy, to backtrack on its own promise so brazenly and then lay claim for permanent membership of UNSC of whose resolution it is continuously violating. Against the solemn pledges of its founding fathers and relentless struggle of the people of Kashmir, India can’t escape from its international obligation of granting Kashmiris the right of self determination. Time cannot abrogate moral values and commitments nor invalidate international community’s right to intervene in conflicts arising from denial of freedom. We have the example of East Timor, where a dispute was settled through a reference to the wishes of people under UN supervision, where Indonesia upheld people’s verdict.

How shameful for India that on one hand it parrots peace to the world and is proud of its peacekeeping efforts in many parts of world as in DRC, MONUC and on another hand dreaded killers and extortionists whose hands are drenched red by the blood of innocent Kashmiris who are demanding nothing but the life of their own choice.

Kashmir dispute is lingering because of hypocrite attitude of Indian leadership and with it the peace and security of South Asia is in peril, though subtle the re-engagement of India and Pakistan is a welcome step but needs to be followed with sincerity and without any pre-conditions attached to it, but yes talks which sans Kashmiris are bound to fail as is evident from the past. Kashmiris are the real stake holders as their every thing is on stake, neither they nor their national aspirations can be kept aside forever. 

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