Sinister gimmicks

They are back with one more gimmick; self-appointed custodians of nationalism want to hoist Indian national flag in Srinagar on January 26. Every time they are in political wilderness, the thugs of saffron brigade tend to go berserk; it was back in 1992, Murli Manohar Joshi, the then president of BJP enacted a similar farce that his party is planning to repeat shamelessly. Back then, he hoisted a flag in Srinagar, with entire population of the town shut through the imposed curfew. Nevertheless, he did not completely escape; call it a divine retribution, a pole from the hoisted flag fell on his head. It would seem that the hit on his head might, ultimately, have done him some good. His disapproval of current BJP president for uttering abusive words against Congress leadership and his more mature approach on the issue of the recent gridlock in Parliament is a testimony to that. His rapprochement to Prime Minister was shot down by his hawkish colleagues of saffron outfit; they relish more in creating mayhems, disruptions, divisions and spreading communalism than anything constructive. May be it is time somebody tell them with some candor that it might do no good to anybody, certainly not to the country whose integrity they profess to protect. Countries do not attain greatness by foolish parades and ugly flag hoisting; it is the collective welfare of the society; it is the inclusive improvement of lives; it is the better infrastructure; it is the better and humane education; it is the social and egalitarian justice that make countries tower over the others. Did BJP ever made any policy pronouncements on any of these issues? Do they realize that the entire population of the valley is alienated and their foolish acts aggravate that alienation? As they believe the entire population of the valley is not in favor of secession, why don’t they reach out at least to those who they believe are in favor of Indian rule? And when they utter sympathy for sufferings, why does their vision allows them to see only the suffering of security forces? Demoralization of security forces matter to them, but what about those ordinary individuals, who are no lesser citizens, are frisked any number of times everyday? Even considering the perceptible difference in valley between 1992 and now, the intended flag hoisting attains even higher status of irresponsibility and destructiveness. In 1992, the valley was in the heightened throes of militancy; and at present it is grinding back to limping normalcy after a long summer of non-militant strife. Any sensitive leadership would grab the opportunity to build bridges with separatists through parleys and other confidence building measures and refrain from any act that would weaken moderates and strengthen hardliners within the valley. But given their virtuosity for insensitivity and recklessness, it perhaps is asking too much from the people who entire their life never believed in anything constructive and who rather revel in sinister-ness. Their hawkish activities peak every time they remotely sense chances of a solution to the intricate issue of Kashmir. They were leaving nothing unturned to sabotage back channel diplomatic overtures by the government during the time of Parvez Musharaf and similarly, it was hardly a coincidence last month when the entire clownish leadership of the BJP descended on Jammu. It is too hard for their communalistic instincts to fathom any concessions, contemplated for the population in valley, consequent to the recommendations of interlocutors. -Rajiv Kumar