Modi’s 25 minutes in Srinagar
Daanish Bin Nabi
Few days ahead of PM Modi’s Srinagar visit, the state witnessed a series of attacks. The clamor was heard from Srinagar to New Delhi. Like always, violence and straight talk from Delhi went hand in hand. However, the attention in Srinagar city was grabbed largely by massive frisking exercises as the ground was prepared for Modi’s Monday speech. Like always, there was a strike call from the senior Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Geelani and the entire city wore a deserted look with forces even securing river Jhelum in boats. Like always journalists and media persons had their itineraries set for the city and the venue – Sheri-Kashmir Cricket Stadium. The city was sanitized beforehand with forces searching almost all vehicles in and around the city centre Lal Chowk, walls were adorned and the banner work in the late hours nicely done by BJP’s paid or rather hired supporters. A day before Modi spoke wearing a pheran, many unknown faces in the city were noticed – people who are believed to have been invited at special request. Leave aside the visit, the elections this time are surely epic as everyone seems to be involved one way or the other.
Despite the fanfare, the ‘violence welcome’ prior to the visit, the supporters reaching the city from different parts of Valley, the siege of the city, the visit somehow missed the mark. In that approximately 25 minutes of speech, there didn’t seem to be anything outstanding. When Modi wore a Ladakhi skullcap earlier, some people and critics expected something similar for his Srinagar visit. He must have missed it earlier, as the trips were not scheduled near election time when traditions and emotions are intermingled to let out a strong sense of belongingness and identity.
The PM surely has been well advised and Kashmiris do recognize the protocols and special help from Kashmir’s community visiting the PMO office now and often. So the PM was dressed for the Srinagar occasion, wearing pheran trying to strike some chords. Modi’s Srinagar speech can be deciphered in a number of ways, however, the message doesn’t seem to be overwhelming. Perhaps, it too was due to the advice – the advice to respect the local sentiment. It wasn’t Pakistan oriented and full of bashing, but the PM softly touched the issue and carefully trod the discourse. Words like terrorism, attacks, violence, infiltration, etc., did not hijack his speech. It only tells that Modi recognizes the soft corner of people of Kashmir. The speech was more on development, growth, progress and Gujarat model subtly. One does wonder whether Gujarat state is the only state in India that is progressing. In Srinagar or Kashmir Valley it would have made a great difference if Modi would have also touched riots of Gujarat and not just repeated the rhetoric of communal harmony.
The PM emphasized on growth and progress, however he missed on liberating the people from frequent troubles like harsh laws, AFSPA applicable in Kashmir, civilian killings and the siege mentality that has been forced upon people here. Modi in his speech lauded Army and Police, but he did not justify the heavy presence of military in the state that always hangs like a sword on the head of a Kashmiri. Modi tried to appease the people when he said that in the last 30 years it was only recently that Army accepted the fault of killing two civilians. What does it mean? Should we bury the hatchet and forget hundreds of innocents killed in similar ways? If Modi is so much concerned about justice and has come from New Delhi to deliver it then he should also make all cases to be reopened and the guilty be punished, in civil courts with no immunity of any kind. The rhetoric with the sole intention of influencing voter’s mind can further be argued by his word on dynasty politics “baap beta, baap beti” and giving BJP a chance.
The underlying message was to vote BJP to power.
The rhetoric revolved around tourism, power generation, education of women. What Modi missed was that he also represented the prime minister of India speaking on the dais and not just a BJP leader who would bring regional politicking in the discourse. He said about girls, daughters whom he found studying in Kota and shared his concerns. Nonetheless the PM did not think it relevant to mention that hundreds of Kashmiri students are beaten and harassed outside the state every year. On power generation, J&K has the potential of 20,000 MWS out of which about 14 percent has been tapped as of now.
Even if all of it is produced, the state still would not produce enough to provide to entire India. It is mere exaggeration. Modi did not say anything about J&K receiving a very little share from the hydropower produced or why J&K government has been unable to get the power projects back. One point that Modi did make for which some credit can be awarded is corruption.
Everyone in Kashmir is well aware of the situation, knows about governance, dynasty and communal politics. One question that he must answer is how BJP entered in the state politics as there are too many allegations that BJP leaders have bought and purchased the loyalty of the people and some local leaders. Is that not corruption? Where is the merit in it?
Like always, people of Kashmir would go to sleep, may be think for a while only to wake up next day with gun-wielding men harassing them on every road and corner.
Author is Online Editor at Rising Kashmir, can be mailed at daanishnabi@gmail.com
Published in Rising Kashmir on 8 December 2014.
Few days ahead of PM Modi’s Srinagar visit, the state witnessed a series of attacks. The clamor was heard from Srinagar to New Delhi. Like always, violence and straight talk from Delhi went hand in hand. However, the attention in Srinagar city was grabbed largely by massive frisking exercises as the ground was prepared for Modi’s Monday speech. Like always, there was a strike call from the senior Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Geelani and the entire city wore a deserted look with forces even securing river Jhelum in boats. Like always journalists and media persons had their itineraries set for the city and the venue – Sheri-Kashmir Cricket Stadium. The city was sanitized beforehand with forces searching almost all vehicles in and around the city centre Lal Chowk, walls were adorned and the banner work in the late hours nicely done by BJP’s paid or rather hired supporters. A day before Modi spoke wearing a pheran, many unknown faces in the city were noticed – people who are believed to have been invited at special request. Leave aside the visit, the elections this time are surely epic as everyone seems to be involved one way or the other.
Despite the fanfare, the ‘violence welcome’ prior to the visit, the supporters reaching the city from different parts of Valley, the siege of the city, the visit somehow missed the mark. In that approximately 25 minutes of speech, there didn’t seem to be anything outstanding. When Modi wore a Ladakhi skullcap earlier, some people and critics expected something similar for his Srinagar visit. He must have missed it earlier, as the trips were not scheduled near election time when traditions and emotions are intermingled to let out a strong sense of belongingness and identity.
The PM surely has been well advised and Kashmiris do recognize the protocols and special help from Kashmir’s community visiting the PMO office now and often. So the PM was dressed for the Srinagar occasion, wearing pheran trying to strike some chords. Modi’s Srinagar speech can be deciphered in a number of ways, however, the message doesn’t seem to be overwhelming. Perhaps, it too was due to the advice – the advice to respect the local sentiment. It wasn’t Pakistan oriented and full of bashing, but the PM softly touched the issue and carefully trod the discourse. Words like terrorism, attacks, violence, infiltration, etc., did not hijack his speech. It only tells that Modi recognizes the soft corner of people of Kashmir. The speech was more on development, growth, progress and Gujarat model subtly. One does wonder whether Gujarat state is the only state in India that is progressing. In Srinagar or Kashmir Valley it would have made a great difference if Modi would have also touched riots of Gujarat and not just repeated the rhetoric of communal harmony.
The PM emphasized on growth and progress, however he missed on liberating the people from frequent troubles like harsh laws, AFSPA applicable in Kashmir, civilian killings and the siege mentality that has been forced upon people here. Modi in his speech lauded Army and Police, but he did not justify the heavy presence of military in the state that always hangs like a sword on the head of a Kashmiri. Modi tried to appease the people when he said that in the last 30 years it was only recently that Army accepted the fault of killing two civilians. What does it mean? Should we bury the hatchet and forget hundreds of innocents killed in similar ways? If Modi is so much concerned about justice and has come from New Delhi to deliver it then he should also make all cases to be reopened and the guilty be punished, in civil courts with no immunity of any kind. The rhetoric with the sole intention of influencing voter’s mind can further be argued by his word on dynasty politics “baap beta, baap beti” and giving BJP a chance.
The underlying message was to vote BJP to power.
The rhetoric revolved around tourism, power generation, education of women. What Modi missed was that he also represented the prime minister of India speaking on the dais and not just a BJP leader who would bring regional politicking in the discourse. He said about girls, daughters whom he found studying in Kota and shared his concerns. Nonetheless the PM did not think it relevant to mention that hundreds of Kashmiri students are beaten and harassed outside the state every year. On power generation, J&K has the potential of 20,000 MWS out of which about 14 percent has been tapped as of now.
Even if all of it is produced, the state still would not produce enough to provide to entire India. It is mere exaggeration. Modi did not say anything about J&K receiving a very little share from the hydropower produced or why J&K government has been unable to get the power projects back. One point that Modi did make for which some credit can be awarded is corruption.
Everyone in Kashmir is well aware of the situation, knows about governance, dynasty and communal politics. One question that he must answer is how BJP entered in the state politics as there are too many allegations that BJP leaders have bought and purchased the loyalty of the people and some local leaders. Is that not corruption? Where is the merit in it?
Like always, people of Kashmir would go to sleep, may be think for a while only to wake up next day with gun-wielding men harassing them on every road and corner.
Author is Online Editor at Rising Kashmir, can be mailed at daanishnabi@gmail.com
Published in Rising Kashmir on 8 December 2014.
