A R Bhatt
On the auspicious day of Baisakhi, Security Forces (SFs) received an input from a reliable local source regarding presence of 4-5 terrorists in Badigam village of Shopian district. An operation was launched immediately which led to neutralization of four terrorists belonging to LeT. Op result as usual. But something unusual had happened which surprised even the seasoned officers of the SFs. The slayed terrorists were the new recruits of LeT who were involved in more than half a dozen attacks on migrant workers and locals in the months of March and April. What was unusual was that they belonged to villages very close to the operation site and the input of their presence was provided by the source without asking for any rewards which does not happen in the Valley.
The economy of Kashmir is mostly based on tourism, agriculture and various other small-scale industries requiring both skilled and non-skilled labour. Over the past two decades, migrant labour force from India’s hinterland has become an integral part of Kashmir’s economy. The industry and trade bodies put their figure between 3-5 lakhs. However, research scholars studying migrant patterns say their actual numbers could be over 1 million with maximum presence in the construction business where migrant labourers make up 80 percent of the Valley’s construction force as masons, painters and carpenters. Remaining are employed in other small scale industrial units, fruit/ crop harvesting, tourism and as household helps. These migrant workers have been indiscriminately targeted by terrorists in recent times, especially post abrogation, where victims of such attacks have been both Hindus and Muslims who could barely make their ends meet. These attacks saw a huge surge in 2021 where 05 migrants were killed in the month of Oct alone and had put the local administration and SFs under tremendous pressure. This led to a mass exodus of migrants from Kashmir who chose ‘life over livelihood’ during peak harvesting season leaving the locals helpless and hampered the expected recovery of Kashmir’s economy with the pandemic finally subsiding. The worst hit was the construction industry including development projects initiated by the govt which to be halted due to non-availability of labour.
Poverty and family responsibilities forced these migrants to return to Kashmir in 2022 as they get stable jobs, good wages and compassionate employers here unlike other parts of the country. Again, they became victims of the nefarious designs of the enemy and were ruthlessly attacked. But this time things have changed. The local population, which is fed up of watching Kashmir burn and seeing the culprits bathing in colossal amount of money by hiding behind the masks of Azaadi and sovereignty, has stood up for the helpless and are helping the govt agencies in identifying the malefactors and bring them to justice. The masses of Kashmir especially the budding entrepreneurs and farmers have been vocal in their support of the migrants and have provided them with safe havens and security. As a result, there has been negligible movement of migrants outside Kashmir due to increased confidence in the locals.
As Kashmir moves further on the path of development and prosperity, the inimical agents of chaos sitting across the borders feel weakened and perished. Such devious acts are its final and failing attempts at thwarting the will of the people of Kashmir. But this land of rishis and sufi saints is fighting back and says ‘ENOUGH IS ENOUGH’.
