“This isn’t India, this is Kashmir.” There were times when it was common to hear such statements in Kashmir. One would fear setting foot in the so called ‘Heaven on Earth’ as violence and fundamentalism had taken such a huge toll on the lives of the people here, that even a foreigner US President had called Kashmir “The most dangerous place on Earth”. But to our sheer happiness, the valley has turned over a new leaf. Kashmir has regained its identity by being known for its striking alpine vistas of snow-capped mountains terraced by Mughal gardens, sprawling saffron fields and apple orchards, rather than for terrorism. The return to normalcy has not been an overnight event, but has taken the sweat and blood of many, to include the Armed Forces deployed here, the local police and above all, the Awaam. If anyone has made sacrifices, it is the local people of Kashmir who have struggled to see a brighter future. Sure, there was a time when Anti-India and narrative support for terrorism for the sake of independence was rife, but times have changed. The people now yearn for a brighter future shining with the sunlight, not one darkened by the smoke and gunshots. Surely, many of them have flocked to many parts of the world to earn their living, but there are still who earn their bread either through tourism, farming or by becoming porters. The farmers are happy with their harvest, and the ones dependent on tourism always welcome tourists from all over the world to this place immortalized by Bollywood blockbusters and are ready to create traveller’s tales in this Paradise. But I would like to share the tale of someone whose story is much closer to us, the people in olive green, the tale of a porter – Qasim.
Border villages have always borne the brunt of either the ceasefire violations or have been eyed suspiciously as infiltration corridors. One such village boasts of an individual who was not only patriotic but also a great human being. One day as I was on my usual ADPs in a village, a boy of mere 19 years of age walked up to me and asked me, “How do you join the Army?” I was taken aback by his question as I knew that he was the son of, one of the well-known and well to do family of the village. But he kept asking me this question every time I went to the village. So, one day I asked him why does he want to join the Armed Forces, and with a pained smile he replied, “I want to prove that not every person of our village is a terrorist.” Thus, I guided him regarding the selection procedure however his efforts came up short in spite of his best efforts. Later I found of out that he has a medical condition making him ineligible for enlistment into Indian Army. He then requested me to hire him as a porter. So, he was employed as a porter. Today, it has been 6 months and not once has he given any room for complaint. Not once has he given me reason to doubt his loyalty, or made me regret my decision of hiring him. Today he happily comes to perform his duties, sometimes treating us with the local meat and delicacies of his village, or sometimes just inviting us to his house for a cup of tea. These things might just be small things for us, but it means a huge deal to him. The glee in his eyes when he sees the men in Indian Army Fatigues, and the amount of loyalty and respect he has for us is unimaginable.
The Armed Forces have always followed the motto of “Suspect All, Disrespect None”, but here we need to think with a slightly humane approach. Gone are the times when the Tricolour would be blackened or burnt, now are the times when the Tricolour is proudly hoisted at prominent places in Kashmir. We need to change our attitude towards the people and only then will they treat us as one of them. Surely there will still be some who will try to disrupt the peace and harmony and they need to be dealt with severely. But due to the deeds of a few, we should not spoil the bond we share with the others. As the great scholar Chanakya once said,” Change is the only constant.”, we too should start changing our attitude and thinking towards the people of Kashmir and the border villages, because as Qasim said, “Not every Kashmiri is Anti-Indian or wants to be a terrorist.”