PULWAMA ATTACK: WHO IS TO BE BLAMED? Shajeeda Tajdeen LAW CRITIQUE Thu, Feb 28, 2019, at ,04:42 PM Introduction: The February 14 suicide car-bomb attack on the CRPF convoy which took over 40 lives shook the entire nation. The Pulwama attack highlighted many shortcomings in the system. The entire nation was infuriated by this act, as it was one of the deadliest assault on the security forces since 1990. The responsibility of this heinous act was borne by Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM). The saddest part of this attack was that it was conducted by an Indian citizen, the attacker hailed from the area which is considered to be highly under the influence of JeM in the valley. Current scenario of Kashmir: This attack reveals the intensity of hatred that a Kashmiri youth has for his own nation (India), it reveals that the youth has turned violent and can go beyond limits to justify and fulfil their wants and demands. This attack speaks a lot about a wilful aggravation and points to increasing fanaticism of the Kashmiri youth. The current scenario of Kashmir cannot be separated from the retirement or renunciation of the political responsibility by the successive governments in the Capital. The condition of Kashmir along with all the other troubled and disconnected states awfully demonstrates the situation of discomfort, uneasiness, and distress that is prevailing and increasing in the nation, the symptoms of this discomfort are rising communal, intolerance and fanatical collision or encounter which leads to violence. The hatred post the attack: The Indian has absolutely gone hysterical and they do not seem to budge over their stance, they are hell-bent on punishing Pakistan by launching one more attack on them. This method adopted by the media is dangerous not only for the outsiders but for the insiders too. Sadly, the media has gained the status of demigods and they believe that their words are the ultimate truth and nothing goes beyond that. Moments within the attack the entire nation wanted revenge, the political leaders right from the ruling party to the opposition started the blame game, like expected Indians adopted a forbidding tone towards Pakistan, we took away the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status that was granted by us to them, we mutually agreed to boycott their artists and trade, but is it really going to serve the purpose? Just by killing people from Pakistan or by killing the culprits behind this attack solve our problem of internal threats? The answer to this question is ‘NO’, it is high time the Government along with the entire nation has to look behind the veil to find out the reasons as to why an Indian citizen stood against his own country, what could have bothered him to such an extent that he killed his own people the soldiers of his homeland. Government of India and Kashmir: Before moving ahead let us ponder upon the current equation that India shares with Kashmir. Every Indian proudly says that Kashmir is ours and it was, it is and it will be an integral part of India, then why is a Kashmiri youth enraged with India? we might have lacked behind somewhere and this shortcoming of ours is inculcating a sense of insecurity in Kashmiris. India has given very limited choice to Kashmiri: Kill all Kashmiris in order to end militancy and terrorism Make them good Indians by actually accepting them wholeheartedly. To resolve the problem and disputes by conducting talks with Pakistan. India lacks a proper policy which can save and help Kashmir. When this issue is brought by Pakistan at international forums, we abstain from answering by stating that it is a bilateral issue between both the nations and it should be solved bilaterally with no interference from third parties. When the issue is raised by our neighbours bilaterally, we stay stern on our stance that Kashmir is our integral part and thus it is our internal problem. Surprisingly, when Indian citizens demand a solution to this problem, the response comes that it is a matter between the Centre and the State. Hence, with every change in the Government, the entire issue gets delayed indefinitely. The Probable solution: Just by blaming Pakistan for each and everything makes it easy for the Government to shed off the responsibility from their shoulders. It is high the Government of India should take some immediate and serious steps for not only punishing the offenders but by also creating a sense of security in the Kashmiri youth so that such attacks in the future are prevented. Leaving everything on the military forces will not meet the ends of justice. Kashmiri’s have to feel that India is their homeland and that we stand by them in every thick and thin. By reducing deployment of security forces will boost the people’s confidence in the performance and it will lay a stone towards good governance. In present military is the only s source and mode which governs and regulates Kashmir, thus the government should change this scenario by making the military the subsidiary source of control. India and Indians have to understand that till the time we have flaws and problems within us the external forces will definitely have an upper hand and they will continue their heinous and condemnable acts of exploitation our internal environment. The Government of India had to adopt strategies and policies which are suitable to both domestic and external dimensions of Kashmir and all the other isolated states (for instance, the northeast). By increasing or intensifying the security measures will make normal life of Kashmir all the more worst. Kashmiri’s who are working or studying in different parts of the country have already become an easy target and they are being treated as suspects with no fault. It is no doubt necessary to teach a lesson to the culprits but it is equally important to safeguard and assure a sense of security in Kashmir, it should be kept in mind that we have already alienated and isolated Kashmir to a very great extent and now it is time to remove barriers between India and Kashmir. Conclusion: We have to agree that there was an intelligence failure, but more than that there was internal regression. Before opting on any solution it should be remembered that we need to protect the next generation from this hatred and violence. Our main motive should be to stop the birth of other Adil Ahmads. It needs out of the box thinking, sustained resolve and statesmanship across the political spectrum to channelize revenge into reducing the danger permanently, rather than punishing the enemies temporarily. Till the time, a security approach is accompanied by an urge to use democratic political processes to bring in normalcy in the state, the martyrdom of security forces will be in vain. We should abide by the statement that Kashmir is our integral part and thus, its security is our responsibility, the problem of Kashmir is the entire nation’s problem and being a responsible citizen it is our duty to solve the problem of our homeland. It is not just by saying that ‘KASHMIR HUMARA ATTOOT HISSA HAI’ will serve the purpose, we need to protect it like our own belonging.