Jammu & Kashmir - Articles

While elsewhere in the country people are eager to celebrate Republic Day, the same brings miseries and sufferings to the Kashmir valley people. In run-up to the occasion, life was badly hit in this turbulent valley. People were desperate to see this day through. Given the extraordinary importance associated with it, the militants and security forces were hell-bent on upstaging each other. The militants in the valley are on their toes to disrupt the celebrations and demonstrate to the world that they are against it. And at the same time, Indian security forces as usual struggle to conduct smoothly the Republic Day to show to the international community that Kashmiris are part of it. And in the process ordinary people bore the brunt.

Unlike in the rest of the country, the pre-Republic day scenario in Kashmir was grim. Though there were many days left till the Republic day, the people were feeling the heat. From a remote village to a town, the story remained the same. Life in the valley especially in the capital where major celebrations were to be held was quite troublesome. Frisking was frequent. Security forces had intensified checking of vehicles plying within the city thereby putting a constraint on public movement. One had to go through at least three security checks to travel a distance of just three Kilometers from Raj Bagh to Lal Chowk (commercial hub). House to house searches were conducted in the areas near Bakshi stadium (venue for the Republic day celebrations).

Unfortunately, the Republic Day that happens to be in peak winter has brought with further troubles. In winters, Kashmiris wear the pheran, their traditional cloak, designed to fight the chill in the valley. Having an added significance of keeping both the arms inside, it (the pheran) has become doubtful in the eyes of security forces who at times as part of their inspection ask people to remove the pheran. This has led people fear to wear pheran, at least to avoid added-inconvenience and suspicion. People of rural areas who put up in Srinagar are being asked to register themselves in concerned/nearby police stations. Every morning the registration with concerned police stations is checked/verified by the security forces. Any person found unregistered has to face the consequences. This process is going on for more than a week and is likely to continue till republic day is over.

Life in the areas surrounding/adjoining the Bakshi Stadium is more troublesome. Security is intensified all around Bakshi stadium. All routes leading to the stadium are sealed off. Houses are thoroughly searched and masses questioned frequently. In the nearby Lad Ded (the lone maternity hospital) and the adjacent Children hospital, the situation is equally upsetting. The security forces allow people inside hospital only after proper frisking. In late hours they intensify frisking. "We are desperate to see this day through. Such days always bring desolation and sufferings to people. There is every apprehension of an outbreak of violence on such unusual occasions. Thank god, we survived Independence-day but God knows what will happen this time" said a resident of Hafat Chinar, an area near the Republic Day venue. In rural Kashmir, where the media presence is poor and military aggression high, the life has turned hellish. Reports from Sopore, Kupwara and Handwara said that people were forced to hoist tricolor as many as ten days before the Republic Day. A bus driver, or, for that matter, even a tongawala on being noticed without the tricolor faced the wrath of security forces. Reports further said that movement in the markets was thin with majority of people stay indoor and prefer not to risk their neck on this occasion.

Republic Day has a bearing on every aspect of life. From education to business, the affect is nerve-racking. Though educational institutions presently observe winter vacations but majority of students who pursue coaching and tuition could not attend the classes due to volatile atmosphere prevailing in valley in run-up to the occasion. "The coaching institute where I pursue coaching is in Lal Chowk. We observed holiday for last three days leading to January 26." said, Mumtaz Ahmed, 12^th class student preparing for the MBBS entrance examination.

The buses drivers and other means of transport ferrying passengers across the valley too did not find usual number of passengers obviously due to Republic day phobia among the people. The trade especially in Lal Chowk (commercial hub) was adversely affected. The Lal Chowk witnessed a thin movement till afternoon and closed around 5:30pm, well before routine time of 7:30pm at least for the last five days leading to 26 January.