ANIL GUPTA
In the last few days itself, more than three schools have been burnt in south Kashmir, taking the tally to some 25. Why the schools are being targeted and why are only Government school buildings being burnt? Is it to destroy the Government property or it is part of a sinister bigger game plan?
The separatists and the fundamentalists in the valley are determined to turn the clock and take Kashmir back to the medieval era where the maulvis and qazis ruled the roost and their writ was unquestionable/ unchallenged. They want the common Kashmiri to remain ignorant, poorly educated and under-developed so that they continue to hold their sway over the masses as well as keep them deprived of the benefits of modern education that is mandatory to enjoy the benefits of development and economic growth.
Unfortunately, rather than addressing the issue and attempting to catch the bull by the horns, a political blame-game has begun in the valley. Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has blamed the Hurriyat leadership and the State administration. The irony is that the Hurriyat leaders, who are reportedly responsible for these acts, have also started issuing statements blaming the Government.
“Great minds are always feared by lesser minds”, goes an old saying. It would answer the question as to why schools are being targeted. Schools are temples of learning. They impart knowledge. Through proper curriculum, schools imbibe the quality of reasoning in young minds, cultivate the spirit of nationalism and inculcate the habit of acquiring knowledge through the process of learning. Knowledge is power. Knowledge allows one to decide what would be best for one to do. This is what the agents of radicalisation fear.
Radicalisation in the valley is planned, funded and backed by Pakistan. Separatists, soft-separatists and fundamentalists are employed by Pakistan in furthering its agenda of radicalisation. The gradual easing out of Sufi Islam by radical Wahhabism is part of this strategy.
Unfortunately, rather than addressing the issue and attempting to catch the bull by the horns, a political blame-game has begun in the valley. Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has blamed the Hurriyat leadership and the State administration. The irony is that the Hurriyat leaders, who are reportedly responsible for these acts, have also started issuing statements blaming the Government.
The sad part is that it has taken the burning of 24 school buildings so far, for these leaders to realise the great harm being done to the intellectual growth of the Kashmiri children. The intention of the current outburst is obvious, and that is to criticise and defame the Government. None of them has suggested a solution. In their heart of hearts, they are happy with the situation and would like it to continue. It hardly makes any difference to them because their own kith and kin and their children are continuing with their studies uninterruptedly in various public schools in the valley, other parts of the country and even in some foreign countries.
Only recently, the grandchild of Hurriyat chief Syed Ali Shah Geelani, a class 10 student of DPS Srinagar, took her examinations in a highly guarded secure zone under the cover provided by the police. It is obvious that the forced closure of schools for the last more than three months does not affect the Hurriyat leaders and their families. The victim is the common Kashmiri.
That is why the separatist leadership keeps issuing repeated bandh calls and ensure schools do not open despite the Government having announced opening of schools since last two months.
One does not mind if the children study in madrasas which provide modern education and act as seminaries of faith. But the ground reality is different. The Government of India under the scheme for providing quality education in madrasas has spent more than Rs 1000 crore in seven years for modernising madrasa education. Surprisingly, the madrasas in Jammu & Kashmir have refused to accept grant under this Centrally-sponsored scheme.
The scheme envisages besides other thing providing financial grants for science/computer labs/workshops, purchasing of science kits, maths kits and other essential pedagogical equipment for teaching modern subjects and for appointment of teachers for modern subjects. The reason for the refusal is not known, and one only hopes that wisdom prevails over the management of these madrasas.
It is established beyond doubt now that the separatists, fundamentalists and their sympathisers are not at all concerned about the wellbeing and future of common Kashmiris. They are only exploiting them to further their own agendas and Pak-sponsored agenda of radicalisation. The Kashmiris have to realise that they are being systematically and gradually pushed back into the dark era of medieval years. The civil society of Kashmir has to rise to the occasion to save the future of Kashmir.
Civil society can easily understand the evil plan of the fundamentalists and their cohorts. The tender hands that should be holding pen and books are being forced into sang bazi.
Incidentally, the burning of schools has been more prominent in south Kashmir, a stronghold of the Jamaat-e-Islami and the current hub of jihadi terror in Kashmir. It has to be fought and eradicated as a social evil.
(The writer is a Jammu-based columnist, political commentator an, security and strategic analyst)