The Indian army has always been reviled in the Kashmir valley. The army has been accused of human rights violations, of fake encounters, of oppression and being a symbol of an Indian state which most Kashmiri Muslims see as ‘occupying’ their land. And yet, today it is the men in uniform who have saved hundreds of lives as gushing waters spread death and destruction in the valley. Can the army be hero and villain at the same time in the eyes of the average Kashmiri?
Today, the Kashmiris need the army; tomorrow, when the relief operations end, will we back to square one? That is a question which only the Kashmiris can answer, especially those who have made separatism their calling card. A tragedy unites people: today, the army is helping in rescue operations without looking at religion or ideology. It’s a monumental humanitarian effort that deserves support and praise. Many years ago. Atal Behari Vajpayee had suggested ‘insaniyat’ as the touchstone for any settlement with the people of the valley. It’s that sense of ‘ ‘insaniyat’ which has ensured its now citizen first in Kashmir’s hour of grief. A terrorist with a gun will not understand the meaning of ‘insaniyat’. But maybe the families caught in the floods will comprehend it. We can’t erase the past, the cries of ‘azaadi’ won’t go away, but can we maybe make a new beginning based on a commitment to shun the gun? In a strange way, an unfolding calamity may provide a healing touch to a bloodied but beautiful land.
