Valley continues to be under the blanket of curfew. But first let me share today’s news with you. Administration has conceded to the demand of Amarnath Yatra Sangarsh Samiti regarding transfer of land to shrine board. The decision was taken without taking people from Kashmir (Kashmiri civil society and Action committee against land transfer) into confidence. Again a mistake committed by the administration headed by Governor N.N.Vohra.

Let us go into the genesis of the problem. First the coalition government decided the diversion of 99- acre (40-hectres) of land to the board without having a feel of ramifications, it was likely to generate. They took the aspiration of people forgranted and gave into the demands of former Governor Lt. S K Sinha. The second mistake was committed by the then state government by revoking the order without taking aspirations of Jammu people into confidence. The government at centre preferred watching the situation getting deteriorated rather than mooting a dialogue across Jammu and Kashmir to reach a consensus.

It watched the rightwing forces making it an issue and blowing it out of proportion. It watched the right wing forces taking whole state hostage and imposing economic blockade on Kashmiris.

It used double standards to tackle the crowds in two divisions on either side of Pir Panjal range.  Here peaceful crowds were targeted with bullets, while as those protesting in Jammu and using violent means were dealt with water canons.

No outsider was chased out from Kashmir. No driver from outside was killed or hurt. However, contrary to it drivers from Kashmir were attacked with petrol bombs, their trucks looted. One Kashmiri driver got killed in the mayhem in outskirts of Jammu. In between Yatra in Kashmir was going on without any disruption and a record number of around 6 lakh yatris visited the cave.

We don’t demand that protesters in Jammu be killed but at least administration should have the consideration that Kashmiris too are humans. By resorting to such tactics, officials are deepening the gap between people of Kashmir and New Delhi. So far 48 people have been killed in state and majority of them have got killed in police firing in Kashmir.

Office of the high Commissioner for human rights last week asked Indian authorities particularly the security forces to respect the right to freedom of assembly and ex-pression of people and comply with international human rights principles in controlling the demonstrators.

However, the statement irritated ministry of of external affairs in India, who termed the statement as "uncalled for and irresponsible. The official said,"India does not need any advice in respect of the protection and promotion of the human rights of its citizens,"

Contrary to what it said, curfew continue to be clamped in the valley since last Sunday.There is dearth of essentials in the valley and people are forced to suffer.Soon after today’s news pertaining to government decision became public, officials despite having decided to relax curfew in Kashmir, beefed up the security.

In my locality CRPF personnel carrying lathis (sticks) appeared in the marketplace during the relaxtion hours and started beating the locals without any provocation. Some youngsters were picked up and taken along. In the localities of Srinagar as well such things were repeated to keep people indoors. 

Is anybody listening?