Alka Lahori Handoo  

Like each year this year also Marty's Day was observed on September 14. The day holds a special significance in our post-exodus history. On this day in 1989 Shri Tikka lal Taploo, an advocate by profession and a social activist by passion, was gunned down near his home in Habba Kadal in broad daylight marking the beginning of an orgy of killings against Kashmiri Pandits in the valley. The spate of killings that followed witnessed the brutal massacre of such community stalwarts as Justice Neelkanth Ganjoo, who had sentenced Maqbool Bhat, founder and ideologue of JKLF, to death earlier convicted in a bank robbery/ murder case; Shri Prein Nath Bhat— advocate, social activist and a philanthropist; Shri Sarvanand Kaul Premi and his young son Shri Virender Premi; not to forget Shri Lassa Kaul, Smt Prana Ganjoo, Sarla Bhat and many unsung heroes and heroines.

Shri Premnath Bhat was not only a noted lawyer possessing qualities of both head and heart, but also a journalist. His articles were often carried by prominent national dailies projecting a Kashmiri Pandit point of view within a secular framework on any contentious and topical issue vis-a-vis Kashmir and many disputes (imaginary) surrounding it. Alas! knowing fully well that his name figured on top of the militant's hit list, he succumbed to the pressures and persuasions from his Muslim colleagues who dismissed such threats as mere hoax, more aimed at creating a fear psychosis, and returned to his home in Anantnag after almost making up his mind to shift his base to Jammu. By the end of December 1989 Shri Bhat was 'done away with'.

Shri Sarvanand Premi, a literateur and a poet, had translated Quoran into Kashmiri. In fact when the militants struck on that fateful night he had tried to impress them with this aspect of his being and belief. But the merciless barbarians were unrelenting and made off, along with other items of loot, with the original manuscript. Younger Premi, barely of 27 summers, was working in telecommunications department. He had volunteered to escort his father to the nearby Mosque where the militant's 'area chief had desired to 'question' his father. Both, father and son duo were found hanging from a tree in a nearby orchard the following day.

In sharp contrast to Shri Premnath Bhat's demure and unassuming personality stood fiery Shri Tikka Lal Taploo in the firmament of KP leadership. Sharp-tongued and abrasive, Shri Taploo had a dare-devilish streak in him. Confident of himself he would often say the bullet for him was not made. But the fact remains it was made and did hit him too. His killing sounded a death knell for the KPs in the valley.

In resorting to high-profile killing in the first phase militants were following a well thought-out agenda—bereave the community of a leader in a crisis situation which they were soon going to create for us.

Normally, events like Martyr's Day and Holocaust Day are very solemn occasions. Apart from paying tributes to our martyrs and late leaders who laid down their lives, and rededicating ourselves to the cause, they should also be used as an opportunity to show a picture of

 

unity and solidarity among ourselves. It should also offer an occasion to enunciate in loud, clear an unambiguous terms our social and political agendas in order to mount a moral pressure on the authorities at helm, both in centre and state.

For people who have suffered like us such days are observed for sending out strong signals. Year after year (since 1945) Japan observes August 6 as Hiroshima Day to a renewed pledge to work for a nuclear arms free world. On this day in second world war America had dropped an atom bomb on its twin cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki bringing large scale death and destruction in its wake. The fact that Japan is not pursuing any nuclear weapons programme, as has become fad even with the upstart economies, speaks volumes about how sentimental they are about the issue. Similarly observing Holocaust day for Jews is as much to refresh and relive the memories of trauma under Nazi Germany where tens of thousands of Jews were roasted alive in gas chambers, as to perpetuate it's pain in the race memory. Bolh the communities observe these days with such emotional intensity as if the tragedy has befallen them only yesterday.

We also observe Martyr's Day, year after year, make pledges and rededicate ourselves to the cause our Martyr's lived for so passionately. But as in everything else sombreness and sanctity of such occasions is marred by individual egos and personality clashes. In the one-up man ship game we stick to our guns, yield no place , budge not an inch and end up sending wrong signals. In one of his intellectual pieces Shri P N Haksar, noted civil servant and Principal Private Secretary to former PM Smt. Indira Gandhi talks passionately about reconciliation as the ultimate tool to resolve differences. He says " Indian diversities give to reconcilers an honoured place in its history. Ashok and Akbar, Tagore, Gandhi and Nehru were such great reconcilers." Kashmiris, particularly we KP's, are known for our reconciliatory attitude. Alongside our cerebral qualities, we are also regarded as least fussy, least troublesome and with no attitude tantrums. In fact our five thousand old history is replete with instances which recount only our saga of reconciliation with good, bad and ugly. We have survived the onslaught of culture and religion only because of our capacity to reconcile and not revile.

Just two instances should suffice to illustrate my point. We do not inherit this age-old tradition of fasting on Ashtmi from our Shaivite culture. It is a ritual we have assimilation into our social system from Buddhist faith when it was making a sweep across nations and regions. In the titanic clash between Shaivism and Buddhism, though latter was not allowed to strike roots in the valley, yet some positive features of the faith were absorbed into local social behaviour. Similarly Kashmiriat in the valley has flourished only because KPs have contributed to the concept and practice.  Alongside following

 

Shaivite philosophy, we also adhered to Sufi way of life wholeheartedly.

Societies that do not change, never progress or prosper. People who become prisoners of past, make no forward march. And communities that do not ponder and introspect to make course corrections, perish before time.

I am sure our martyrs would never have liked us to die prematurely. They have laid down their lives for the community to live till eternity. It is now long overdue to pause, ponder and introspect. Also imperative for us to be reconcilers like Ashok, Akbar ,Gandhi and Nehru. Let us pay a genuine homage to martyrs by rising above personal egos and by looking beyond self. Let us not try to write political agendas on their tombstones.     

DISCLAIMER:

The views expressed in the Article above are Author’s personal views and kashmiribhatta.in is not responsible for the opinions expressed in the above article.

Courtesy: Naad: October 2004 and Alka Lahori Handoo   Editor : Naad