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| Last hill is the border |
The very first moment since our bus entered the border area,
driver had shown us the border or rather LOC. First time in my entire life, I
was so closed to the border. This was the region where Pakistani terrorists had
killed 5 Indian soldiers and left their head-less bodies. Although there was nothing sort of unsecure
environment, somehow I could sense that difference between life and death has
been marginally shortened. Being a citizen of Pune, I had never ever witnessed
so many arm-forces on road.
Just like every other common citizen of India, I was eager
to interact with local citizens over politics and ‘Azad Kashmir’ issue. Very
next morning, I had a word with one of the local shopkeepers. When I asked him
his views, he simply gave me a cold look and replied back after few seconds ‘We
are proud of being Indian. Government is offering us best possible facilities.’
Although his words were different I could clearly read emotions in his eyes.
Somehow I felt that he was like ‘this might have just an issue of debate for
you, but it is not as simple as you think.’ Somehow I could sense the warning
of not to raise this issue ever again.
On the same day two civilians were shot dead by Indian army
by mistake. Protests got violent ugly and curfew was declared. My drive was
postponed and I had got some spare time. I was roaming around the market and a
shopkeeper invited me for a cup of tea. Few more localities joined us and we
were discussing usual stuff like Cricket, corruption and so on. Gradually even
the localities became more comfortable with me and started to open up.
One of the shopkeeper said “In the morning you were asking
about Azad Kashmir, right? Now see, we are killed by militants. The army which
is deployed to protect us is also killing our own children. I am a proud Indian but
sometimes even I think its better to have Azad Kashmir”
I tried to explain situation of Indian Army but another
person interrupted me and said that ‘I can understand it not army but the
politicians who are responsible for this sort of situation but ultimately we
are the people who are suffering and frankly we are tired of it’
‘We understand that
it is difficult to be survive as a separate nation and we do not support it’ a
local politician joined the conversation ‘but sometime we think as a separate nation
we might have left with infertile land , our economy might not be sustainable but we can gain the basic ‘right to live!’
I could not eat the food which had been offered. I was
disturbed. A local citizen simply said ‘I know the issue is not gonna resolve
in short time span. बस दुआ करो की जैसे आप ने हमारी तकलीफ मेहसूस की, वैसे हे एक दिन सरकार भी
मेहसूस करे और हम भी आप लोगों की तरह बेखौब जिंदगी बिता सके!"
I was speechless but simply managed to say from bottom of my heart 'जरूर दुआ करूंगा' and left the place.
PS: I am not writing this article to support Azad Kashmir. I
am simply writing my experiences as it is, without my perception or interpretation!
