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The
Perfect Murder
by
Farzana Versey
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Why
did it take prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee one
month to visit Gujarat after the carnage, and less than
a week to make a trip to Jammu and Kashmir following
the terrorist attack on the Kaluchak security camp?
I know what you will say: This is about cross-border
terrorism. But that is what they said about Godhra and
even Gujarat, this is what they say whenever there is
a minor riot, when there is water shortage, an epidemic,
or severe security lapses on our part. And this is what
they are saying when Abdul Gani Lone, the leader of
the Hurriyat Conference, was killed. In fact, this time
the media and politicians are calling it an assassination,
a term that means the same thing, but has acquired a
connotation that conveys the elimination of a
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respected
leader. Hundreds of militants get killed; they are not said
to be assassinated. So, when, how and why did the cold corpse
of Mr. Lone start sending out such warm vibes? Pardon the
insensitive use of language, but when even the PM of the country
goes on a ‘killing’ spree, we are but ordinary citizens
doomed to live with our flaws. Had this killing not taken
place, Mr. Vajpayee would have had a major public relations
problem. Now, it is a case of death be not proud, for the
knight has come forth to humble you. The murder did not cast
a shadow on the PM’s trip, to borrow from one headline.
Rather, it gave him the added ammo to fight our case with
even more gusto.
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While it is perfectly legitimate
for the head of a country to prop up the morale of his troops,
especially after they have had to suffer a recent misfortune
that included their wives, mothers, children being gunned down,
this is certainly not the time to tell them, “We must be
prepared for sacrifices. Our goal is victory. It’s time
to wage a decisive battle.” This was not a prime minister
talking to the security forces, but a politician preparing for
elections. And the words were not for the people of J &
K, but for the rest of the country. For people like you and
I who need constant diversion. In fact, he was making his ‘Tryst
with Destiny’ speech when he stated, “Whether our
neighbour understands it or not, whether the world takes note
of it or not, history will recall that we will write a new chapter
of victory…” It is another matter that no one is made
privy either to how this chapter will be written or the PM’s
unbecoming gossip-mongering that “world opinion is on our
side, but they are not saying so openly.” These words do
act as a patriotic palliative if they are followed with conniving
decisions like, “Army begins gradual pullout from Gujarat”.
Of course, it has to.
After all, we have to fight an election. L.K.Advani commented,
“I feel this is an attempt to prevent those elements who
are inclined to participate in the Assembly elections”.
Which elements? Everyone knows about the low turnout at such
polls. Besides, how involved would the Hurriyat itself be in
an election process where the state machinery would be working
against it? |
Lone was a terrorist from
the outset. He made it clear that he had no truck with
the Indian government. So, how on earth is he being deemed
a moderate voice? Or do we have different standards for
dead separatists, so that a cleavage can be created among
those who will fight for the spoils of unsolicited martyrdom?
It has been reported that the PM was keen on breaking
the ice on this trip. With whom? The fact is that there
was a huge turnout at the rally to commemorate the memory
of a slain terrorist. Does our government not get the
message? And Lone himself was an important part of this
rally. He was with the Hurriyat since its inception in
1993. How many times did our government sit and discuss
issues with the “lone moderate voice” of Kashmir?
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This brings us to that
man for all fair weather, Dr. Farooque Abdullah. Today he talks
about Lone’s death being a serious blow to the peace process
in the Valley. When did he last talk about bringing peace with
the Hurriyat? Has he even bothered about the situation in his
State? What would have been the equation with the APHC in the
event of an election, that is if he allowed the Hurriyat to
contest? If, as the good doctor says, Islamabad was curbing
all voices that support peace in Kashmir, does it not strike
him that considering he keeps mouthing clichés of ‘aman’,
he himself ought to have been a prime target? And if he knew
about the threat to Lone, why did he cut down his security by
half?
Why is the Central government, of who he is an ally, not questioning
him for being partly responsible for the murder of their late
lamented ‘moderate’ voice?
Because that kind of thing does not bolster our national ego.
For that we need to bring in the Pakistani government. It is
true that President Musharraf has to keep his constituency in
mind, a constituency that has been fed on a diet of Kashmiri
starvation. But being so obviously the usual suspect and with
the attention of the West focused entirely on him and his country,
would his government dare? Besides, although the Hurriyat was
adamant about an individual Kashmiriat identity, its leaders
were keen to meet Musharraf on his visit to India.
The other suspects are the Pakistan-based jihadi groups. Some
people at the Idgah rally were shouting pro-Pak slogans, but
does anyone know who they were? Also, isn’t it unusual
that no one has claimed responsibility for the killing, as against
their past record of rushing to do so? While many of them do
have a grouse against their President for his ‘crackdown’,
they are well aware that on the subject of Kashmir political
expediency will prevail. Then there is also the minor fact that
there was a time when Lone did support the Taliban, as they
do, and is said to have hoped they would help liberate Kashmir
from the Indian yoke. |
| What about the other radical
militant groups in Kashmir? They are too scattered, and
do not truly have any locus standi. They may not have
agreed with the Hurriyat’s modus operandi, but they
would be foolish to do away with someone who could speak
as the voice of the State. Lone would have worked at least
at the level of a totem that they could use to make contrarian
points. And one more thing: Only dumb militant outfits
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set to plan a killing would sprinkle verbal gunpowder around
to reveal their intentions.
Therefore, the question ought to be, ‘Why was Abdul Gani
Lone killed?’ not “Who killed Lone?’. As he
himself had once said, “Anybody and everybody can kill
me taking advantage of the situation prevailing in Kashmir
today wherein many guns work at the same time.” Dead
men seem to know best.
(The auther is a respected Indian journalist)
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All
Choked Up
Offering
the strongest evidence to date, a study of half a million
people in 116 U.S. cities
shows that long-term exposure to tiny soot particles
from coal-burning power plants and diesel
engines raises the risk of lung cancer some 20%-comparable
to the effect of living with a smoker.
What can you do? Try air filters-or get out of town.
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