First-Hand Account Recalls Religious Tension Boiling over in Kashmir - New Canadian Media
As Hindus, we were in danger of being turned back or arrested at one of the state’s checkpoints. This cycle of violence was not new for many in Kashmir, and it has not ended. Photo: [iStock / tes]
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First-Hand Account Recalls Religious Tension Boiling over in Kashmir

Elsewhere, world leaders have condemned populism and nationalism

The last time I was in Kashmir, I had to be smuggled to my uncle’s house, under the dashboard of a transport truck, with my mother and sister. It was 1988, I was thirteen years old, and we had asked somebody to take us to a safer location. I had been travelling to visit my extended family in Srinagar. It was my fifth time visiting the capital city, but this trip was different. Usually, we could take a taxi or a rickshaw across town. Now, the military-enforced curfew restricted our movements. It was getting dark, but my mom risked the move. She didn’t like the atmosphere building in the city, and my uncle’s house was closer to the Srinagar airport. Because of the imposed curfew, she also feared we wouldn’t make it to the airport in time for our flight the next day.

That year, tensions between neighbours were high, boosted by a recent state election that the Muslim population—which makes up the majority in Kashmir—believed had been rigged against it. Rajiv Gandhi, the prime minister at the time, was barely holding the country together. I don’t remember being scared as we crossed the checkpoints: I imagined we were on an adventure. I do remember how tense my mother was beside me, though, and how tightly she held onto my younger sister whenever the truck slowed down.

Elsewhere, world leaders have condemned populism and nationalism. Justin Trudeau has publicly criticized both Brexit and US President Donald Trump. Stories on the dangerous divisiveness being stoked in those countries have dominated our headlines for years. Yet Modi, by comparison, has faced little backlash on the world stage over his actions in Kashmir. His abuses of power are rarely front-page news. Surely, though, his form of nationalism should be no more acceptable than Trump’s or Maxime Bernier’s or Matteo Salvini’s. So why aren’t more people outside of India rising up to condemn it? More to the point: Why have they never?

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The following excerpt has been reproduced with permission from The Walrus. Read the rest of the article on our partner’s website here.

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1 Comment

  1. The Sikhs have still not learnt !

    The Brahmin/Bania/Pandit vermin who killed the Sikh Gurus,and corrupted,stole and forged the Sikh Scriptures,have nailed the Sikhs again !

    The Rajputs and Jats like rats destroyed the Khalsa from within ! The Dogra rats became Sikhs on the Condition that they would continue to pray to necro goddess Durga.They betrayed Ranjit Singh,joined the Brits,destroyed the Khalsa army,and then brokered the Khalsa-Brit peace treaty and the takeover of Kashmir from the Khalsa.In lieu of their treachery,the Brits gave Kashmir to the Dogra Rats !

    Then the Dogra rats stole 63 carts of gold from Ranjit Singh and imposed NanakShahi in Kashmir, with the melted gold,and imposed Jazia,on the Muslims in Kashmir.

    Still the Sikhs do NOT LEARN !

    The Hindoos have struck again !

    They will destroy the Sikh farmers ! Sikhs were targetted as a strategy with drugs,terror by the Indian State,Urea poisoning,splinter faiths (like the various babas),Quasi Hindoo beliefs …..They made Nanak’s son become a Udaasi – which is the anti-thesis of Sikhism.Nanak and Tegh Bahadur were Farmers.

    Now the “WAY OF LIFE” of the Sikhs will be destroyed..Farming is the way of the Essenes – something that a Panwari Brahmin/Bania cermin will never understand

    Punjab has only 3 assets.Water,Geography and DNA.Thereforre,the only viable business is agri,animal husbandry and food industry.It is like Kiwis or Aussie land.

    The Geography and DNA of Punjab make the creation of Khalistan imperative.They are the same DNA as the Pakistanis,Afghans and Persians and a part of the Turks.

    Free export of Agri output and Food products/FMCG/Pharma have a natural market in Pakistan,The Freight and Price gain,will yield at LEAST 30-50 USD Billion in extra NSR to Punjab Farmers

    Agri economic zone analysis,will prove that shortages and surpluses,due to insects,typhoons,hails, rains,floods etc.,are OFFSET HEDGES between Pakistan and Khalistan.dindooohindoo

    That means no Agri price inflation and no slump sales in Khalistan.Pakistan has all the minerals,except Iron.Hence,all imports of steel,cement etc can come to Khalistan from Pakistan.

    A Pakistan and Khalistan Union,will be a rival to Kiwi and Aussie and the Wheat Exports from the Caspian.In addition,the Union will stabilise and appreciate the Pakistan Rupee

    True Nanakshahi can ONLY be enforced in Khalistan

    Sikhs have been corrupted and doomed by the Hindoos.Will they ever wake up ?

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