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Kashmir should be occupied by the army totally, not a bird should ruffle feathers without its permission

Date: Fri, 4 Aug 2000 08:05:10 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Kashmir solution

Here are some thoughts based on the news items that appeared on the Net in the last few days. I urge you for once to not think of anything but the pride of India and let the people who are anguished, like me, have their say.

Wednesday August 2 7:34 AM ET
84 Killed in Kashmir Attacks

"Pakistan condemned the killing of civilians, but its foreign ministry said it could not rule out that Indian forces were involved "to malign the Kashmiri freedom struggle internationally.''

*How do we allow this statement by Pak FM go unnoticed? China monitors every printed piece of paper in the world and gives stern warnings not to meddle in any Chinese matters. Jethmalani said something, China roared, some Vatican pamphlet said something, China roared... What this statement means is that we killed our 84 people to derail the Kashmir freedom movement! So, why not say that the bombings were done by the Christians?? No! That has to be Hindus!

Rajakumar's kidnapping
"Meanwhile, the city police has deployed 5 more companies of the Central Reserve Police Force across Bangalore to prevent any untoward incident. 'More forces will be deployed if necessary,' Krishna said.

Earlier, even before Veerappan could announce his demands, Gopal seized the opportunity to force the state government to withdraw a legal case registered against him four years ago. This was one of his conditions for mediating on its behalf. He also sought a written guarantee for his safety from the state authorities earlier in the day."

*How come for an actor's kidnapping a whole city screeches to a standstill? And nothing for the 90-plus killed in Kashmir! Who organises these riots? It is NOT the common man with 2-3 kids and an office job. It is not even the goonda himself. Someone higher presses the button to co-ordinate the goondas. Why don't they have riots on the Kashmir issue?

1 dies in Surat as VHP enforces bandh in Gujarat
"Naroda, an industrial town near Ahmedabad, was also gripped by tension when a crowd tried to attack the Chamunda dargah. But police moved quickly and brought the situation under control.

In Ahmedabad's Bapunagar area some diamond workers were seen trying to stop a bus, but otherwise the situation was under control. The police were out in strength, and had a very visible presence in all cities of the state."

*See once again, in anticipated violence against "minority", there is plenty of police to make sure things remain normal. What I don't understand is that the darned government doesn't realise that Kashmir is a tense area and so it should be occupied by the army totally, not a bird should ruffle feathers without the army's permission. Close Kashmir to everyone, after a year come out and let there be peace.

Why are Hindus not allowed to show even some discontent in a similar way as the guerrillas? Where else can they show there discontent? Why can't the government power -- police, army, CRPF -- be in full strength in Kashmir to protect the civilians?

"Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee asserted in the Lok Sabha on Friday that India would never yield to terrorism even though it is determined to continue the talks with the extremist Hizbul Mujahideen to find a peaceful solution to the Kashmir problem."

*First he said, "this will not derail the peace process". Now he says we will not be giving in to terrorism. Pardon my impoliteness, but sir, you are not giving in to the terrorists, they are entering themselves!! They are taking it from you!! And not just from your hand, from your pockets too!

"Continue to talk with the extremists" what a sentence!! Either you stop calling them terrorists, extremists, or stop talking to them!

"Afterward, Indian Home Secretary Kamal Pande said the 105-minute meeting with the Hizbul Mujahedeen guerrillas was 'a very positive dialogue. Very cordial.' He said the two sides set up a committee to sort out details of a ceasefire the guerrillas declared July 24.

Masood, a Hizbul Mujahedeen commander who spoke through a handkerchief that covered his face, said his group was serious about keeping peace."

*"...very cordial"!!! Surprisingly they didn't kidnap us and didn't slap us on our face as a prerequisite to the talks, so we think they are cordial??? Talking to the Indian government reps with their face hidden? Would that be allowed to a criminal in a court? This is the biggest slap to the government. You release their terrorists, you let 90-plus innocents get killed, you talk to them and say they are gentlemen and cordial, and you don't even know their face for the police/army record so you can have them shoot later? Well, you are too thrilled that you could be pictured with the extremists! More difficult than getting pictured with the President of USA.

Shashi Joshi

Date: Fri, 4 Aug 2000 09:30:30 -0600
Subject: Hizb interview

That was some awesome questioning by Syed Ashraf. Keep it up.

Amit

Date: Fri, 04 Aug 2000 16:40:30 GMT
Subject: Hizbul Mujahideen spokesman

It was a pain to see such a poor interview. Can't your reporters ask questions? There are many questions about cease-fire agreement that the country wants to know. Whether Hizb is going to disclose their cadres, whether they will assist India to identify and neutralise other terrorists. I wonder how these questions don't come to your reporter's mind. The only question he was asking zillion times was who was responsible for the deaths.

Satchin Panda

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