M.Kaiser
As we know, that some institutions or systems get erased with time. Eventually, they remain as matter of past in the minds of people or only in books, same may happen with institution of democracy in Kashmir. Looking at the attitude of government towards maintaining law and order, curfew or restriction seem to be the only and last option available in the menu box of the administration. Protests and strike calls are not new invention in Kashmir or in any part of world, but imposing emergency like situation at any time appears like a new invention. It is hard to accept for any civil society that they are being deprived of their basic rights. A constitution guarantees its citizen the right to freedom of expression. Even citizen of a country can protest against a ruling government like we see in parliament opposition political parties do protest against government. But unfortunately for Kashmir anything against the establishment is intolerable and such voice is muzzle huge force. Even if curfew is now only option for government to maintain law and order, but at the same time they must provide some basic amenities to people. Helpline numbers, mobile ambulances and easy availability of medicine or baby food, these facilities must be available to people during curfew period.
Today, we rely on technology, people are doing business through it and students are doing online courses. However, recently valley witnessed a week long ban on internet. Within no time we were dragged back to decades old era. Here people’s desire to express is given least importance and only priority is that there should be calm. When protests and freedom of expression is not allowed the tendency of violence also increases. An ordinary man becomes undue victim of such scenario either he gets beaten by men in uniform or his vehicles gets stoned by an angry mob. Now looking at the overall scenario there is possibility that democracy may be considered as matter of past and people may say to their younger generation ‘Democracy’ was…..!