Indians worried about Wani’s death anniversary

The first death anniversary of Burhan Wani, the commander of Hizbul Mujahideen whose martyrdom brought the Kashmir Valley on its feet for its inalienable rights, is on July 8, 2017. Since his death, blood has not stopped spilling in the valley. There have been thousands of confrontations between the Indian forces and Kashmiris since then. More than 200 people have been gunned down by Indian forces, hundreds have lost their eyes, several totally blinded, 20,000 injured and thousands incarcerated. In short, the Kashmiri leaders and ordinary people are vociferous in opposition to the Indian designs but refuse to back down in the face of massive force.

Meanwhile, the Modi government has failed to read the situation and blames Pakistan for the crisis that is getting graver by the day. It has no plans for the valley except giving statements that the situation would somewhat improve. Only God knows when that will happen but not in foreseeable future. The protesters are on the streets, defying Indian paramilitary forces and Indian Army. The excessive force used by the Indian government against unarmed protesters has shamed the world’s so-called largest democracy.

There is simply no end to people ideologically opposed to the Indian rule in Kashmir, strongly raising their voice. The developments in the valley -- including attacks on Indian armed forces personnel, forced disappearances and kidnappings, excessive torture, wanton killings of political activists, violent strikes, waving of Pakistani flags, aggressive rallies -- show the simmering hatred towards the brutal Indian rule.

Having large number of Indian troops with boots on the ground and guns in their hands, it still seems the balance of power stays with the ordinary Kashmiris who have only stones in their hands. Meanwhile, the Mujahideen are going for high value, high casualty targets, further panicking the Modi government, whose efforts to tighten its grip through other means like administrative reforms, plans for new legislation and demographic changes are not bearing fruit.

Since he was an iconic figure of the freedom movement, it is expected that Burhan Wani’s death anniversary would be observed on a large-scale in Indian occupied Jammu & Kashmir. Widespread protests are expected while the Indian occupation forces, as usual, are likely to use brute force, including live ammunition and pellet guns, against the protesters which may result in even more casualties.

The Valley is already brimming with road obstacles, concertina razor wires, snipers on rooftops, armoured vehicles and sniffer dogs. But there is no roadmap for any political solution as the valley has been put on the backburner by a frustrated Indian government; the day-to-day events show the held valley is now on an auto pilot.