Srinagar/Jammu: Even as life in Kupwara comes to a standstill with total shut down and the recent killing of two militants in Lolab area, the Jammu and Kashmir Awami Forum leads a march for peace, calling for an end to the gun culture in the strife-torn valley. The news of the recent march comes barely two weeks after the valley witnessed its first historic march by over 1000 people, speaking up against the across-the-border sponsored terrorism.
Kupwara district has been on the receiving end of the cross border infiltration and sponsored terror. Today’s march will certainly go down in the history of Kupwara district, marking the historic day in its annals. Kupwara today witnessed the gathering of people in large numbers at the Kister Lolab in kupwara culminating in a march that firmly spoke against militancy, violence, insurgency, corruption, religious intolerance and addiction.
The Jammu & Kashmir Awami Forum which led this historic march through a number of villages including Hachmar, Tumna and Chokibal, where more joined in, voiced the concerns of the people, seeking Azadi from the gun culture plaguing the valley, and the sheer fear in which the valley’s residents are living in every day. Participants in the march included the nomadic Gujjar Bakarwal community who have suffered from social abuses and also the Pahadi communities. It is pertinent to mention that organiser have lost both father and brother in militants killings
The first march, which occurred last month with a similar call to end militancy, had seen over 1000 people including men, women and children participate, marching from the village of Kani-e-Dajan in Budgam district to the holy place of Charar-e-Sharif. Along the route, activists from Barna Pathan Chalyan, Batpora, Zeepanchal, Dalwan and Pakharpora villages had joined this long march.
Christened Paigam-e-Mohabbat March, the latest march comes as the third display of people’s anger and frustration against militancy over the last few months, marking a clear call from ordinary citizens against the divisional forces that are working to alienate the valley’s residents. It is not only a clear call for peace, but also an unmistakable appeal to all peace loving residents to unite and fight against divisional forces and restore the valley to its former glory.
The Jammu & Kashmir Awami Forum, headed by Mr Farooq Abdul Ghani, is also part of Jammu Kashmir Coordination Committee (JKCC) which comprises of multiple civil society groups. Incidentally, in the month of March 2018, JKCC had invited Art of Living Founder, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar to address and interact with various delegations of youth and local people.
Addressing a gathering of over 12000 people, Gurudev Sri Sri had then stated, “This Paigam-e-Mohabbat was started because of the calls from your heart…if we sit with old issues, we will remain sad. We have to look forward. We have the strength, the confidence that we can move ahead with resilience, and look at our society’s future.” He had later also personally interacted with local delegations as well as youth who had given up militancy, and heard the concerns of the locals impacted by decades of militancy tearing the valley apart.
Says G.N Parwana, spokesperson of J&K Awami Forum, “This is a platform of all likeminded people working towards bringing in a militancy free, corruption free, addiction free society. After the Paigam-e-Mohabbat held at SKICC in March, we regrouped at Chara-e-Sharif Budgum last month and now in Kupwara, to reiterate our call for peace and end to cross border terrorism.”
He further added that this was just the beginning, and the coming months will see more such programs and gatherings of locals to stress their need for peace and end to violence. “All well-meaning Kashmiris and those who genuinely want to end this across-the-border sponsored terror, will join our movement.”
District president of the Kupwara Chapter of the J&K Awami Forum Mr Mohd Irfan stated, “On behalf of all youth members, I want to thank my core team for linking us with the Paigam-e-Mohabbat program. I also thank Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar who lit the candle of hope during his visit to the valley earlier this year.”
Given the occurrence of latest the march in the background of a two day shutdown call by separatists, not to mention the ongoing military operations in Kupwara to cleanse the area of militant attacks, it appears that the die is firmly cast as far as the emergence of permanent peace in the valley.
It will not be surprising indeed if this trickle soon turns to a flood and the valley sees a mammoth gathering of the local residents who have certainly had enough of bloodshed, cross border sponsored terrorism and efforts to provoke separatist activities.
Courtesy: Air News India
