In taking positions inimical to the return of Pandits to the Valley, Syed Ali Shah Geelani is not unlike the Zionists whom he berates
Shortly after his meeting with the Pakistani Foreign Secretary, Jalil Abbas Jilani, the other day, Syed Ali Shah Geelani made a rather intriguing statement in a media interaction.
He voiced the apprehension that the Indian state was conspiring to induct Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Mossad agents in the shape of Kashmiri Pandits into select and sequestered areas of the valley.
It is anybody’s guess whether the statement was either prompted or inspired by his more than cordial one on one with the Foreign Secretary, who, it may be recalled was declared persona non grata by the Indian government in 2003 for having been found to be funding elements of the Kashmiri Hurriyat.
There has never been any doubt in this writer’s mind that the Mossad is a pretty nasty clandestine organisation which subserves the hegemonic interests of Zionism, transgressing both national and international laws, and often in brutal ways. Indeed, one very disquieting feature of recent events has been the discovery of links between Mossad and Hindutva organisations in the facilitation of terrorist activity; equally, that segments among Kashmiri Pandits, especially after their forced eviction from the Valley, and Hindu urban middle classes generally look upto both Zionism and Mossad as worthy of emulation.
Having said that, one would like to know from Geelani Sahib why he may think the linkages of some local operatives with militant organisations across the Line of Control (LoC) as peculiarly benign in contrast to the workings of the RSS and the Mossad. After all, one has hardly ever heard Geelani sahib express any comparable apprehensions with respect to the workings of the Hizbul Mujahideen within the Valley. If it is argued that the violent exertions of the Hizbul and those others who seek constantly to infiltrate on the strength of arms and communal ideology are to be excused as driven by laudable objectives of achieving a severance from the Union of India, why may not the shenanigans of the RSS and its affiliates be likewise understood as their “nationalistic” endeavour to save the Union? As to the Pandits, it would behove Geelani sahib to make clear whether he regards all of them as undesirable fifth columnists who deserve to be denied their right of return to their homeland. If the suspicion that he indeed does think so has any substance, then Geelani sahib’s position is fraught with a cruel irony that seems to have bypassed his consciousness. Such a position — inimical to the return of the Pandits — aligns him closely with the very Zionists whom he berates.
After all, just as Geelani sahib seems sceptical about the desirability of the return of the Pandits — since it is his worry that they may come to constitute a dangerous Falange of Hindutva Mossadists, making the completion of an Islamist project difficult — the Zionists refuse the right of Palestinian refugees to return to the homeland from which they were likewise ejected. Not for nothing has it often been remarked that extreme positions are mirror images indistinguishable one from the other.
These unhappy developments recall what used to be the singular historical contribution of Jammu and Kashmir to a healthy, non-sectarian humanism, justly lauded the world over. That was a time when Hindutva had no hold whatsoever among Kashmiri Pandits, and Islamism no hold among Kashmiri Muslims. We believe that a silent majority among both communities still remains true to that inheritance.
(Prof. Badri Raina is a Delhi-based writer.)
Mr Jilani has always spoken in favour of Pakistan and continues to do so .It is this quality in him which makes him attract some segments of population in Kashmir who are Islamist to the core. But I wonder what forces our Central Govt give him all the status and respect which even our patriots do not get.We had recently interlocutors sponsored by Central Govt speak to him on Kashmir when he has made his point millions times clear what he wants but our stupidity is not stopped .
Let ruling party make it clear that Kashmir is an integral part of India and it is purely internal affair and any dialogue whether with Pakistan or ant party or leader has to digest this basic principle for starting any dialogue .Let us not blame Mr Jialni for our mistakes .
It's a pity that any admiration of Jews is clubbed with being a
Zionist.Jews comprise merely 0.2% of the world population yet constitute
20% of all Nobel Laureates till date.Is the Jewish nation not worthy of
admiration?What is wrong if indeed the Hindus or the 'Hindu upper middle
class' as the writer puts it have a sense of respect and admiration for
the Jewish nation?Why be apologetic about it?
Kashmiri pandits are admired for their patience, non violence and fortitude in the face of
extreme tragedy. Attributing Mossad connections to them is pure conspiracy theory.
And the writer's further goes on to weave stories of Mossad -hindutva connections as if to
give some leeway to Geelani. I request the writer to make these "connections " public for
the benefit of people., would you?
Now that peace seems possible, this makes fanatics like Gilani restless. They want to pre-
empt the prospect of pandits returning to the valley.
Minorities everywhere need to be defended, not victimized as undesirables. Unfortunately,
the drift in thinking among some leading figures in J and K is away from this. If this leads to
making co- habitation difficult between Muslims and Hindus in that state, it could lead to
bloody ethinc conflict. Leaders should learn from the tragedy of Sri Lanka ad not push
minorities, where they are forced to wage bloody battle - a situation in which no one wins.
Leaders should also remember the viciousness of the partition, where so many people died
and were forcibaly evicted.
It is clearly evident that Geelani has a communal agenda with ulterior
political motives. It would be naive to expect an introspection of
this(above mentioned) magnitude from a person whose thoughts and actions
reek of double standards devoid of any humanism. On the contrary it is weakness on our part to follow a policy of constant appeasement and
dhimmitude towards his vitriolic agenda.
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