In the wake of the Burhan Wani encounter, Kashmir has seen itself caught in the midst of growing violence and unrest. Dozens of civilians have lost their lives, and thousands more have been injured. The seething populous of the Valley has taken to aiming their anger at the government and security forces.
While some have warmed up to violent protests to express displeasure at the working of the state machinery, Ruveda Salam, an IAS officer who hails from the Valley, chose Facebook to vent her frustration.
Calling a Spade a Spade
Ruveda, in her post, called out the Jammu and Kashmir ruling party for its actions, accusing it of a “hypocrisy” that has led to a Srinagar painted red with blood.
Salam’s finely crafted post targets the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP), which has over the years fought state elections on several questionable planks.
The PDP has used a soft-separatist agenda and its current chief, Mehbooba Mufti, was routinely seen wearing green – a colour which has strong religious connotations – to garner Kashmiri votes.
Salam’s View Finds Unlikely Opposition
As expected, Salam’s comment raised a number of eyebrows. However, what’s interesting is the fact that the most stern opposition to her view came from a fellow Kashmiri, Harmeet Singh Mehta, Superintendent of Police, Sapore.
Mehta, clearly unappreciative of Salam’s views, asked her to resign from duty and join the separatists instead. And he didn’t stop there.
Government must take action against you as a civil servant spreading venom against state. Better resign and join some separatist group [...] Let you people make this Kashmir as Afghanistan with your wisdom and that too of the people like you madam civil servant (sic).
In the flame war that followed, Mehta went on to call Salam an “ignorant lady”.
Salam responded to Mehta’s comment, making it clear that she stands by her words. She also tried to push back against the “general belief” that all Kashmiris are inclined towards supporting militancy in the valley.
I didn’t mind the “ignorant lady” comment by one of our worthy Police Officers of J&K, although it was in bad taste & with undertones of gender bias. Writing what you truly feel inside is often snubbed by dictating to you to resign & join separatists, probably, reflecting the general false belief that all Kashmiris are terrorists and they should be either silenced or driven away to the neighbouring country.
The spat is the latest in a list of instances when members of the state machinery have voiced their opinion about the recent events in the Valley on social media.
Such instances also highlight the growing divide among the high-ranking officers in Jammu and Kashmir.
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