Stones are the only weapon available to us. The govt always gives the people of Kashmir the cold shoulder. They are under the false impression that curfew and restrictions can silence us. But we will not be silent. Govt of India is interested in the land, not the people of Kashmir. Stone pelting (Kani Jung) is not a new concept. It goes back to 1947.
- Zuhaid Ahmad alias Chinkoo, Stone Pelter
The Valley Simmers
Kashmir seems to be heading towards another hot summer. A section of the youth in the valley are angry, their temper threatening to boil over.
Talk of resettling Kashmiri Pandits in segregated townships has stoked the anger of Srinagar’s ‘veteran’ stone pelters, who compare the ‘township’ plan with Israel’s occupation of Palestine. The killing of a young man in Tral, alleged to be a militant by security forces, hasn’t helped matters.
It doesn’t matter who rules Kashmir. Whether it’s PDP, NC, Congress or BJP all mainstream parties are same. We have fought Indian occupation for 63 years. India went to the UN. 18 resolutions came out of it. Nehru promised us we would get what we want. And now India says forget it and live under our occupation? We want azadi because we have been occupied against our will. And we will pelt stones until we are alive.
– Stone pelter group known as ‘Sangbaaz Force’.
Stone Pelting: How and Why
There are three sets of instances that spark stone pelting in the valley:
1. After the Friday afternoon prayer, because that’s when people gather. If someone gets arrested or killed, there is invariably stone pelting.
2. If a large protest is planned and the authorities prevent it, there often is stone pelting.
3. If there’s a call for strike, there could be some low intensity stone pelting.
Stone pelting is a kind of war. Once a stone pelter always a stone pelter. Stone pelters are not an organised party, giving out press-notes from the underground. We don’t use guns, we use stones. They are not even stones, more like pebbles.
– Mushtaq Reegu, alias Tiger, a well known stone pelter.
Stone pelting does not occur at one place. It takes place in Rajouri Kadal or Islamia College or Islamia School or Nowhatta or Naed Kadal or Maisum. We will just go to all these places.
- Another stone pelter from Maisuma
The purpose of stone pelting, according to the young men whom The Quint interviewed, is to challenge the image of ‘normalcy’ that they say the government tries to portray. Stone pelting is their way to ensure that the ‘disputed’ nature of the Valley stays alive in the minds of people.
Stone Pelting: Between Protest and Militancy
A few weeks ago, Kashmiri separatist leader Yasin Malik made a remark that caused some sections of the media to condemn him loudly.
I am not Indian, we are disputed people. Our status is yet to be ascertained.
From the way young stone pelters like Mushtaq and Zahid speak about India and ‘occupation’, it seems that he is not alone.
But is the picture as bleak as that? Perhaps not.
The stones after all, are being used as a form of protest more than as a weapon. These young men are not carrying Kalashnikovs or strapping on suicide vests.
That’s where the youth of the Valley seem to be now, stone in hand, but not grenades. And while it does place them somewhere beyond the realm of peaceful protest, they are still well away from militancy.
The BJP and PDP make unlikely allies. The BJP has traditionally had a strong stance against Article 370 and separatists, while the PDP advocates dialogue with them.
But coming together suggests that they are ready to meet each other half way. Which means they could talk to these angry young stone pelters as well. And perhaps they should, before the stones turn into bombs.
(With editorial inputs from Aakash Joshi)
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