Sameer Yasir

It would probably be his last seminar as the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of 15 Corps in Kashmir. But for Syed Ata Hasnain it would be one he would perhaps remember forever. “Enhancing Jammu and Kashmir Pride” a seminar held last month in heavily fortified Badamibagh cantonment in the city had all the high drama. It featured some of the best voices on Kashmir’s history, politics, administration and even the chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Bank. The debate saw heated arguments over the word “kashmiriyat”, army’s “highhandedness” and its role as a facilitator for infrastructural development. In short, the seminar had all the ingredients for attracting the attention. All were discussing what could be done to restore the “PRIDE” of Jammu and Kashmir.  

The interesting list of speakers including the IGP and the much admired IAS topper of 2010 Shah Faesal, to interact with young angry Kashmiri students. Each salvo by the students was greeted with applause from one side of the hall were majority of the Kashmiri students sat.

The IGP cleared the police was not infringing on the freedom of individuals who were posting their political views on the social networking site Facebook, but against those who were trying to “create panic.” When a student asked if this was the case in Delhi could the police ask the parents of the any young boy to come to police station there was clapping form the young students. The seminar also saw a Superintendent of Police trying to question the entire administration by saying in afternoon there is no official present in his district so police have to play the role of administrators.   

Most of the debate remained confined to a serious issue concerning people from Delhi to Srinagar: is there any change on ground? Although the main objective of General Hasnain’s seminar was to make the field commanders understand how pride of Kashmir was important for its people and why it should be kept in mind while dealing with militancy. It is believed that there are just 150 odd militants present in valley. So the discourse has to change to the battle of ideas.

But the question, is there change in Kashmir as the people would like us to believe or by allowing the most high pitched voices of “political dissent” to raise question inside the cantonment symbolizes that change.

This kind of interaction would have been almost impossible ten years ago. The “angry” couldn’t get satisfied but their was an answer for every query. The students would quietly hear out every speaker before unleashing their anger during the Q&A sessions.

“What is Kashmiri pride? Being frisked at checkpoints, what have we achieved from last two days here. Can you tell me in points” a young angry student asked the most powerful man of army in Kashmir.

The response from the general was such that next day the student had to come back on stage and apologise to the General.   

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