Amarnath – When Misplaced Passions murdered Righteousness

There was a time when pilgrims travelled on foot from Kanyakumari to Kashmir and then, after suffering many hardships, ascended Amarnath. Even in those days, there was danger to life. We have no figures about the number of people who in those days lost their dear lives while in quest of religious merit, as there were no figures about other things. That was a true pilgrimage. Those having genuine faith would go walking barefoot and would disregard thorns, heat or cold, the danger from tigers or wolves and even though they might not reach Amarnath, they would acquire the same merit.

That was?Gandhi alluding to the historicity and significance of the Amarnath Pilgrimage in a letter?in 1928 when?5000 women and men travelling to Amarnath were trapped in torrential rains which lasted a week with no communication to the outside world.
?
Jammu is on the boil again thanks to the volte face by the Kashmir Government on the Amarnath Shrine issue. Offstumped had then called for a response that was Federalist and Nationalist in nature. Since then there has been more passion on display than reason or logic. It is of grave concern and immense distress that one person Kuldeep Dogra has committed suicide for the Amarnath cause

In a free and democratic India nobody ought to resort to such extreme measures dreaming of martyrdom for a cause. It is a tragedy and highlights?a failing of the Indian State that its Institutions no longer inspire hope of fairness in all of its citizens in all parts of the country.

Before we go further with this post, one issue must be highlighted. Much has been made of Omar Abdullah’s short speech in Parliament with some Delhi based Jholawallah’s eager to annoint him India’s Obama, whatever the hell that means. Omar Abdullah seems to have gotten so carried away with the Jholawallah response that he wants to write a book, all the best to him.

But it is important that Offstumped set the record straight for Mr. Abdullah on the misplaced passion and the utter lack of righteousness?in his speech (link to his personal blog).

It is no surprise that Omar Abdullah’s 3 minutes of passion won the accolades of the so called “progressive liberal” Jholawallahs for he was eating out of their plate. Rooted in the flawed and divisive template of victimhood and guilt Omar Abdullah highlights why India’s Obama is a fitting moniker. He begins his speech claiming victimhood in the unrelated notes for votes scandal. Having painted himself the victim, he plays the religion card on us to make us feel guilty.

No surprise that the Jholawallah brigade fell for it while failing to notice that he chose to identify himself as a Muslim first and then only as an Indian. He then switches back to the victimhood theme this time while making himself a spokesperson for all Indian Muslims. He claims victimhood on behalf of all of them while throwing back the guilt gauntlet us with references to “Poverty and Hunger”, by now the Jholawallahs in the audience must be drooling.

Omar abdullah then makes a curious allegation, that Indian Muslims are being denied a voice. His cries of victimhood reach a crescendo when he claims that the voice of Indian Muslims is being crushed.

Omar Abdullah then switches back to guilt by seeking the ith ultimate refuge of the Communal Socialist Scoundrel -??the Gujarat Riots, which instantly accords him moral high ground with the Jholawallahs.

Omar Abdullah ends his speech in Hindi on the Amarnath issue where he he directs his fire at the BJP and NDA. His main gripe that the BJP is accusing Kashmiris of obstructing the Amarnath pilgrimage. Abdullah’s passion hits the roof here as facts are thrown to the wind. He claims pilgrims have never been attacked by Kashmiris, while failing to note the many terrorist attacks on the Amarnath Yatris. He then claims that its an issue of their Land, while conveniently ignoring who he is referring to as “they” – The Muslim Majority of Kashmir. He then claims that he doesnt change his convictions with politics while conveniently ignoring that his party was in the NDA while it suited it and decided to part ways when it didnt suit it politically.

The bottomline of Omar Abduallah’s speech is that the land in Kashmir belongs to the Muslim Majority and it is the absolute right of that Muslim Majority to decide what they want to do with the land. The Amarnath Pilgrimage is a privilege the Muslim Majority accords to the Hindu Community and they the the Muslim Majority will continue to do so but on their terms and not on the basis of constitutionality and righteousnes.

It is this above attitude that is at the root of the current impasee?over Amarnath. This attitude?has been provided Constitutional Sanction by Article 370 and continues to find moral and intellectual sanction from the Jholawallahs of New Delhi and political sanction by the Congress Party.

Offstumped Bottomline on Amarnath: The struggle over Amarnath is just and righteous for it is a struggle for the soul and character of the idea of India. However that struggle cannot be won by suicides. It is urgent and incumbent?upon the Indian State to respond and restore confidence in its Institutions and its ability to deliver justice with fairness so the Hindus of Jammu dont resort to extreme measures to plead their case which has since fallen?on deaf ears

The Amarnath Shrine Controversy

Amarnath exposes Kashmir Faultlines

Article 370?s chickens come home to roost

The Congress? blunder

Kashmir needs a Nationalist and Federalist response

The Economist?s insensitivity to Amarnath Pilgrimage?????

?

Filed under: amarnath controversy