BAN ON MUHARRAM PROCESSIONS IN SRINAGAR CIVIL LINES

Poonch August 18 :– Seriously something is wrong in assessment of the situation with regard to permitting or banning the Muharram processions in the capital city of Srinagar. If imposing ban on the traditional 8th and 10th Muharram processions in Srinagar is a political decision, it is patently preposterous for it runs contrary to the gains the government at the Centre claims to be making post- August 2019. Unfortunately for the government, Police have provided all the spice one would desperately need in current situation to paint this country black in the international media and diplomacy–teargas, pellets, baton charge on a peaceful religion procession of a minority. It was only the administration’s good luck that one of the Muharram mourners, who smashed himself against a Police vehicle, didn’t die. Creating this kind of a scenario, Muharram after Muharram, could well be a scheme to antagonise a community that doesn’t indulge in any kind of politics or violence but doesn’t mind sacrifice of self to commemorate the martyrdom of Karbala and keeping its spirit alive in the continued strife between the good and the evil. The decision of banning these processions is also incomprehensible in view of the fact that more than 50,000 mourners have been participating in the Ashoora procession on 10th of Muharram every year in Srinagar downtown, from Lalbazar to Zadibal, and barring minor disruptions by small groups of non-participants, there has not been a tragedy in the last 32 years that would have been a convincing justification to disallow such a procession. Besides, every year in Muharram, all other events and processions have been smoothly going on since 1989 in other areas of Srinagar and all the nine rural districts in Kashmir. Unfortunately this questionable mindset of the authorities, including a section of the Police, not security forces, was at work and liberty in the last few years also in Budgam and some other Shia neighborhoods. Scenes of one-sided and completely unjustified violence from Police against the Muharram mourners are still there in iClouds of social media. While the Police used to fire teargas and strike batons on the mourners, the mourners offered the Police and CRPF coffee, juices and cold drinks. Not a single stone was hurled by anybody from such a procession. We remember even last year, authorities banned the 10th Muharram Zuljanah procession in Budgam but surrendered when thousands of the mourners gathered to keep alive the tradition that nobody, no catastrophe, no war or inclement weather has been able to stop since centuries. This year, authorities were sanguine to assess the situation correctly and they did not impose any restrictions. Consequently, there was complete camaraderie between the mourners, the organisers of the processions and the Police yesterday and hopefully it will be there on all the remaining days if this Muharram. We saw videos and pictures of the young Muharram mourners taking pictures with the Police officers in Budgam. Even in Srinagar, where Police used force against the mourners, we saw videos livestreaming the evacuation of an SP by the mourners. Many of the mourners rushed quickly to rescue and help the officer who had probably got hit by a teargas shell. Admittedly it is the duty and responsibility of the Police and civil administration to ensure safety and security of every citizen and to ensure that nobody plays a mischief or sabotage. Responsibility of an untoward incident is invariably cast on the Police and the civil administration. But the tradition of ban cannot be extended to infinity. Such ban orders unmistakably make a statement on the government’s own claims of normalcy and freedom of dogmatic practices to the religious minorities. This is the time when the organs of the government, in close coordination with the organisers and leaders of the stakeholders, should make a professional and realistic assessment of the situation, chalk out a plan of keeping the possible mischief mongers away and allow and escort such processions on the basis of this assessment, of course with necessary changes in the traditional routes and innovative use of technology including CCTV camera and multiple drone surveillance. This is the time to emulate the Budgam experience.This is the time to admit that the situation is being mishandled unnecessarily in Srinagar civil lines which demonises the government itself for the whole world.