Page 83 - Love Story of a Commando

his coffin. The eyes of the Rashtriya Rifles soldiers were bloodshot and the
eerie quiet around was indication of an upcoming storm.
The guards performed ‘Shok Shastra’ and even the sky cried that day.
Such young souls never die. They are martyrs and are registered
carefully in the pages of history to be presented as symbols of hopes for
generations to come. The death was mourned deeply among the locals. It
was taken as the death of one more Kashmiri dream. The same dream which
lingers in the hearts of thousands of Kashmiri youth.
There are two sides of Kashmir. One side has a rich tradition of
joining the Indian Armed forces; there are many battalions like the Jammu
and Kashmir Light Infantry and Jammu and Kashmir Rifles, which comprise
Jammu and Kashmiri youth, ready to protect the borders always. The young
Kashmiri men and women join the armed forces and police to adorn
uniforms as righteously as any other Indian to serve the mother nation.
These people believe in the dream seen by their forefathers, called sovereign
India. They know the pride and privilege that it takes to be an Indian citizen.
The other side believes in the ideology of Azad Kashmir. They don’t
believe in any government and despise people believing in Indian
sovereignty. They might be right about their ideology but killing their own
people for their beliefs? How is that justified when you claim to fight for
your beliefs?
They waste their people over false claims and promises by
governments, countries, separatists and leaders who themselves never chose
the same path for their own families. Kashmir sheds tears every day over the
tragedy of losing the locals, the forces, the young, the old and the loved
ones. This heaven on earth has not been able to cherish its beauty and dwell
in its full glory for a long time. This bride has lived the life of a widow since
long. Only because of some people’s greed it has lost its sons, daughters and
well-wishers.
This kind of planned propaganda deters people from claiming their
righteous dominance. It is a vicious circle of karma which never ends.
Deaths are mourned, emotions are replaced by rage. Revenge replaces the
aspirations. Young lives are turned towards violence. The dreams are no
more about green pastures and fairy lands but about fire and death. Who
wins? Who loses? Who is right? Who is wrong? Who gains what? They
make a list of trivial questions and what matters eventually is that families
are destroyed and no single side is spared from the hatred and loss.
I sighed.
My heart had grown to love the place over time. Kashmir was truly
mesmerizing, if you looked at only one side and chose to ignore the other
side which is dark, brutal and shocking. The classes were suspended and
gates were closed all the time during the riots. All of us were instructed not