Introspect Please

By Syed Asma

Syed Ali Geelani

Last week Kashmir buried five more blood-soaked bodies. For most of us, it is just statistics. We condemn killings, mourn for a day or two and then, get back to our routine. But for their families it is a big loss, something that cannot be compensated.

No matter how hard one tries, it is difficult to understand the pain of a parent who shoulders coffin of his youthful son. But, if we can’t empathize in a proper, respectable manner, we have no right to criticize either.

I don’t know did anyone notice what Syed Ali Geelani said after Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti visited the deceased families in Handwara. But when I read his verbatim, more than shocked, I was hurt, terribly!

“Meeting of Mehbooba Mufti with families of civilians who fell to army bullets is rubbing salt into wounds of bereaved families,” said Hurriyat (g) chief, adding, “These families should not have met her. We need to overcome our weaknesses.”

Just because (some) people respect his adamant stand against India, he cannot consider himself above all, at least, not above the families who sacrifice their children for the cause. No one has given him the authority to do so! Absolutely no one!!!

If Geelani is given the honour of being the face of resistance movement in Kashmir, none of us should forget that it’s the blood of these young martyrs, which gives life, colour, meaning and strength to the movement! Rather than being thankful to these parents, we tell them to “introspect” their weaknesses. I mean, come on, seriously?!

Before we tell them to introspect, we should take a look within and ask ourselves what exactly we did for the families who have lost their loved ones? Many families lost their bread winners; did we help them financially ever? Around 1 lakh men are killed and thousands are disappeared, how many widows and half widows do we support? Did we ever try to embrace them in our so called normal society? How many orphans did we help to study? And if you are a leader, your responsibility increases manifolds.

Criticism comes easily. There are many instances when victims have returned empty-handed from the doorsteps of these people who claim to be the godfathers.

In a conflict zone, like ours, living a life of a political prisoner is much easier than that of a young boy whose eyes are hit by pellets, or of a teenager who can’t attend school and can’t ever have a decent source of income because of multiple PSAs.

And now they are told to “introspect” their weakness? Wow! A piece of free advice, if we can’t talk good; prefer to be silent!

Please do introspect.

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