Opinion: The story of many Farhan Wani's of Kashmir

On Tuesday 9th January 2018, the Army and Kashmir Police received an input about 3-4 terrorists lodged in a village in Anantnag. Immediately, the army moved for an operation. As a procedure, the terrorists were told to surrender and given adequate time. 

However, when they started firing over the security forces, they retaliated which resulted in the killing of one of the terrorists named Farhan Wani. The boy was just 18-year-old at the time of his death. 

Farhan Wani came from a peaceful village of Khudgami in Kulgam District of Kashmir. The 18-year old represents the new breed of Kashmiri militants who are not very experienced or mature. They are young immature boys who are brainwashed and lured into the deep gorges of terrorism on the pretext of Islamic Jihad or Freedom of Kashmir.

Over last three decades, the militancy in Kashmir has taken many turns. In the earlier times, we saw the mercenaries from Pakistan, Afghanistan and even from other countries coming to Kashmir to participate in the so-called Jihad. Pakistan soon realised that it is being branded as a perpetrator of terrorism in the global community. So, the strategy changed once again. 

This time, Pakistan recruited the poor, unemployed and distressed youth of the valley after radicalising and brainwashing them through false propaganda. The goal was to claim state-sponsored terrorism as a people’s movement. 

Farhan Wani was one of the many victims of this dirty game of Pakistan. He was a student of class XI when he left one day in June 2017 and never returned. 

On a sunny afternoon, Farhan Wani, apparently, left for Physics tuition but joined the ranks of Hijbul Mujahidin, a terrorist group supported and nurtured by Pakistan. Son of a school Teacher, Mr Ghulam Mohammad Wani, Farhan was a very bright student and got a CGPA of 9.6 on his 10th Board exam.

There are many Farhan Wani in the ranks and cadres of these groups. Some have joined Lashkar-e Taiyyaba, Some Jaish-e-Muhammad and some Hijbul Mujahidin. But one thing is common among all of them. These young terrorists, barely in their late teens,  are radicalised by Pakistan-sponsored religious teachers and recruiters who are working in the disguise of common Kashmiri citizens. 

Who is responsible for the death of this young soul? Is it the Armed Forces? No.

 It is the duty of the Indian military forces to fight the armed mercenaries. They tried their best to get him back. Defence sources even confirm that it was assured to the father of Farhan that if he comes back, no cases will be registered against him since he is not involved in any of the criminal activity and Army will provide the best of its help to settle him down. 

The social leaders and his father urged him to come back. The emotional post on his Facebook profile is very touching. Mr Ghulam Mohammad thought that, like Majid, who returned last year from Lashkar-e-Taiyyaba, his son will also return some day. 

Ghulam Mohammad was only partially right. Farhan returned but in the form of a lifeless body. 

Every time I see a death in Kashmir, there is a very pertinent question that knocks in my mind. Among all the Kashmiri boys who turned militant, I always see a pattern. Having spent a considerable time in Kashmir, I have failed to see even a single militant from the influential families of the so-called Hurriyat leaders or religious teachers who are, otherwise, radicalising these innocent youths and luring them into the trap of Death. Most of the young men who turned into terrorists are people are from local communities. Sons of common people, such as teachers, farmers or even daily workers. 

 Just check where the families of these leaders reside? They are enjoying in some foreign country or Delhi or in some other metro at the cost of the lives of poor innocent Kashmiri boys.

These so-called leaders of Kashmiri People who are not even thinking twice before sending these innocent boys to a never-ending death trap of terrorism are the real conspirators of Farhan’s Death and every Kashmiri should understand that. 

I heard today that at the time when Farhan was being cremated, Syed Ali Shah Geelani addressed the public through phone and said that the uprising in Kashmir will not die. Many Farhan will now take up arms to fight the Forces and the fire of this struggle will not die. 

My suggestion to Mr Geelani is simple, why don’t you send your own family members to join these groups. Your grandson Izhaar is a  pilot with a known private airlines. Another grandson Anees is working with J&K State government in a senior position, there are other grandsons who are studying in various schools of India and are of the same age as Farhan was. Why don’t you tell them to join these terrorist groups? they can lead the struggle of your so-called Kashmiri Jihad. They can effectively replace him in the group. Instead of making so much of fuss in front of the public, call them and let them join. 

By the way, is there even a single person from your own family who joined this so-called Jihad? The answer is a clear no. 

Not only Geelani, if I ask how many family members of the so-called religious teachers, who are busy radicalising the many Farhan’s of the Kashmir valley, have joined the ranks of the Mujahidin’s? The answer is NIL. Actually, they are only bidding to the dictate of their masters who are sitting abroad and paying them huge sums of money to lure innocent youth into the trap of terrorism.

It is high time for the common people of Kashmir to realise what they want? Do they want the leaders like Geelani and Yasin Malik and Mirvaiz Umar Farooq who want to use the common Kashmiri in the name of aazadi or do they want a prosperous atmosphere where every Kashmiri is able to grow and live without fear? 

I think any wise Kashmiri will be able to make a choice. 

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL).