HOW I BECAME A STONE PELTER. ....

HOW I BECAME A STONE PELTER .....
I am from downtown Srinagar born in 1986. I was
amitted
to one of the best school of valley. As a child I had
dream
to become engineer. Whenever somebody used to ask
me
about my aim I would proudly say engineer. As I started
to grow up I started to become familiar with many words
which everyone used to talk about that among them few
were “azadi” (freedom), “hartal” (shutdown) but I was
unable to understand the meaning of these words. I
loved
the word hartal as it was holiday, so I always wished for
hartal. As I grew up I came to know about mujahids. I
used to listen to the stories of mujahids. I would often
ask my elders to tell me about mujahids. They told me
stories of many mujahids like Isaaqh, Ishfaq, and Jan
Malik which I liked to share with my friends.
Even I was named after a Shaheed Mujahid (martyr
fighter) who was killed before few weeks I was born.
Then Came the summer of 2007, I was passing by
Nowhatta, It was month of Muharram. There was heavy
stone pelting going on. I found it very interesting. I saw
youth pelting stones and shouting freedom slogans.
Initially I was afraid to go in front and pelt stones on
Police and CRPF.
I used to think they are some angels fighting on the
front.
Days passed. Now I too had gathered guts to pelt stones
on the front line. It was now 2008 I was busy with my
exams. I heard about Amarnath Land Row. Things
started changing very fast I had never seen kind of
hartals (shutdowns) before. I had never seen kind of
stone pelting before. It was totally new experience to
me.
Now tear gas shell wasn’t shot anymore, now bullets
were fired directly. I saw many boys hit by a bullet and
dying on spot. I was disturbed by this. I asked my
grandfather once why they directly shoot on us. His
answer was “Tse chuk mangaan azadi” (u are asking for
freedom). This answer changed my mind. I started
realizing neither we are part of India nor India considers
us their part.
Now I started reading history about our freedom struggle.
I came to know about many things about the Kashmir
struggle. Now I started reading newspaper, magazines
very keenly. I started observing everything about the
political system. I wept when I read about Gawkadal,
Zukura, Hawal, Bijbihara, Sopore, Kupwara massacres. I
too wanted to became Mujahid.
I once joked with my mother that I will become Mujahid,
her answer was pain full, first give me poison then you
will become Mujahid.
Came 2009 I again started to remain busy with my
studies but whenever there was stone pelting in
Nowahatta I used go there and pelt stones. Stone pelting
for me now, has become a reaction to the atrocities and
d
illegal occupation of India. I do it for a cause.
I was once caught by police and was put in custody I
was also beaten but that also couldn’t break me. When I
was released I again started pelting stones. A policemen
in custody told me why you pelt stones, do you think you
will get freedom by pelting stones. If it is the case I am
also ready to pelt stones, he said.
But still it is the only thing which makes me feel that
gun
or bullet cannot suppress my thoughts
my sentiments and to live in occupied I want to be
free…..
I am happy when I pelt stones because I want to take
revenge for every innocent killing. I know my stone wont
harm them but remember it is not stone it is my
feelings.
I pelt stones because we are oppressed.
It was June 2009 Shopian rape had occurred. It was
unbearable to hear rape and murder case of a girl and
her
sister in law. Tears rolled from my eyes when I read
story
of Asiya in newspaper. Once again hartals, stone pelting
emerged with more boys felling to bullets to a response
for protesting for justice from brutal Indian military.
I watched a press conference of Omar Abdullah on news
channel promising to bring culprits in front of people and
punish them in 24 hors. Honestly I was happy with his
promise I saw a hope in him in bringing justice to the
duo.
But nothing happened instead of justice their relatives
were beaten. This made me more aggressive I wanted to
take revenge, I wanted to punish murderers. More ever I
considered cm for all this because his behaviour made
me
much aggressive much angry against India and their
brutality here.
After one month of continuous strikes life was back on
track. Again we started to remain busy with our studies.
But I always used to think why didn’t the duo got justice
I once had seen news of a 14 year old girl from Delhi
who
was killed by unknown person in her bedroom. But Police
wasn’t able to solve the case. It was then handed over
to
CBI who arrested the culprits in few weeks.
But in case of Kashmir CBI solved the case differently
they didn’t arrested the culprits but made a funny story
of the victims that they died due to drowning in stream
whose depth was hardly unto knees. This clearly showed
policy of India in Kashmir.
But whom could I ask these questions why didn’t they
get
justice? Why they shoot us if we protest for seeking
justice? These questions always were in my mind. By
pelting stones I dint got answer but I was happy I felt I
am taking revenge by pelting stones but what else I
could
do who was their to listen me. I felt satisfaction by
pelting stones by pelting stones I wanted to say them
give us justice leave our Kashmir let us leave in peace
let
us live in place where no mother has fear that her son
may return dead. These are not stones these are my
feelings.
Came 2010 it was January once I saw Wamiq Farooq, He
was a neighbour of one of my relatives residing at
Rainawari area of Srinagar. Wamiq was very good boy he
used to offer my times prayers. He used to call me bhai
(brother).
After few weeks on one Friday evening I heard that a boy
has been martyred after hitting by tear gas shell but I
didn’t know unfortunately it was Wamiq the same guy
whom I had seen before a day. When I woke up next
morning I saw a picture of boy whose identity was yet to
be revealed in newspaper. After few minutes I got call
from my cousin that Wamiq has been martyred. For few
minutes I totally froze I wasn’t able to speak. A boy
hardly 13 was no more. You can understand how it feels
when you hear death of person whom you know.
Wamiq was like my little brother I had never thought an
innocent young boy will fell prey to their brutality. Once
again hartals (strikes) and stone pelting emerged with
more boys getting injured and martyred. Indian
occupational forces were responding with more brutality,
they are occupational forces their cruelty and brutality is
not a surprise to us but I was surprised by the role of
Jammu and Kashmir police our local police they are
playing absurd role. One fails to understand the cause of
their cruelty and brutality, Is it they want to show more
loyalty to India or they are killing their brothers for
money. What ever the reason is but the way they
behave
with their own countrymen is painful. Maybe they have
became blind because of power government has given to
them.
Wamiq’s death gave birth to a powerful revolution. The
revolution shook the existence of Indian rule in Kashmir.
Now India started to show their military power to
unarmed civilians..