Random thoughts 15042017

#BitterPill As I understand, killing an attacker to save your own life is not considered murder. By the same logic, the use of the human shield to save lives can't be faulted.  Arjuna used Shikhandi as a human shield against Pitamaha Bhishma in the war of Mahabharata.  It may be morally reprehensible to some people. But then, what is morality in the face of death. The soldiers and para military forces who are posted in Kashmir valley are just pawns on the board of geo-politics. In addition, they are also foddered to whet the appetite of the bunch of jingoistic hyper-nationalists.

I don't rule out excesses by the forces and condemn all such atrocities which we come to learn about. Maybe the reality is more brutal than we imagine. But what else do we expect from armed individuals huddled in groups, restrained by orders, feeling vulnerable among hostile environment and people? By the standards of abuse which we experience from a traffic constable on the road, surely we don't believe that armed jawan to be Jesus like intolerance.

Violation of human rights is a matter of concern, no doubt. But that does not mean sending people to death in combat. And let us not forget that J&K has a special status. The situation there is special and there is bound to be certain deviations from the normal law and order arrangements that we observe in other places.

I am sympathetic to people of Kashmir as fellow citizens of this republic. The question is - do they also think that they are indeed fellow citizens of the republic? If not, then how can somebody expect me to waste my tears when compared to the army jawan who is earning his living by the tax paid by me ( supposedly) and sent to guard the state by the government elected by me (metaphorical).  I will support the person who upholds or fights for my constitution, as long as I believe in it. Isn't that natural?

Let us not castigate the armed forces at the drop of a hat without an iota of empathy. Agreed that they are not saintly and sometimes indulge in horrendous abuse of power. But treat them as professionals instead of tools to satisfy either our incipient jingoism or arm chair humanism. If anybody feels that tying the alleged stone pelter in front of an army vehicle was wrong to let them take legal recourse for it by filing a writ petition. But then at the end the day why should we be concerned? Because my only worry is that this innovative use of human shield may become a norm and template to be followed by the police force and vigilante groups in other states too, rightly or wrongly to exhibit strength and power. What happens then? 

Don't forget, we live in a country where abuse of power is still considered a normal privilege both by the powerful who wields it and the powerless who is at the receiving end. I can already visualize a person being tied to the front of a jeep and paraded on the streets charged with eve-teasing or cow slaughter, real or imaginary.