Renowned Indian journalist's open letter to Modi: "This is the truth about Kashmir"

Rebuffing the untrue picture presented by Indian officials on Kashmir situation, renowned Indian journalist Santosh Bhartiya has written an open letter to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying “the people of Kashmir are not with us.”

In a letter addressed to Modi and published in Rising Kashmir, the journalist encompassed all of his findings during his travel to the Valley, including the brutal killings, use of excessive force, strong anger in Kashmiri people, raising of Pakistani flags, the disturbance among the Indian army and mishandling of the Kashmir issue by India, particularly the Modi regime.

He said he was in a state of restlessness after returning from the Valley. Kashmiris have painful aggression in them against the Indian system; be it a man of 80 year old or a six-year-old child and he believes this situation would lead them to a disastrous “massacre” situation.

He said a dangerous misconception was growing in the minds of the officials of Indian military troops and security forces that if anybody who raises voice against the prevailing system in Kashmir he or she should be killed to suppress the separatists movement, but it is an entirely wrong policy to pursue.

“A Kashmiri who does not hold a stone in hand, keeps the stone in his heart. This revolution has taken a shape of mass-movement same as the movement of 1942 or JP Movement in which the contribution of public was more than the leaders,” he said.

Eid-ul-Azha was not celebrated in Kashmir this time. Neither did anyone wear new clothes. Not a single home celebrated Eid. Isn’t this move of Kashmiris a slap on the faces of the people who talk aloud and swear upon democracy?

In his letter the journalist quoted Kashmiri people as saying, “The Valley is bedewed in blood of Kashmiris as more than 10,000 Kashmiris are badly injured by pellet guns; more than 500 have lost their eyes forever..”

The journalist recalled witnessing how people lived on one bulb’s light and how young boys piled up the stones on the roads and the same boys removed those heaps of stone in the evening.

He told Modi that during night Kashmiri people slept with the doubt of pathos that anytime the military and security forces would enter their homes to pick them up, and they would never ever return to their homes.

Such a situation was never witnessed in our history not even during the times of British Rule, he wrote.

In order to hurt Indian government, when India looses a cricket match with Pakistan Kashmiris celebrate even if India loses a cricket match against New Zealand, Bangladesh, or Sri Lanka.

Bhartiya said Modi had celebrated Diwali among Kashmiris and promised crores of money-package for Kashmir, but it was never received by the common people there.

He said Modi would be remembered as a ruthless Prime Minister who didn’t bother to stop the massacre, but kept Kashmir intact with India. This will be very painful and bitter history for our coming generations. Hurriyat is so dominating and powerful in Kashmir that the people strictly abide by their protest calendars.

Santosh Bhartiya seconded Indian corp commander asking the government not to entangle him in political clashes because army was for enemies and not for civilians.

He shared with Modi that every person in Srinagar was praising Atal Bihari Vajpyee for pursuing the policy of dialogue for friendship with Pakistan.

“And the reason of not trusting you is that you are visiting every country and taking tours around the world; rather you are the only Prime Minister in the world who has visited so many countries in such a short span of time, but your own 60 lakh people back home in Kashmir are saddened and upset with you,” the letter said.

The journalist urged Modi to go to Kashmir and meet people, apprehend the complications and talk to every stakeholder of Kashmir, even Hurriyat.

Bhartiya, who visited the Valley along with other top Indian journalists Ashoke Wankhade and Prof. Abhay Dubey, said they actually wept when they saw the bleeding condition of Kashmir.

Santosh Bhartiya asked Modi to free the Kashmiris from the fearful and merciless lives they have spent since last 70 years.