காந்திகிரி வழியில் ஜம்மு இந்துக்களின் போராட்டம்

காந்திகிரி வழியில் ஜம்மு இந்துக்களின் போராட்டம்

In some areas, Army faces ‘Gandhigiri’ from protestors
Sumit HakhooPosted online: Thursday, August 07, 2008 at 0043 hrs

Jammu, August 6: The Army which was brought in by the civil authorities to deal with the ‘mass agitation’ in Jammu is facing a queer situation. Accustomed to fighting militants along the Indo-Pakistan border and even quelling the more violent agitations in Jammu, Army personnel do not quite know how to deal with people, who continue to defy the curfew, by carrying out ‘peaceful’ processions to protest the revocation of land to the SASB.

To prevent crowds from assembling, Army personnel have erected barbed-wire barricades at many places and parked trucks at road junctions leading to the city to block the movement of people. Yet, this does not seem to have deterred protestors.

In a novel strategy that has flummoxed the Army, protestors from various localities have taken to assembling at a particular mohalla and then marching towards a barricade, wielding the national flag. When they near the group of soldiers, a flag-bearing member of the group approaches soldiers and asks them for permission to continue the march. But when this is denied, they do not turn combative, but raise the slogan ‘Indian Army Zindabad’ and after protesting at that point, disperse. “Although we are doing our duty, it gets tricky when thousands of women, children and even old people come with Tricolours in their hands,” says a bemused jawan.

Another Army officer says even when crowds are persuaded to go back, they continue to make a ruckus. “When we disperse people, they move to their rooftops and beat drums and utensils and display the national flag.” he says.

When questioned about this tame stance, Raman, a pro-Amarnath protester says: “We have nothing against the Army. Our fight is against the Government and separatists”.

However, PRO (Defence) S D Goswami said the Army was not showing any leniency to the protestors. “We have specific orders and we are here to aid the civil administration. We will take tough measures against those who violate peace.”