A LETTER OF APOLOGY TO KASHMIRIS FROM AN IGNORANT NON KASHMIRI

I have never been to Kashmir hence I don’t know what kind of life you live there! Maybe you speak kashmiri or urdu or hindi. I clearly have no idea. I have heard that Kashmir is a Muslim dominant valley ; so do you also celebrate Eid like many of my friends do here? I have been to their place.

Do your moms also cook delicious biryanis? I wish to eat from your thaali ! Visit your valley and then write about it.

Preserve it as a memoir for others who couldn’t. But dad says it’s not safe there. You don’t like Indians. Are we intruders to you?

I dont know your side of the story. Is it true that you are forced to live in constant shade of the army? I have read about AFSPA act and the immunity it provides to millitary personnels.

Do you not feel safe? Are women there raped and battered by the security personnels? Is it too ugly down there? I do not know what it feels like to have men with weapons breathing down my neck 24/7 . I haven’t interacted much with police too. People in my area fear them. Even when men stalk me and tease me I do not complain to them thinking they will frame me instead. Can you relate to this feeling?

People around me say that we give you free electricity, reservation and so much more but still you dont change your ways.

Does these hospitalities turn your prison of iron into gold?

I know nothing about you. I know what I am shown by media.

They call you infidels and your sons terrorist ! They justify pellet guns and killings of civilians through a retaliation phenomenon. But they don’t explain to me your definition’s of azadi. And why do you feel caged? They claim that glamour and fame is exactly what made burhaan wani , a millitant. But they dont elaborate on thousands of you who followed his janaza. Why is he your burhaan and our terrorist?

I am confused. What triggered this extensive support? No it can’t be glamour. Please talk to us.

Don’t mistake those clowns screaming on televisions and echoes of parliamentarians as voice of the nation. We 130 million people want to know your pain.

We are sorry if some of us call you names as they are merely speaking whatever is thrown to them. They love you. We are tired of this monologue too like you are.

Just just hold on to us. Don’t lose hope on us. Even when we don’t agree with each other, we will bicker, argue but not cease.

Yours lovingly

An ignorant daughter!