Kashmir has hardly enjoyed a
peaceful life. The state was ruled by
Mughals, chaks, Pathans ,Sikhs, Dogras and Kashmiris always
witnessed miserable life. Poverty , diseases, lack of education , hard life ,snowy
winters , heavy rains , shortage of food
and other necessities of life was always there at the door.
Kashmiris survived freezing
winters using their favorite firepot Kangri from 1947, we heaved a sigh of
relief and onwards till present time, we progressed a lot in every field of
life.
After every five years we choose
our rulers MLAs and MPs to run government. Democratic setup has been adopted by
the country by which the constitution Supreme is supreme. Since 1990, we have
witnessed an uprising in the valley , who disturbed this setup of self chosen Government
in last elections, Government announced the monthly full pay in favor of
the people engaged in election duties.
This is being treated as
compulsory Duty for Government employees.One of my friend hailing from Srinagar
holding a Gazetted post in education department was deputed in a village as presiding
officer and was supported to report at respective polling booth.
The relevent material would be
delivered to them by Police party, half an hour before the fixed time of
polling, at the respective polling booths. The concerned personal will report
the Tehsil office one day before. The concerned officials designated as
presiding officer and others will be carried to their destination by the police
party.
Civil traffic will remain
suspended for 24 hours. The concerned officials are happy as they will get one
month of pay + his own pay and also election duty charges. “Eid is after 10
days I will bring a dress to my loving daughter + my better half and my son who
has been asking a special type of dress”. Surely thoughts occupied his mind, just like the morning sunrays fall on the
green tiny leaves of crops like paddy and wheat and the dew drops shine like
the pearls of Diamonds , so is the case with presiding officer , he smiles and
his sweet smile reflects on the faces of family members making their mood happy.
On the fixed date he reached the
Tehsil office after necessary directions they were carried to their destination.
A coutengent of J & K police along with concerned officials of polling were
dropped to their places. They were all happy and remained in a school building.
and baked rotis for them and left. They were gossiping during the night at 2300
hrs suddenly gunshot were heard nearly . The police party retaliated , the polling
officials began to hide themselves. The presiding officer was from city and was
unaware of village routes , but enroute to village he saw a Mosque nearby.
He ran towards the Mosque , dressed
a civilian in kurta pajama and bare footed. Unfortunately Mosque was locked. He
saw a coffin and hide inside that coffin. It was around 0000 hrs midnight ,
gunshots stopped . Different thoughts were coming to his mind like, perhaps somebody
might have been hit by the bullet and possibly be dead.
According to Muslim Shariat a
dead body can be buried irrespective of day and night “ in the morning people
will come, they will carry the coffin , they will be afraid if it is a ghost or
a demon in the coffin, because not a single villager knows me. Some will
suggest to bury me first and dig Grave. May be they will bury me alive, what
will happen to me”.
Such thoughts captured his mind “
May be someone will call police to identify the dead body.” The poor man was weeping
in the coffin. All his dreams are wiped
off by the tears. Now thoughts come to his mind – pray to God , the only Saviour.
Till morning everybody must be safe in the village until I came out of this coffin.
Allah Hu Akbar”, a call for Islam preachers to come for prayers to Mosque. He
had a sigh of relief and slowly opened the lid of the coffin and ran towards
his destinated native place of residence.
By-Prof. Trilok Singh
(Senior Lecturer at Diet Shopian, Kashmir)
R/o.Gamaraj Tral
Tral Pulwama
(M) 8899544300
