Opinion | Kashmiri Youth Are Used as Cannon Fodder

By : Syed Jahanzaib Kashmiri

“Smallest coffins are the heaviest.” Yes, there is nothing more saddening than a child’s death for parents, but there is nothing more painful for a parent to see unnatural death of his/ her son who himself choose the path of death. In Kashmir, hundreds of young men, without caring about their parents, take up arms and die. Thus, they leave their parents in a pathetic state for the entire life.

There are hundreds of such cases where young boys took up arms without informing their family members. Parents later come to know that their wards have joined terrorist ranks. Their family members know they will be killed anytime and when their bullet ridden dead bodies arrive home, then begins an endless miserable life for the parents.

Islam warns sons from disobeying their parents, and promises someone who disobeys parents, he will be punished for this sin, particularly during his life before his death. The prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “God delays what he wills from all sins to the day of Judgment, except disobeying parents, God hastens it to the doer in life before death.”

Islam asks men to honour and obey their parents, not only during their lifetime, but also after their death. A man asked the prophet: “Is there still anything by which I obey and honor my parents after their death?”

The prophet said: “Yes, by praying for them, asking forgiveness for them, fulfilling their covenant, honouring their friends and keeping in touch with the kinship from their sides.” Unfortunately, these young boys who leave their parents and join terrorism are least bothered about what Islam has said about duties towards their parents. There are dozens of similar stories where parents have been pushed to wall by their own sons.

The senseless violence has consumed lives of hundreds of young Kashmiris and created numerous problems to the parents of these terrorists. Strong efforts are being made by the government to persuade the terrorists towards a normal life. Even when encounters are in process, forces offer opportunity to surrender to terrorists who are caught in the cordon. Sometimes offers are accepted, but most of the times terrorists neglect the offer and die.

To bring them back into the normal life the programme — ”Operation Maa”was launched by Chinar Corps of the Indian Army in Jammu and Kashmir in 2019. Basic objective behind the programme was to ensure that youth indoctrinated into terrorism are brought back into the folds of mainstream society. The programme has been designed to help rehabilitate the local youth of the Valley who have chosen the path of terrorism.

It is said that local youth recruited by terror groups were contacted through their mothers. Though, in the past, the forces had been appealing to the misguided youth in the Valley to surrender, but the “Operation Maa” was successful beyond expectations. Also, this programme was further focused at convincing the youth that there will be no consequences pursuant to their abandoning of terror groups. The youth who would respond to the appeals through proper channels of communication were further convinced that their identities will not be revealed. They are also convinced that details about their rehabilitation will not be publicised and that their identities will also be kept a secret from their close relatives. Indeed, it was a wonderful idea which needs to be continued.

Instead of becoming helping hand to our parents in their old age, we escape from our responsibilities and pickup arms. If we are unable to think about our own parents, how can we be helpful to the whole society. Parents give birth to us, endure great pains to raise us, educate us and get us settled in our lives. It is due to their love and efforts that we become great in our lives. But unfortunately some among us leave them and die for nothing.

Therefore, in old age parents can not take care of themselves so  it is our duty to take care of them and love them. We need to honour them in every way possible, even at the cost of great personal sacrifice.

We must not to leave our parents helplessly, just to participate in an activity where we are being used as pawns for someone’s selfish gain in the name of Jihad.