Sameer Showkin Lone
Srinagar: As I am writing this story about the atrocious handiwork of some arsonists burning Kashmir schools, yet again news is flashing on television screens about the burning of one more school in North Kashmir’s Bandipora village.
With this fresh building reducing to ashes the toll of total schools so far burnt down in Kashmir reaches 28. Although the issue is earning widespread condemnation across the political lines, but there seems no let up in the heinous acts and the education in Kashmir continuous to burn. The education has come under fire at a place called “Peer Waer”, the land of Sufis and saints.
The school burning started since last one month after the situation in valley was returning to normalcy after it erupted over the killing of top militant commander-Burhan Muzaffer Wani of south Kashmir. He was killed in an encounter in Kokernag village of south Kashmir on July 8.
So far 93 people were killed officially and 15000 more got injured in intense clashes between the protesters and government forces.
The Kashmir society is collectively in a shock owing to growing incidents of mysterious fire incidents in school buildings from north to south Kashmir.
Who are the people behind these burning of schools is something that everyone looks for an answer. So far nothing concrete came to fore to expose the people behind such heinous crimes. But whatsoever is happening is apparently the replica of 1990’s situation.
In 1990’s most of the educational institutions in Kashmir were burnt down. It was the time when an armed insurgency backed by Pakistan against India broke out in Kashmir and the naked dance of death and destruction was visible on streets of Kashmir.
The arsonists torching the schools don’t stop even after hearing to the repeated condemnations of the separatists and Islamic scholars.
The pan Islamist and pro-freedom leaders like Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and other likeminded leaders who have been heading the Kashmir’s pro freedom demonstrations have already termed the burning of schools as un-Islamic.
“The question needs to be answered as to who is behind this burning incidents and why is it being done? Every inch of Kashmir soil and every person in Kashmir are under surveillance,” said Hurriyat (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq in a handout to press.
Amid all this mayhem the government turns a mute spectator to this schools burning. It was only after the 23rd school was reduced to ashes the ruling PDP-BJP coalition government woke up to investigate and find out who has set educational facilities in this land of sufis on fire.
At the same time, however, without losing any political opportunity, the government spokesman and Education Minister Naeem Akhtar blamed Hurriyat for playing its role to burn the schools. The separatists in turn blamed the administration for the present situation.
As politics over burning of schools refuses to die down, there have been limited voices raising their concern against this intolerable destruction of education system. But what all has been done only the statements were issued. From the separatists to mainstream parties no one stood and dared to take on arsonists though it sent shockwaves across the political and public spectrum. No civilised society tolerates or religion allows burning of educational institutions.
The BJP fears that the prevailing trend of burning schools will throw Kashmir back to the dark age and it needs to be arrested immediately.
“We can’t say who are behind this, but whosoever is involved should think twice before indulging in such acts,” says BJP leader and MLC Surinder Amberdar.
“I want the government of which I am a part to be more responsible and save these schools from burning,”
The schools are not being burnt in remote villages or other towns only, but the valley’s premier Sri-Pratap College, located in the heart of Srinagar miraculously escaped the burning bid two weeks ago.
The government apparently seems helpless to nab these arsonists and sought the support of teachers and other non teaching staff to save school buildings.
The move, however, evoked severe criticism from all the corners and teachers termed it as ‘degradation’ to their profession and forcing them to serve as chowkidars.
“The teachers, non teaching staff and peons of the respective schools are directed to keep the night vigil and save the educational institutions,” reads the government dictate.
The director education Kashmir, Ijaz Ahmad Bhat reveals that there are 11766 government schools in the valley in which 7, 28, 903 students are enrolled while in private schools the number of students is 5, 89, 734.
Interestingly, not a single school was burnt down in the hot bed of militancy in Pulwama district, the home town of top slain militant-Burhan Muzaffer Wani.
“No school has been burnt in my jurisdiction,” said SP Pulwama Rayees Muhammad Bhat.
However, the senior police officer of North Kashmir blames the stone pelters for the burning of schools.
In his jurisdiction three schools were so far torched.
“Three schools were burnt in my jurisdiction, but the burning of one school looked a different case and was not related to this latest trend of school burning. In two cases we have found that some stone pelters were involved,” he said on conditions of anonymity. He said further details can’t be revealed as the issue is under investigations.
The state’s chief minister, Mehbooba Mufti endorsed his statement and told media on November 7 that some miscreants were held for burning schools and termed the trend as ‘very unfortunate’.
The police spokesman, SSP Manoj Pandita,, however, says that in all the cases the FIRs have been lodged and investigations are on.
“I don’t remember the exact number of schools being burnt down so far. But wherever it was set alight FIR has been lodged and the investigations are going on,” he told The Legitimate.
Noted journalist Shuja-ul-Haq working for India today group few weeks ago took to twitter to post the burnt image of his childhood school.
“When I saw the burnt walls of my childhood school in Ashmuqam,” Haq tweeted. He talked about his school, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV), which survived the peak of militancy in the valley unscathed.
“Today, arsonists have tried to reduce it to a relic. My JNV has become the latest casualty of a series of school burnings in Kashmir, a phenomenon that never happened even during the height of insurgency in the valley 25 years ago.”
Religious leaders speak
Muzzafar Wani, father of slain militant commander, Burhan Wani and a teacher by profession, whose killing sparked unrest in Kashmir expressed “deep pain” over the burning down of schools. He made a fervent appeal to those behind it to refrain from targeting educational institutions.
“As a teacher, whenever a school is burnt down, my heart is set on fire.”
Noted Islamic scholar and Jamaat Islami senior leader Dr Hameed Fayaz, said Islam in no way allows burning of schools. “This is totally un-Islamic and condemnable in strong words. Whosoever are doing such acts are actually axing the basic principles of Islam,” he rues.
“The knowledge explosion is because of Islam,” he says. “The Prophet (SAW) even after the Battle of Badr assured the captured prisoners of Ansar tribe that they will be set free after they impart the education to the children of His companions,” he quotes the Islamic history.
The prisoners of Ansar tribe had hold on some scripts and languages and certainly were not Islamic scholars. “With this we can estimate the importance of education in Islam,” he quotes the Islamic history.
Dr. Fayaz recalls the contribution of prophet’s companion and says that Maaz Ibn Jabal, one of His companions after assuming the charge of governor of Yemen revolutionised its education sector.
“Maaz Bin Jabal set up schools and ensured presence of teachers at every school. He himself turned into inspector of schools,” says Fayaz.
“He gave education a systematic system, which later expanded to Bahrain and other parts of that area. Islam gives clear message to promote education,”
He termed the burning of schools in a Muslim majority state like Jammu and Kashmir very unfortunate and a very bad deed. “It is not a good thing at all. It is a very wrong deed whoever is involved in it is actually is only harming our society at large,” Dr. Fayaz warns.
The author can be reached at [email protected]
The story first appeared in print edition of Nov 9 to 15, 2016.
