[Reader-list] PROFILING GEELANI - Krishna of the Kashmir Mahabharata

[Kshmendra Kaul]

Interesting deification of Syed Ali Geelani. Whether by design or as per standard procedures, the article is no longer available in the Archives of Greater Kashmir. 
 
Kshmendra
 
 
PROFILING GEELANI - PERSPECTIVE in GREATER KASHMIR of 23/09/08
 
 
VIEWPOINT



Error apart, Geelani’s role in sustaining the movement is a reality which no one can afford to underestimate, comments Dr. Sheikh Showkat Hussain.
 

Krishna of our Mahabharata:

 Ongoing conflict in Kashmir resembles Mahabharata in so many ways. In Mahabharata, five Pandav brothers were fighting koravs. Koravs were hundred in number. Like Kashmiris Pandavs were outnumbered by their adversaries. On the lines of Kashmir conflict it was a war between two parties, those who were fighting for a just cause were pitted against a disproportionately strong enemy. It is normal in conflicts of this type that because of prolongation of hostilities, parties get fatigued. This fatigue syndrome is obvious usually among those on weaker side. Arjun the hero of Mahabharata was suffering from the same fatigue syndrome. Krishna relieved him of this by communicating Bhagvat Geeta. A discourse on merits of persistent efforts for achievement of an object irrespective of a horrifying path. Kashmiris also suffered from a similar syndrome. Syed Ali Geelani plays the role of Krishna by infusing within a fatigued lot an aspiration for continuity of the
 struggle. His discourse consists of abstractions. He makes a case on the basis of values not specific to space and time. It doesn’t deal with specifics of the struggle nor transmits any particular strategy.  At times, some people get dismayed of him because they want to see in him Arjun which he is not. Unfortunately we are not familiar with any Arjun within our movement despite the fact that so many emerged in nineties. Inflated images of all our Arjuns fizzled out in course of the struggle. At one juncture we saw some within the clutches of Musharraf while others overwhelmed by Ghandian sermon of Ahimsa Parmodarma. Some have deficit of credibility while others lack competence. Those promoted by some pseudo intellectuals are bereft of both.  The one who qualifies to be Arjun remains hostage of our friends in neighborhood. Both Krishna and Arjun are indispensable for our struggle. We have Krishna but do not know how long we have to wait for Arjun
 the one who can strategize the struggle in the context of our space and time. 
 

Old Man Of The Sea:

 Old Man and The Sea is a famous novel by Earnst Hemingway. It has been appreciated throughout the world and the author was awarded noble prize for writing it. The novel is about an old fisherman who is determined to catch biggest ever fish caught by anyone. In this pursuit, he moves to deep sea in his small boat and takes risks which ordinary fishermen are scared to take. They prefer smaller fish and perceive efforts of the old man to be result of his senile mindset. Their appreciation is that the old man will never be able to catch one and thus mock at him. The old man remains undeterred and indifferent towards the smaller fish which he comes across. One day, towards the end of his life, he manages to catch one, proceeds with it towards the shore though most of it is consumed on the way still he manages to reach the shore with it. Everyone gets astonished and praises the old man for his determination and ultimate success. S A Geelani like old man of
 the sea also aims at securing a dream target i.e. right of self determination for his people. Adverse situations and all talk of non achievability of self determination don’t impress him. Like old man of the sea, he is indifferent rather sarcastic in rejection of the half baked solutions. Autonomy, self rule, pre 1953 position are simply blasphemous constructs for him. His motto seems to be that it is better to die in pursuit of ascendance to Everest rather than boasting on ones achievements on reaching the peak of a hillock.
 

The Only ‘young’ man among the ‘old’:

 Indhira Gandhi was the strongest Prime Ministers of India. Her courage and determination surpassed even that of her father. She ruled India with iron fist and marginalized everyone who came on her way. On account of these attributes a journalist of her times mentioned her to be the only man within her cabinet. The reason for this tribute was that everyone within her cabinet including veterans of Indian freedom movement were helpless and meek before her determination and strength. She achieved this distinction of being called as the only man within her cabinet because everyone else was unable to assert in anyway against her devotion. S A Geelani is the oldest leader among secessionists. Everyone besides him seems to be tired of the onGoIng struggle. Every single secessionist leader had been desperately looking for an escape route. Despite the fact, that their age, physical strength and everything else favoured them. Geelani in spite of disadvantageous
 position in terms of age, health, negative publicity remained determined and consistent in his efforts towards the onGoIng movement. He has never been in haste. On this account it will not be wrong if we call him as the only ‘young’ man among others who otherwise are far younger to him. 
 

THE SLIP 

 His discourse often creates storms like the one he uttered at Polo Ground. Having a bitter experience of collectivity his remarks were not wrong though not behooving him. But given the fact that he has to deal with those who have been consistently on a spree of selling Kashmir and its freedom movement his bitterness becomes understandable. Even now we have people who pretend to lead processions during day time while seeking reinforcement of their security from the state administration at night. We have people portraying Kashmiris as a tired and fatigued lot ready to concede to anything achievable. Those giving sermons of indigenization need to introspect their own behavior when they danced like remote controlled toys on dictates of General Musharaf while Geelani alone dared to convey to Pakistan that we will continue the freedom struggle with or without your support. Unity is an asset for every freedom movement but it is the unity of masses. Hurdling
 together Pro-freedom leaders along with passive collaborators of the status quo only impedes the freedom struggle. Those who are sincere, masses accept them. They don’t need any certificate or acknowledgement. If we have to opt between unity of leadership and our destiny i.e. freedom, the only choice is freedom. In this pursuit even if we have to leave those who don’t have strength to move they should be allowed to relax. The ones feeling his presence an obstacle to secularization of the movement have to remember that it was conversion of Muslim Conference to National Conference in 1938 that landed us into trap of slavery. Our semblance (what we locally prefer to call tainth) of being secular and its praise by Gandhi did not stop ethnic cleansing and genocide of Jammu Muslims in 1947. World didn’t become more receptive to secular Sheikh Abdullah and Yasir Arafat than it remains to Hammas. Absolute polarization within state has already taken steam
 out of this approach. Those approaching the issues from post 9/11 global paradigm should realize that they live in a post Russian invaded Georgian era. Gone are the days when Americans use to rally the World behind its adventurism against the Muslim World. With cold war type scenario re-emerging the world powers may soon be competing each other to enlist the support of Muslims along with their fundamentalist traits as happened during Cold War era. They have already started to negotiate with Hammas, Hizb-ullah & Iran. Let us portray ourselves as we are and let the world reconcile to our existence as we are. Freedom is not given as a gift it is conceded to those who are not shy of asserting their identity.
 
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