Manan and his Ilk are Victims of Evil Foreign Sponsored Forces

By Col. Jaibans Singh

New Delhi, Oct 13, 2018: Manan Bashir Wani, who chose to pursue the path of terrorism at the behest of enemies of the Nation, has been eliminated by the security forces within nine months of his joining the terrorist organisation, Hizbul Mujahideen. The second terrorist to be killed with Wani was identified as Ashiq Hussain Zargar.

The situation in Kashmir post the gunning down of Wani and his accomplice is running the traditional script. Soon after the news of the encounter broke, violent clashes erupted in parts of Kupwara and Handwara. There was sponsored upheaval, disorder, and disruption. The segment of media in Kashmir that is controlled by foreign powers started bending backward to give to him a cult-like status, akin to that of the terrorist Burhan Wani, who was gunned down two years ago.

Kashmir media, suitably egged on by the separatists, started talking about “martyrdom of Manan Wani.” He is also being projected as a “Scholar Militant,” in view of the fact that, to become a terrorist, he left his education as a PhD student in Aligarh Muslim University from where he had also completed his MPhil in Geology. The captive media is also attempting to create an aura of a huge spike in the so-called militancy in Kashmir. It is taking great pains to highlight that educated youth from well to do families are now joining the path of terrorism.

The matter has to be seen in perspective! Firstly, it needs to be understood that there is no militancy in Jammu and Kashmir; those who pick up the gun are petty terrorists working for an inimical foreign power and pursuing an anti-national agenda. Secondly, the numbers are miniscule. It may be recalled that about two decades ago, till the beginning of this millennium, there were more than 10,000 terrorists operating in Jammu and Kashmir. With time this number has been reduced to about 200 terrorists operational only in the Kashmir Valley; of these about 60 percent are local youth – the likes of Manan Wani.

For the security forces, that were successful in eliminating enemies of the state in the count of thousands infiltrated from across a porous border, the present scenario of 200 odd terrorists poses little challenge. As in the case of Manan Wani, such terrorists have a lifespan of a few months before they are eliminated. The numbers that fluctuate between 150 to 300 cause a flutter in the media but have little consequence in security terms.

The political narrative post the death of Manan Wani is also following the traditional script. There is a talk of lack of political will of the central government, atrocities being committed by security forces, oppressive policies being followed etc. The script is emotionally charged and designed to ignite a violent reaction.

The duplicity of those indulging in such propagandist rhetoric becomes very apparent from their boycott of the Panchayat and Local Bodies elections, how do they expect the political process to take firm roots if they do not become a part of the same? So far as the conduct of security forces is concerned, it needs to be emphasised that, by eliminating terrorists, they are protecting the citizens from violence and tenuous law and order situations. That they are exhibiting exemplary restraint and humanity in the conduct of such operations is highly appreciable. Manan Wani was also requested by the security forces to surrender, it is only when he refused to relent that he was killed in the operation. The charge of security forces committing atrocities remains unsubstantiated and unfounded.

It is quite obvious that the evil secessionist forces operating in Kashmir are exploiting the death of Manan Wani to further their nefarious agenda! They will continue with their disruptive activities so long as it is possible and then wait from the next opportunity to come by. They have no interest in Wani, or his family.

Those who were responsible for the induction of Manan Wani onto the path of their so-called militancy (read terrorism) should have also taken responsibility to train him. The fact that he could not last for even a year shows that he got no training whatsoever. Things went wrong the first day when he posted his photograph on FaceBook; putting a photo in the social media is the last thing that a professional militant, insurgent or a terrorist would do, the young boy was misled into taking this action by his masters who wanted to accrue propagandist leverage from his joining. The action led to his identification and made him a marked man at the very outset and ultimately led to his death. 

It would be interesting for the family of Manan Wani and the people of Kashmir to reflect on the circumstance under which he and his accomplice came into the dragnet of the security forces. The cordon was laid on a tipoff! The Intelligence of his whereabouts would have come from somebody close to him, hence, he had detractors in his own organisation and among the people whom he considered to be his own and who ultimately used him as cannon fodder.

Manan Wani has left behind grieving parents and a void in his family. It is being said that he was an intelligent man, in which case, he could have done so much for his people by staying alive. People like him should form an alternative to the jaded leadership in Kashmir that has singularly failed to stand up to the aspirations of the people. It is so sad that the ideologically committed youth of Kashmir are not realising that they are being urged on to the path of self-destruction in order to eliminate the challenge that they pose to the existing leadership. Manan Wani is a true example of a life quenched for no purpose whatsoever. The parents and elders in Kashmir should realise as to how they are being manipulated and they should ensure that their wards do not fall prey to such evil forces.

(Jaibans Singh is a reputed analyst and columnist)