Pandits, Sikhs share grief of Burhan’s killing
Burhan was like my son: Lata Devi
On 8th of July, When news about the killing of Burhan Wani broke out in Tral town, Lata Devi Kashmiri Pandit women like hundreds of other Muslim women rushed to Burhan’s home wailing and sobbing.
“I did not eat anything that day, I swear of my son. How could we eat? He was like my son,” Devi said at his home enveloped by the cluster of Muslim houses in the Tral-i-Payeen locality of town.
Raju interrupted her mother and was all praise for Burhan’s family, “ Muzafar Sahib(Burhan’s father) taught me mathematics in 11th and 12th class in school as well at his home. He did not charge me a single penny. Burhan was a kid then. Muzafar Sahib is a great personality. He always treated us like his sons,” he told Kashmir Diamond.
Raju remembers how Burhan would crack a joke with them at his home, “when Muzafar Sahib was not at his home. Burhan would tell us that he would teach us today,” he said.
Most of us were at Burhan’s home for all four days from dawn to dusk to pay a tribute to him like all others, he said.
At a stone’s throw from Lata devi’s house, Toota Devi who didn’t leave Kashmir when others left was also praise for his Kashmiri Muslim brothers.
“They are always available to us for anything. Whether it is good or bad day for us. They are very supportive of us. Govt always abandoned us. We are here only because of support from locals,” she said.
Her son, Ashok, 38 year old who is a baker by profession told Kashmir Diamond that he never felt different from his Muslim friends.
“We have studied together, we have grown up together. We have shared everything. Even when eatables are depleting in kitchens, we don’t have issue, I can myself get any eatable from Mushtaq’s(his next door neighbor) kitchen. So can him,” he said at his home where many of his Muslim friends are sipping tea.
Raju accused Government of neglecting them, “we are three brothers, but all are unemployed. We are not here because of Govt doles and benefits, we have lived here all these years because our Muslim brothers never gave us the feeler we are others. Our grievances are same, our aspirations are same,” he told Kashmir.
In the main town Tral, 500 meters away from Burhan Wani’s home, around 10 Pandit families lived here all these years.
“No one did harm to us. Government has set up a police post in one of the abandoned houses of pundits, but we are not secure because of them, but we feel secure in presence of our Muslim brothers,” Sanat Ram, Ashok’s father said.
Next morning Sunny Singh and his cousins of Arigam village rushed in with other Muslim boys of his village to Tral Eidgah where people in hundrends of thousands had come to have a last glimpse of their cherished militant commander-Burhan Wani.
Making a way in the Eid Gah- more than the size of football stadium to reach close to the Burhan so that he can say a last good bye to one his favorite militants.
“We have loved Burhan like any other boys. He represented us too, I would say everyone. He was a hero for all of us,” he told Kashmir Diamond.
Singh castigated the role of Indian media in creating a divide between Muslims and minority communities.
“ They should sometimes come to Tral and witness on the ground how despite being hot bed of militancy, minorities are well protected and guarded not by forces but by our own Muslim brothers. Social security is more important than Government provided armed security.”
Meanwhile apprehensive about the attacks on the police posts guarding minority communities, authorities abandoned the police posts in Tral area.
Residents of minority community villages said that during the night of Thursday, police vehicles reached the village and took their men away from these posts.
Jatindar singh of Kangloora village which has a good chunk of Sikh population said that it is for the first time security posts have been withdrawn since their deployment in 2001 after Chatisinghpora massacre.
“At around 10:30 Pm, police personal were withdrawn from here. When government cannot keep security in tough times, then what for they are deployed. We don’t need it now. Majority community is with us,” he said at his village which is 6kms uphill from Tral town.
Another resident of same village, Jogindar Singh said that government acted in haste, “they should have informed us at least- Numberdar, chowkidar and village elders-anyone I mean.”
There have been reports of withdrawn of minority security posts in Ourigund, Chattrigam, Khasipora, Nehar and other places.
It is pertinent to mention that a police post meant to guard Pandit homes in town was attacked by youth.
Police had to resort heavy aerial firing and teargas shelling to evacuate three of their men from the police post.
