ARTHASHASHTRA OF KASHMIR
“The Arthashashtra” by Kautilya describes artha as wealth & the true meaning being material well-being. This further includes that the same can be ensured by the king (which in current’s times is the govt) by being just. Where the basic needs of each indl are taken care of, the justice is prevailing in the society by strictly enforcing the laws of land by punishing the offenders.
The people of Kashmir have been oppressed by the trts for over three decades. Ironically the Indian army while enduring its forever fight against terrorism has been vilified as suppressing the population & the trts are projected as freedom fighters. The action of army during various ops caused many difficulties in people’s day to day life. Even though the army has been fighting for the people but still has not been able to build the trust in the local populace.
In a recent incident, a lady met with road accident and succumbed after being hit by army truck while crossing the road. If impartially viewed, it was a road accident which is predating many crowded cities. Had it been any other metro city, a police case was to be filed & further proceeding would have been looked after by the court. But in Kashmir, a lady hit by ARMY truck with ARMY in bold becomes a headline & instantaneously it was all over the local news channels, YouTube & other social media sites. The crowd suddenly gathered in large numbers & started chanting anti-national slogans. However, the local RR unit within no time activated its QRTs & the sit was brought under control.
It might again be viewed by the local journalists as fear of the local RR unit that brought the crowd under control. However, nowhere was it projected & appreciated that the reputation of the local RR units with the local populace was the key in keeping the sit under control. The same RR unit within same month conducted two successful ops wherein of four trts were eliminated. The whole story here describes the “just” nature where the local RR unit has a connect with the locals not because of distributing free food or gifts but by justly punishing the offenders (trts) & was successful in assuring the people believe regarding the delivery of justice in the accident case.
Albeit it is difficult to describe a dateline by which peace and normalcy will prevail in Kashmir, but a coordinated effort by the army, police, civil servants & the govt is the need of the hour. No single entity has the ability to control this fiasco which has been prevailing over passed three decade. Also, a major role is required to be played by the media so that people don’t blindly go against the system on the death of a trt like Burhan Wani. Therefore, it is not by pleasing people with free food/gifts etc that justness of the system will be projected but by strictly enforcing the laws, punishing the offenders without causing trouble to the normal daily routine of people & providing people with the “artha” to their life that a normal may be prevailed.
