Eid to Eid, it’s unrest unabated
Rifat Mohidin
Tribune News Service
Srinagar, September 12
On the evening of July 9, Saniya, 23, and her cousins at her home in Rawalpora, Srinagar, were planning to go on a picnic the next day as it was the third day of Eid-ul-Fitr.
All cousins and family members had gathered to celebrate Eid with their families in Kashmir. Little did they know how the situation was to unfold. It has been nine weeks since Saniya has been confined to her home as killings and protests continue in the Valley.
“We were sitting in a room and there was a news flash that Burhan Wani had been killed. What followed were protests and slogans from mosques. Suddenly, everyone was on roads. People forgot celebrations and festivities. Since then, every day has been same,” says Saniya, an Islamic studies student.
It is just a day to go for another important festival, Eid-ul-Azha, but markets are deserted. At some places, people are observing civilian curfew. No one wants to celebrate. There is no festivity. For many people, the two festivals of Eid connects this unrest.
“We celebrated two days of Eid in July. Then, everything suddenly changed. We did not have an idea that it would take so long. Now, we do not want a sudden end to it. We want normalcy, but with a permanent resolution,” says Bashir Ahmad of Mahraja Bazar.
Since July 9, there has been no let-up in protests, particularly in south Kashmir. The government has deployed additional forces in all sensitive areas, but people still come out in large numbers to protest.
The people who have been caged in their homes due to restrictions have no joy for the upcoming festive day. They expect Eid to be no better than all days in the last nine weeks.
“I am sure that there will be curfew. It will be no different. These days will be remembered as the period between two important occasions, the two Eids,” says Fardeea Begum of Srinagar.
