Murdering a journalist

The daylight murder of a guarded journalist could become the Valley’s make or break moment. If the present atmosphere of intimidation was not enough, Shujaat Bukhari’s killing will put the lid on any opinion that differs from the two existing binaries that are allowed to exist in a conflict zone. The proposal to extend the cessation of operations is now dead in water; the hesitant and delicate strands of political outreach are set to wither, and the heavy hand of anti-insurgency operations all set to envelop the Valley. As noted by National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, the number of violent incidents during Ramzan doubled; meaning, there was no reciprocation to the cessation of security operations during the holy month.

But those pistol shots in the heart of Srinagar on Thursday have caused widespread collateral damage than all the incidents that sought to mar the Ramzan cessation of operations. Finger-pointing immediately began on India’s slippage on the press freedom index, now dangling one slot above Pakistan. This was hours after a UN panel noted the “chronic impunity of security forces” on both sides of the LoC. We may rightly or righteously resist either insinuation but both point to a dangerous narrowing of space for the civil society. The killing will worsen the life of the common rural citizen already overrun by militants and security dragnets: it has benched the possibility of panchayat elections, the basic unit of local administration, or even the long-vacant Anantnag Lok Sabha seat.

When the wheat of divergent opinions is winnowed, Shujaat will be found in the corner for promoting democratic values based on freedom and equality. His death should be a rallying point for all those who will be the losers in the continuing cycle of violence. Kashmir has seen similar, if not greater, dispiriting junctures in its interminable, three-decade-long position as a violent intersection of clashing aims about its geopolitical future. An influential section of Kashmir’s polity has rightly identified the challenges that come from the muzzling of the messenger. Both the Centre and the state government owe it to the fallen journalist to help Kashmir find its voice again.