Even epitaphs cannot rest in peace in Kashmir. While some graves are revered like holy sites, others are바카라 웹사이트desecrated or simply shoved into oblivion.
In this바카라 웹사이트landscape of myriad graveyards, two such graves - both belonging to ‘Babs’ (fathers) or ‘Qaids’ (leaders) to their followers - have assumed special바카라 웹사이트significance in recent years.
One belongs to바카라 웹사이트National Conference founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah while the other to바카라 웹사이트separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani. The latter's burial created a hullabaloo in recent times following his death when many in the Hurriyat patriarch's family claimed that Kashmiri authorities had taken away his body and buried it in haste.
But today, let us talk of NC leader Abdullah라이브 바카라 grave, situated in Srinagar라이브 바카라 Hazratbal area, nestled amidst the바카라 웹사이트Chinars along the picturesque Dal Lake, overlooking the Zabarwan mountain range.바카라 웹사이트
On 5th December, which is Abdullah라이브 바카라 birth anniversary, his grave was decked in red, NC라이브 바카라 party flag colour. Hordes of NC party men바카라 웹사이트thronged to the바카라 웹사이트venerated site to바카라 웹사이트offer their respects and바카라 웹사이트prayers for the바카라 웹사이트‘Bab’.
Born to the middle-class family of a shawl maker at Soura locality in Srinagar outskirts, Abdullah went on to champion the rights of people of J&K. He passed his matriculation from Punjab University, before doing his MSc. from Aligarh Muslim University. It was at AMU that he was inspired to fight for the rights of Kashmiris.
Abdullah is often referred to by NC followers as ‘Sher-e-Kashmir’, the 'Lion of Kashmir’. They often speak of the aura바카라 웹사이트their “stalwart” leader possessed. Some even believe that had Abdullah been alive,바카라 웹사이트Article 370 would not be abrogated.
Then there are people for whom Abdullah라이브 바카라 legacy has been nothing but a바카라 웹사이트disdainful blot. For them, Abdullah is a “traitor” who sold Kashmir for his own interests.바카라 웹사이트
Though Abdullah라이브 바카라 mausoleum at Hazratbal바카라 웹사이트attracted hordes of visitors on Monday who prayed for the departed soul, there are occasions when people curse him.바카라 웹사이트 In many of the Valley라이브 바카라 drawing-room discussions and at times outside바카라 웹사이트shopfronts or during social gatherings, Abdullah is often “cursed” for Kashmir라이브 바카라 “ill-fate”.바카라 웹사이트
Considered one of Kashmir라이브 바카라 “tallest leader” once who commanded respect throughout the바카라 웹사이트Valley, certain바카라 웹사이트events in Kashmir라이브 바카라 history, particularly 1975 Indira-Abdullah accord and militancy in 1990 made Abdullah a "villain" in the eyes of many.
In October 1947, when Kashmir became a part of the country, following the last Dogra ruler Hari Singh라이브 바카라 signing of the instrument of accession, it was Abdullah, Kashmiris believe, who orchestrated the whole thing, since he was the leader with mass unrelenting support.
Also, it was Abdullah who successfully negotiated the induction of Article 370 in the Constitution. It was for this reason that Abdullah became the바카라 웹사이트‘Bab’ or ‘Lion’ to many Kashmiris.바카라 웹사이트
So, why is ‘Lion of Kashmir’ seen in a different way in Kashmir today?바카라 웹사이트While his바카라 웹사이트admirers have their own reasons to love him,바카라 웹사이트despisers and deniers too have their arguments.
Abdullah was Prime Minister of J&K from 1948 to 1953. It was in 1953 that he was jailed in Kashmir Conspiracy Case after he started championing for Kashmir라이브 바카라 ‘Azadi’. Critics argue that in 1975,바카라 웹사이트Abdullah gave up his struggle and instead chose his own political career.
Later, when bullets and bombs shattered the바카라 웹사이트Valley라이브 바카라 serene바카라 웹사이트landscape, Abdullah was again slammed by critics, particularly after an event in Srinagar라이브 바카라 Lal Chowk when emotionally charged youth came out of Regal Cinema after watching ‘Lion of Desert’, the Hollywood film바카라 웹사이트showcasing struggles of Libyan freedom fighter Umar Mukhtar, and바카라 웹사이트burnt down several바카라 웹사이트life-sized portraits of Abdullah that had adorned바카라 웹사이트the streets of Lal Chowk at the바카라 웹사이트time.바카라 웹사이트
Such is the anger against Abdullah바카라 웹사이트among a section of people in Kashmir that there have been foiled attempts to desecrate Abdullah라이브 바카라 grave. Such attempts have been made both바카라 웹사이트by militants as well as protesters such as in 2008 when street protests were a common sight in Kashmir.
There are “die hard” fans of Abdullah still, who believe that his credentials can never be detested.
In 2019, when there was communication blockade in Kashmir, a stocky old man who used to deliver press notes to the newspaper offices each day was asked by reporters what he felt about Abdullah. His response? That바카라 웹사이트he wanted to carry forward "the mission of the Sher-e-Kashmir”.바카라 웹사이트The old man turned out to be a retired officer, who gets a handsome pension and carries on with NC out of mere political conviction.바카라 웹사이트
Men like him believe that it was Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad, GM Sadiq, and later the Muftis and even now Bukharis, who always put “Kashmir on sale”.
There is also a section of the landlord class바카라 웹사이트that바카라 웹사이트despises Abdullah for his ‘land to tiller’ act in 1953. The act brought in by Abdullah didn’t allow landlords to keep more than 20 acres of agricultural land and one acre of residential land. The excess land라이브 바카라 ceiling was transferred to the tillers, as per the act. It facilitated바카라 웹사이트the removal of the feudal landlord system of jagirdari바카라 웹사이트in Kashmir and was considered a “landmark” act.바카라 웹사이트
Abdullah's grave lies just miles away from the separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani. But the difference in the two바카라 웹사이트leaders, both in life and death,바카라 웹사이트reflect the duality of바카라 웹사이트politics in Kashmir, where even graveyards바카라 웹사이트cannot be apolitical. It is perhaps for this reason that Abdullah라이브 바카라 biography ‘Aatish-e-Chinar’ has this couplet of Allama Iqbal라이브 바카라 inscribed in it:
Jis Khak Kay Zameer Main Hou Aatish-e-Chinar,
Mumkin Nahin Ki Sard Hou Woh Khak-e-Arjmand
(The dust that carries in its conscience the fire of the Chinar, It is impossible for that celestial dust to cool down).
바카라 웹사이트
