On one side, the debate on J&K was taking on a new dimension. Sociologists were discussing on the possibility of return of Kashmiri Pandits to the valley. Defence analysts were talking of the need to check mate Hurriyat. Political commentators were wondering how National Conference has become irrelevant to the J&K context and how Abdullahs have overstayed their presence in the history of the land. ISI was ranting how Kashmir should be liberated from the so called Indian occupation. Nawaz Sharif had gone huddled in a closet with his coterie to think if he can bring up the issue of Kashmir this 'n'th time to safeguard his own shaking seat in the Govt. As always - the communal, political, social and regional difference were rife.
Then came the sudden, incessant and unending downpour of rains into the State. The torrents submerged nearly half of Srinagar, killed over 160 people, displaced tens of thousands of people, destroyed homes and farmlands, tore down the flanks of the hills in landslides, broke up roads and bridges and within the blink of an eye - caused an unprecedented national disaster of sorts. In one sweeping moment of nature, all the clamour of civilization, militarization, communalism and extremism was drowned till the nostrils to the shock and dismay of people, parties and Govts. J&K on both sides of the border and across the several man-made borders, came to remain under the fury of nature, the almighty.
There is a lesson in this disaster, which is loud and clear.
Divided community, divided ideology, divided nation, divided region, divided polity and a manipulated state of existence do not provide you the strength of cooperation, mutual tolerance and mutual help that are needed to prosper and keep the nostrils in the air of existence. If we are already half drowned under the divisive forces, it only takes very little for us to fully drown under the reality of our planetary survival.
This flood is a lesson. This flood is an opportunity to drown our differences and stick our heads above the rising water. The Indian Prime Minister has already reached out to his Pakistani counterpart, offering assistance in flood relief operations in the areas "across the Line of Control", which is certainly a good initiative.
V K Saxena
NCCL
Ahmedabad
