Kashmiri youth swarm army recruitment rally

[ejazr]

http://twocircles.net/2011feb19/kashmiri_youth_swarm_army_recruitment_rally.html

Srinagar: Over 8,000 enthusiastic local youth Saturday thronged an army recruitment rally at Manasbal Sainik School in north Kashmir's Ganderbal district.

Braving rain and sleet, the youth reached the recruitment venue early Saturday morning not to miss their chance to join the Indian army.

"Recruitments are being held today for Srinagar and Anantnag districts and in the coming days we would also be holding recruitment rallies for the other districts in the Valley," said a recruiting official at the rally.

Carrying their testimonials in hand, the youth jostled with each other to make it to the rally.

"I have been waiting outside the gate since 5 a.m. to join the rally," said Sajjad, 20, who had come to Manasbal, 34 km north of summer capital Srinagar, from his south Kashmir Anantnag home.

Another youth Ishfaq, a graduate from Anantnag, said: "Joining the army has been a passion for me. There is a lot of unemployment here and the army can give me the chance to earn a decent living."

The enthusiasm of the local youth to look for a career in the army is a far cry from the past when Kashmiris shied away from joining the security forces in the Valley.

"Breaking of the psychological barrier by the local youth who are looking for a career in the army and other security forces in the Valley is definitely a welcome development.

"As more and more locals join the army and other security forces here, the distance between the youth and the security forces would naturally start melting," said a police officer deployed to ensure smooth conduct at the rally.

 

[ejazr]

J&K youths brave threats, weather for Army jobs

JAMMU: Ignoring militants' warning against joining the Army and bucking conventional wisdom that Kashmiris hate the men in olive, more than 9,000 jobless youths thronged a recruitment rally at Manasbal Sainik School in Ganderbal district of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday.

Giving out the number of aspirants, official sources said the enthusiastic youths assembled at the school since morning, some reaching the venue as early as 5 am, braving rain and sleet, with the hope of donning the uniform. A defence spokesman said a bigger response was expected on Sunday, the last day of the recruitment rally.

The drive is being held to induct soldiers from Srinagar and Anantnag districts. Similar rallies will be held for other districts of the Valley in the coming days, said an Army officer. This comes a month after a police recruitment drive in Srinagar city, where nearly 3,000 youths tried their luck.

This is not the first time that Kashmiri youths have responded to the Army's recruitment drive. More than 3,000 men filed in for a four-day recruitment rally near Rangreth in Srinagar on May 25, 2007. A recruitment drive in 2009 too witnessed a huge response, with over 8,000 men turning up, again at Rangreth.

At the Manasbal Sainik School, men in the 19-25 year age group jostled with one other to show their capabilities. Gulzar Ahmad Dar (22), an aspirant from Manigam, said, ``Since there are no jobs with the state government, I tried my luck with the Army but unfortunately my height failed me.''

Armed with his certificates, Altaf Ahmad Hakim of Bambloora village said, ``I have given up hope that our chief minister Omar Abdullah, whom we voted for, will provide jobs to Ganderbal youths. Even though I was not selected in this rally, I am hopeful that next time I will get the chance to join the Army.''

Ishfaq, a graduate from Anantnag, said: "Joining the Army has been a passion for me. There is a lot of unemployment here and the Army can give me the chance to earn a decent living.''

A youth from Thuru village in Ganderbal was optimistic about his chances. "I perhaps met the criteria and am hopeful of being selected,'' he said refusing to reveal his name.

Several militant outfits, including Hizbul Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Taiba, have in the past asked youths from Kashmir to stay away from such rallies and also threatened to kill family members of those who join the Army or other paramilitary forces.

The enthusiasm of the locals to look for a career in the Army is a far cry from when Kashmiris shied away from joining the security forces.

 

[The Messiah]

I am still skeptical.

Few bad elements can sneak in and make the situation worse for majority of kashmiris.

 

[Singh]

Not too sound to pessimistic but I think these drives show the level of unemployment and economic growth in the state.

 

[mayfair]

Are these blokes there under explicit instructions to infiliterate the armed forces and function as moles? The possibility cannot be ruled out. As far as the unemployment is concerned, if you scare away tourists with stones and RDX and cries of jihad, then how do you generate employment in a state where most of the people were historically dependent on tourism for their daily bread?

 

[Yusuf]

I don't know how they would infiltrate the army. These people are being recruited at the sepoy level. They won't have access to any info that they should not be in the know of.

 

[pmaitra]

Kashmiri Shia mourn India patriot

While fears that pro-Pakistan and separatist sympathisers might infiltrate the army are genuine, I would like to highlight that there are instances of Kashmiris who are patriotic. Please read the news below:

Kashmiri Shia mourn India patriot

By Altaf Hussain
BBC News, Dub, Indian-administered Kashmir

Normally such public outpourings of grief are expressed only for dead militants.

The funeral north of Srinagar in Indian-administered Kashmir was just like those of countless others who have died violently over the past 20 years.

A Muslim killed in the insurgency was laid to rest in his ancestral graveyard in the village of Dub, north of Srinagar, on Tuesday, surrounded by thousands of mourners.

What made the ceremony unusual was that this was no militant who had died fighting the Indian army.

This was a Kashmiri who served with the Indian army and died fighting the militants.

Shabir Ahmed Malik was among eight Indian soldiers killed in a gun battle earlier this week with separatist militants in Kupwara.

'Pained'

Over the past two decades, hundreds of Kashmiris have died while fighting for India.

Mr Malik was a dedicated soldier of the Indian army.

Among them are police officials and Ikhwanis, or "renegade" militants who have been persuaded or coerced - depending on who you believe - to abandon militancy and instead work for the Indian security forces. Most Ikhwanis were or are pariahs.

But Shabir, 21, joined the Indian army after passing his 12th class examination. He studied at the Sainik (army) School at Ganderbal.

Shabir's family and neighbours are proud of his army service.

"He has become a hero. He died an honourable death. I am so happy, although I am also pained at his separation," says Mohammad Yasin, a neighbour and friend of the dead man.

Mr Yasin says he still regrets not being able to join the Indian army with Shabir.

"I too went with him that day. But only three boys were selected. I was not taken because I was over age. I still feel so bad about it.

"Even now, I have a passionate desire to do something for my country like Shabir has done."

Mr Yasin says that the moving send-off given to Shabir has inspired many more youths in the village to join the army.

'Fulfilled'

"I am 28," says Showkat Ahmed. "I have never in my life seen such a funeral. Such death is pride-worthy."

Mr Malik's village showed huge pride in his army service.

Such well-attended funerals are usually the preserve of militants killed by Indian troops.

Shabir's body was kept outside the "imambara" (Shia place of worship) and the villagers mourned beside it.

They beat their chests but unlike at the funerals of militants there was no slogan shouting.

The fact the villagers are minority Shia may in part explain their pro-India loyalties. Kashmir's insurgency over the past two decades has mostly been waged by Sunni militants.

Part of the Shia community has stayed away from the separatist campaign, although some leaders of the separatist movement do belong to the Shias.

The coffin was draped in India's tricolour before it was carried to the graveyard.

Shabir's brother, Ghiulam Mohammad, says: "I wanted him to become a doctor. But he had a passion for joining the army and was determined to complete his graduation so he could become an army officer.

"He was patriotic from his childhood. He wanted to do something for his country. His ambition has been fulfilled."

The villagers have been sharing the family's grief as well as its pride in what Shabir fought for.

"Every family here is bereaved. Every family is mourning," one villager said.

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7965451.stm

 

[warriorextreme]

Rest In Peace brave soldier of India..
we are proud of you
o>

 

[neo29]

Kashmiri youth some are patriotic to the nation ... some are patriotic stone pelters loyal to separatists. It is difficult for a common man who knows the severity of the Kashmir problem to believe that are the Kashmiri's with us or against us.

 

[amitkriit]

Kashmiri youth some are patriotic to the nation ... some are patriotic stone pelters loyal to separatists. It is difficult for a common man who knows the severity of the Kashmir problem to believe that are the Kashmiri's with us or against us.

When I was studying in IIT, during first year one guy in my section was from Kashmir, he was also my lab partner. He told me that he had participated in a few anti-India processions, because others were doing it. He was never serious about those things. I believe several youths do it because it looks trendy to them, like people smoke and drink in company of other people just to become a part of the whole bunch.

 

[Ray]

Don't judge Kashmir by the protests.

When you have nothing to do, protests warm the blood in cold weather.

 

[StarShip Enterprise]

I am still skeptical.

Few bad elements can sneak in and make the situation worse for majority of kashmiris.

though alarming, the british rule had indians in both police force and army even though elements of resistance were found everywhere and popular and indigenous, unlike kashmir where its all/mostly from across border.

better to have the kashmiri youth in our pay-roll than them being in separatists payroll.
it gives them a decent/normal life or shows them what a decent living could be !!!
when they see one of them in army life-style, this will inspire/be a role model for others to join army and earn their livelihood
like how gulf countries have been for the people in communist infested kerala state.

now it will up to the army to decide how to deal with the stray elements that find their way in.

BUT GOOD JOB BY ARMY : DEFINITELY A VERY GOOD SHOW OF PR IN THE VALLEY.

 

[Tshering22]

This is a tight slap to the face of separatist snakes like Malik and Geelani. Kashmiris joining the Army will not just give them jobs but also send a wave of patriotism among Kashmiri people, which will reduce separatist tendencies. It is all a waiting game for us; we can wait and watch as Pakistani state succumbs to its own suicidal injuries. In fact, all the talks on "Kashmir Resolution" with Pakistan must be put on hold. On hold so that they continue to bleed while we simply wait for the right moment to walk into POK and take it with no military resistance.

 

[sesha_maruthi27]

Government must encourage the youth in Kashmir to join INDIAN ARMY. They must show the youth how those militants, pakistan and the I.S.I. are trying to ruin the bright future of the young boys of Kashmir and must also educate them about GOOD and BAD of the future, which lies on the hands of the youth themselves.