Begging in the name of Kashmir Conflict NARRATING ‘ SUFFERINGS’, LOCAL ‘ BEGGARS’ SEEK MONETARY AID IN OUTSIDE STATES HAROON MIRANI Srinagar, Jan 14: Resentment is growing among people living outside the state over the influx of beggars from Kashmir who con gullible people by posing as the victims of Kashmir conflict bringing bad name to the state. These beggars frequent residential areas, colleges, hospitals asking for cash and other incentives by narrating the “ concocted tales” of suffering. Over the years, they have expanded from New Delhi to Pune, Mumbai, Bhopal, Bangalore, Ahmadabad and some parts of West Bengal. “ Yesterday, two girls in early twenties came to our apartment and started narrating tales of how their colleges were burnt and how they were forced to beg due to war in Kashmir,” said Nayeem Qureshi, an M. Phil student in Pune. “ Initially they mistook us for Afghans and when we challenged them with reality, they couldn’t face the facts and created a huge scene,” they said. These beggars usually migrate from Kashmir during the winter months and return with the onset of spring after collecting money. Their usual alibi—“ our houses have been burnt, killings happen on every street in Kashmir, we support orphans and widows”— are almost same throughout the country. They support their arguments with letter pads, receipts and papers from non- existent NGO’s and relief centres in Kashmir. Sometimes, they also carry a donation box for Kashmir relief. A Delhi based journalist, Avtar Nehru, recently wrote on his facebook wall: “ A group of young Kashmiri women posing as violence victims and currently as inmates of a National Student Camp located near Kundan Lal Petrol Pump, New Shastri Park, Delhii going door to door asking for help in cash. Apparently residents of Panipore ( Kulgam), these girls may be from poor background, but seems it has become a favorite winter hunt for them year after year. Or perhaps a fundraising for anti- national activities back in valley? Does our police or MHA have a wind of this activity.” There is no assessment of their numbers, but it easily runs into thousands. In Pune alone, the estimated number of seasonal Kashmiris is around 1500, according to a local NGO. Back home the moral high ground taken up by Kashmiris to resent non- local beggars seems lost. Observers argue that if outsiders come to Kashmir for begging in summers, Kashmiris are also doing the same in outside states during winters. Even the frequent brush with security doesn’t deter them. In December 2010, when around 50 Kashmiri families erected a makeshift camp at Rajabagan north of Kolkatta, the local police initiated an inquiry and verified their addresses from Baramulla police before letting them stay. When they were asked by media that there is relative calm in Kashmir, they retorted, “ media only highlights Srinagar incidents, you have no idea how much we suffer daily in places like Uri.” Reports said they get food from a Gurudwara, few mosques and some NGOs in Rajabagan. There are reports of frequent clashes too particularly between Kashmiris students and these beggars. “ We had a fight with three persons, one boy and two girls, right in our campus as they started collecting money for some Student Relief Committee of Kashmir,” said Shahid Dar, who is pursuing M. Com in Pune. “ When we asked for details, they started abusing us. It was a big embarrassment as we chased them out after heated arguments,” he said. Most of the Kashmiris doing business or pursuing education in other states, said “ till date people here knew them as a trader or a student.” “ But thanks to these beggars, we are being seen as beggars too,” said Dar. “ If they were genuine, it was a different case, but they are all fake and they just bring bad name to Kashmir.” The impact of this begging phenomenon in the name of Kashmir has started impacting trade too. “ They have spoiled the name of Kashmir so much that people fear coming here,” said a New Delhi based student. “ A group of my friend intended to visit Kashmir but when they heard from these beggars that murders happen on every street of Kashmir, they abandoned the idea of visiting Kashmir,” he said. These beggars are increasingly being recognized as frauds by outsiders too. “ In a masjid they claim to be victims of army and in a temple they gather donations by claiming to be victims of militants,” said Sanjay Nahar, founder President Sarhad, an NGO that works in both Kashmir and Pune. Fluent in Kashmiri, they sometimes claim to be poor Kashmiri Pandits too. “ On other occasions they claim to be from far off places or working for some non- existent orphanage Al- Muzammil,” said Qureshi. “ They usually come from certain parts of Kulgam, Bandipora and Baramulla,” said Nahar, who has been tracking them regularly. “ They have become aggressive in begging and locals see them as a nuisance.” At places they are being accused of their involvement in petty crimes including burglary and drug smuggling too. Pune police recently ordered its special branch to probe these local migrants and investigate, if it is an organized racket. In Mumbai too, these beggars from Valley are increasing their reach. After repeated complaints Maharashtra government had previously asked their counterparts in Jammu and Kashmir to probe influx of these Kashmiri beggars. In February 2011, residents of Andheri Mumbai alerted the police after they found two girls collecting money for Kashmir Relief Fund. The subsequent investigation by police revealed 350 Kashmiris living in Nirmal Nagar slums adjoining the Bandra station. The youngest of the girls who was only eight was kept at a Children’s home by the police for four days before being released. For getting permission to stay the migrants told the local administration that their wooden houses were completely destroyed in heavy hailstorms in Kupwara and Uri. In 2004 Jammu and Kashmir government had sent former IGP Kashmir Javed Makhdoomi to compile a report on this migration. The report was submitted but no action was ever taken by the state government. In 2008, the then Minister of Public Health Engineering, Irrigation, Flood Control and Horticulture Dilawar Mir also visited Pune and urged these local migrants to return back and “ not spoil the atmosphere of hospitable Pune.” Nahar opined that these people are the vulnerable too. “ First they can be easily exploited by anti- national elements and secondly if anything happens in the city, they become an easy target,” said Nahar. In the aftermath of 2008 Mumbai attacks, the situation became dangerous for them. During the heightened security, the unregistered Kashmiris living in Pune slums unnerved the local police. Taking no chances, the police bundled them in trucks and forced them out of the state. “ For money they make themselves vulnerable to exploitation. They use their young daughters for begging, and if anything happens to any of the girls, entire Kashmir will burn,” said Nahar. Nahar had time and again taken up the issue with Maharashtra government, J& K government and central government. “ Our Home Secretary had assured us of some action, but we are yet to see any of that promise,” said Nahar. “ Earlier Pune was the hotbed of these people, but the numbers are mind boggling in Bangalore and Mumbai too.” Meanwhile, the local Kashmiri students feel the once high- standard of Kashmiris is all but demolished. “ We had earned a high status here and everybody was in awe of us coming from a paradise, but now people see Kashmir as some destroyed warzone and us as professional beggars,” said Qureshi. “ Now our social life stands ruined here.”
Posted on: Sun, 19 Jan 2014 02:36:35 +0000
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