Flashback…
When I joined my new job in Bangalore my first concern was I-Card as my old Jawaharlal Nehru University I-Card is no longer valid. I-Card is one important asset particularly people who came from conflict region. Though we are rather “save” outside the North Eastern region because of so many reasons. In Delhi University campus, we are conveniently addressed as “chinky” and we don’t mind. However, some people got irritated when they are called Nepali-Bahadur. Not only in Delhi but other cities, Mongoloid face like us often causes “identity crisis” depicting as Chinese, Japanese, Tibetan, etc [any Southeast Asian countries]. Further, we are often portrays as one of those foreigners [tourist] until and unless reveal that we are from the conflict zone called North Eastern region.
However, for Kashmiri case the narration is different. One of my friend from Kashmir told me that the situation whether they are in Kashmir or anywhere in India they become “easy prey” for Police and Intelligence agencies to trap them in false cases. Inspite of as a Research Student at one of the Social Science Institute at Bangalore, he always carries his I-Card even when he goes out to market outside the institute, for which his friends, who are different parts of India make fun of him. ‘They do not understand how it is to be in Kashmir and how it has become my habit now,’ he said.
My Kashmiri friend stated that the common people of all age-group and of all profession carry their I-Cards once they step out their homes. The Indian army can demand I-Card anytime and anywhere. ‘A Soldier from Kaniyakumari demands identity card from me just outside my home,’ he said. He is annoyed by the behaviour of Armed Forces in Kashmir as it has become part of everyday life of a common Kashmiris to check whether he has taken identity in his pocket. The usual practice that the Armed Forces stops a bus and asks passengers to come down who have to show their card, failure of which by anyone brings wrath of soldiers on him.
During my student life [in Delhi] going home every academic break is our common ritual. Usually, we take Guwahati-bound North East Express or Brahmaputra Mail. After traveling more than 30 hours the train reaches Guwahati city [getaway of Northeast’s states]. The first sight at the Guwahati Railway platform is presence of large number of gun totted Indian Armed Forces with sniffer dogs. From here, we lost our tagged so-called “foreigner.” Welcome to the conflict zone of eastern frontier. We are not “save” in our own region. Our youth mark becomes easy “prey” and ready to face the cross questions from the camouflage brothers- Where you’re from…where are you going? Open your luggage? Raise your hands? [Ok! physical checking from the shoulder to toe]. Lastly show me your Identity Card? Guwahati railway platform begin the first identity [card] checking by the Indian Armed Force. Target is easy because of mongoloid face. In the region, youth are often picked up by the Armed Forces in the name of “law and order.” And such picked up business is common routine in the region. The provision is empowered by the “Armed Forces Special Powers [AFSP] Act,” …the scourge of the local people.
Remarks
Indeed, this is done to trap the people who fall into the State’s definition of militant or terrorists. But how can carrying of I-Card guarantees that the person is not a “militant” or “insurgent.” In the name of security, the people from these conflict zones are suffering not only from the physical abuse but also the mental torture. How long will the people from conflict zones continue to suffer by these gimmicks of coercive State apparatus, which has a life long psychological impact over their minds? He question that will I-Cards have some more meaning in their day-today life, rather keeping it in fear-psychosis of army personnel.
Is not this same as the colonial practice of identifying people into different identities which helped the colonial power to rule with ease. The carrying of I-Cards with you in conflict zones like Kashmir or North East denotes that you are being identified as “Other.” Rather than bringing people close to the Indian rule, it alienates them as they are being treated as different. One of the students from Srinagar comments that its good that we are being treated like this, as it always makes us to remember that we are not part of them.
There have been incidents that militants that were caught carried I-Cards of reputed Educational Institutions. It is not so difficult to get an I-Card. So carrying of I-Card does not speak much about the real identity or intentions. Recently one of the militants, named Kasab who was caught after Mumbai attacks (26/11) had an I-Card with an address of one of the localities in Bangalore. One angry shopkeeper from Anantnag in Kashmir says that ‘what use this I-Card is for me. I need it just to show to the army personnel whenever they demand. But this is no gurantee that they will not beat me. It has one for function and that is in case I am shot dead by army persoonel, I-card will be used to send my dead body to my home address”
It will be interesting to see the situations around the world, particularly in conflict zone where the demand for self-determination by people is at peak. The case of Palestine is better to look at. The Palestinians have to face same problem; they have to carry I-cards with them whenever they go out. The Israeli soldiers can demand it anytime when they are passing check points. It was the case with Tibetains also where they have to face Chinese soldiers. Is there anything common in all these cases- commonality in occupation, commonality of struggle against it, commonality of suppression, commonality of tactics used by the States to suppress these movements…