Declining social norms
In the year that has gone by, arose a serious concern about dangerous turn to criminalization the society in Kashmir was taking, which was voiced strongly from this Newspaper. From killings of cops and their families to looting of banks, all acts suggested decline in social and moral standards. What has been more worrisome is the acceptance of this trend as ‘new normal’.
The Kashmiri people for many centuries have been known for belonging to high civilisation. Kashmir’s scholarship, philosophy, art, culture, craft and food have attracted travellers and rulers for centuries. Kashmiris were never known or thought of as barbaric. Kashmiris have been known as epitome of humility and compassion. Something has gone seriously wrong with the society in Kashmir. It is not unusual for the societies caught on prolonged conflicts to behave weirdly and suspiciously on any and everything but what is happening in Kashmir these days is bit too much and a lot far from the civilisation standards. The incidents of braid chopping were outrageous, as already lamented in this column, and no society can accept this.
The pattern of braid chopping had, so far, failed all the limits of common sense as it does the criminal system. It is understood that the braid chopping was much more real and practical than anything as initially passed off as hysteria.
No stream of science or law was able to suggest any clue to secret behind the braid chopping. Having said that, the response of Kashmiri people, men and women, to the real or suspected incidents of braid chopping was unacceptable and uncivilised.
Over a dozen people, including two mentally unstable and two transgender, were left half dead by angry mobs. We have already expressed concern over unbridled vigilantism. So what could be the reason behind this trend that has seen criminalization increasing in society. The disturbances and violent conflicts which people have gone through have engendered a worrisome decline in social norms, relations and hierarchies and standards of political discourse. A worrying concern is that the younger generation, especially in the Valley, is less engaged civically, exhibits less social trust and confidence and, consequently, have a weaker commitment to the inherited value systems.
These regressive changes need to be addressed and reversed and the political agenda, the economic roadmap and the social framework must all emanate from here. It is imperative upon the political leaders and elders of the society to take urgent measures towards moderating the society lest Kashmiris are labelled as barbaric.