Extremism in Kashmir
SRINAGAR, March 4 — Uncertainty prevails over cable television operations in Kashmir after an underground militant outfit imposed restrictions on showing "obscene and un-Islamic" programmes. Restrictions have also been imposed on wearing Western system clothes, particularly by Muslim women in the valley.
A statement issued by Harkat-ul-Mujahideen on February 21 last asked the cable operators to stop showing programmes that "polluted young minds". These programmes include obscene programmes, movies and music, some of which were considered to be "un-Islamic". The cable operators were asked to respect Islam put it above their business interests. The statement also asked people not to wear Western style clothes as these were not permitted in Islam. The outfit threatened to initiate action against those violating the Islamic code by going an un-Islamic way.
At least four persons, including two girls and two cable operators, sustained injuries in the interior city as they were shot at by suspected militants for violating the code.
Two girls, one of them at Lal Bazar locality, was shot at and injured for wearing jeans. These incidents took place within days after Harkat-ul-Mujahideen issued the statement.
According to Lt-Gen Krishan Pal, GOC 15 Corps, and also the Security Adviser to Jammu and Kashmir Government, such steps taken by the militants were "reflective of their frustration". "In this modern age of information they cannot prevent people from witnessing programmes in the name of Jehad", he said. Lt-Gen Krishan Pal questioned as to whether these things were banned in Islamic countries. He added that local elements were involved in such statements.
"These cable operators have been making a good business quite for some time", said Mr P.L. Gupta, DIG, Kashmir Range. He added that these elements wanted a greater share in terms of cash as cable operators had good earning. Mr Gupta admitted that suspected militants targeted a couple of cable operators and those wearing jeans after the statement, appeared in a local daily.
Following the imposition of restrictions, some of the cable operators had suspended the operations, but lately they had started again, minus the music and movie channels. Some of these operators have since winded up these cables in outskirts of the city. The cable operators had also approached APHC chairman, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, who is reported to have asked them to restore their services with censoring the movie and music channels. According to former APHC chairman, Mirwaiz Moulvi Umar Farooq, there was no harm in watching the informative programmes but he also sought to stop obscene programmes.
Cinema halls and wine shops in the valley were closed down with the eruption of militancy about a decade back. All these remain closed till date, except for the re-opening of Broadway Cinema in Badami Bagh cantonment area. The Broadway Cinema was reconstructed and thrown open for public in August last year following an assistance provided by the Jammu and Kashmir Government. All other cinema halls, eight in Srinagar city and many others in other towns of the valley continue to remain closed. Some of these halls are occupied by the security forces or others are damaged.
Dukhtaran-e-Millat, the only women's underground outfit had in early 1990's asked women to wear "burqa". A number of acid throwing incidents were reported then after many women did not use the veil or burqa
tribuneindia... Jammu and Kashmir