Akshay Sarma

Why am I an admirer of Prime Minister @narendramodi ? As an Indian Kashmiri Muslim, I had sadly made peace with the fact that violent stone pelting clashes by youngsters of Kashmir with security forces would be a reality that would never end in my lifetime. Every year, during my visits to Kashmir from 2010 to 2019, I would hear, read and passionately debate about the senseless deaths due to this phenomenon that was normalized in the Kashmiri society pysche. Politicians would do their politics over the dead bodies of the children of lesser Allah, Separatists would use them as weapons to shame the Indian state and Pakistan would be thrilled to show the World how India was oppressing the Muslims of Kashmir, denying them their rights to this macabre dance of death and celebration of martydom. The overall society would act as rank hypocrites,as their own children stay nestled in lives of luxury both within Kashmir and in rest of India, while they in their moment of euphoria backed the children of their helpers, their drivers to pelt stones at fellow Kashmiris in uniform, so that 'Azaadi'(of Pakistan) could be sustained. I would get into heated arguments every now and then in the extended family gatherings, with strangers on the internet and hopelessly try to make them see their hypocrisy. Beyond a point, they had no answers to my questions, when I would ask them why their children were not on the streets, engaging in pitched battles with security forces. So gradually most people who knew me in Kashmir decided not to bring up this topic with me and instead chose to address me as Indian agent. This period of 2010 to 2019 also exhausted me, since the arguments beyond a point felt pointless. So in the later half of this decade, I just made grudingly peace with the fact that the society is not going to change, since everyone was now viewing this as normal, and it was now an industry for the players involved in this conflict. Then came the events of 2019, August 5, which now the entire world knows(especially Pakistan). Since then, till today, on his 76th Birthday, for 7+ years, there has not been a single day when the mother of a child of a lesser Allah has lost the noor of her eyes. Stone pelting has been eradicated. Compare that to 13,000 instances of stone pelting between 2010 to 2019, which by the way, had on some days even become a part time sport. So Kashmir lost the lives of 300 plus youngsters, under the age of 25 in stone pelting clashes between 2010 to 2019 and post Modi's August 5 decisions, not 1 has died and the industry of death and gloom has been shut down permanently. The man who is accused by his opponents for being anti Muslim has saved 250 Indian Kashmiri Muslim children's lives till date, a fact which cannot be denied. Because if 300+ died from 2010 to 2019, 300 in 9 years and had Modi not changed Kashmir's state apparatus forever on August 5,2019, we would have lost another 250 in 7 years from 2019 to 2026, if we go as per the average of those 9 years. If someone is accused of being anti-Muslim and his actions ensure that till date in 7 years, 250 Muslim children have been saved from death, then one needs to ask oneself is their hate for him more than the love for their children? Happy 76th Birthday 🎂