Permeating through the valley

Guiding the youth

Government help

On October 20, four sarpanchs (village heads) from the volatile Sopore area — 50 km from Srinagar in north Kashmir — formally joined Muslim Rashtriya Manch ( MRM ), an RSS backed organization floated in 2002, which claims to act as a bridge between the Hindu and Muslim communities of India.MRM, which is functional in Jammu & Kashmir ( J&K) since its inception, is silently gaining ground, especially in the Valley and has opened units in almost all districts and tehsils. The organization, open about its associations with the Sangh Parivar, claims to have enrolled 8,000 members in the state and is now out on a mission to ‘change the mindset and actions' of the youth of Kashmir. MRM has managed to introduce RSS — which they claim has been misunderstood — in almost every nook and corner of the Valley through its social welfare programmes and contact meetings."We want the youth of Kashmir to shun the stone (reference to the common occurrences of stone-pelting), like they shunned the gun. We want them to (join) the mainstream," national convener of MRM Muhammad Afzal, who was on a visit to Kashmir, told ET Magazine.In J&K, Afzal claims, MRM is reaping the benefit of work done by RSS functionary Indresh Kumar — one of the brains behind MRM — during late '90s and early 2000s when he worked under the banner of 'Nai Subah'. This is why 25% of the delegates in the first annual convention of MRM in 2003 were from J&K.During the 2005 earthquake, MRM got another opportunity to expand its network in Kashmir. It worked closely with Rashtriya Rifles of the Indian Army to distribute Rs 14 lakh cash and ten trucks of consumables among the victims in north Kashmir. "We helped the Army to enter the mainstream life of Kashmir through our relief programme," said Afzal.Come May 2016, MRM is planning a mega convention at Srinagar expecting an attendance of 15,000 to 18,000 people.The organization has also received a shot in the arm after the Bharatiya Janata Party-Peoples Democratic Party (BJP-PDP) coalition government was formed in the state early this year. The MRM convener and the local representatives wield heavy influence in the state's political, bureaucratic and security circles.The Opposition and National Conference have already expressed fears that the new BJP-PDP dispensation has helped RSS — which they allege has the motive to change the demography of the state on communal lines — make inroads in the state. An RSS insider earlier told ET Magazine that 500 shakhas are functional in Jammu and Ladakh and groundwork is going on in Kashmir through MRM. Interestingly, the RSS organized a first of its kind march in Jammu on the eve of Dussehra on October 22, with participants wearing the Sangh uniform and brandishing swords and guns.MRM has started engaging directly with the alleged 'stone pelters' from downtown in Srinagar and other district headquarters. They regularly meet the community leaders in different areas and convene meetings with the young stone pelters on several occasions. "They (stone pelters) are full of energy and generally it takes four to five sittings to convince a majority of them,"J&K convenor of MRM Nazir Mir told ET Magazine. MRM tries to influence the youth offering academic scholarships, free coaching, pan-India tours, skill development, jobs and most importantly guarantee of freedom from harassment of police, CRPF, Army or any other agency."We cannot live in confused status quo. We have to look for solutions for our future," says Mir, who terms the response of youth as "tremendous". However, he remained silent on using money as an allurement to cross sides. "People say we have a lot of money; only God knows how we manage things," he said.MRM has decided to set up a legal cell, which will be handling the cases of stone pelters and other youth against whom cases have been lodged by the government forces. MRM's advocate Siraj Qureshi, who is the national legal convener, would be heading the legal cell.Currently, at least 5,000 students from J&K, including children from Kupwara, Baramulla, Anantnag and Ladakh, study in different RSS-affiliated schools in Rajasthan, Delhi and Haryana among other states, says Afzal. "We have been sending youth groups to other states so that they come out of their cocoons," says Mir.MRM has approached the Ministry of Minority Affairs to plan a special scholarship and fellowship package for Kashmiri youth who want to pursue higher education. MRM has utilised huge funds from National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language (NCPUL) to set up at least 70 computer coaching centres across the Valley. MRM and NCPUL organised a seminar on Urdu journalism in the Valley recently, in which Afzal participated as an observer."We have an understanding with Central University of Kashmir to provide admission to talented but economically weak students on MRM recommendations," said Afzal.MRM wants to create a battery of IAS, IPS officers, doctors and engineers from Kashmir, who can then perform duties across India. MRM is helping students with admissions in coaching for pre-medical, engineering and other administrative exams. The organisation has already roped in a few coaching centres in Srinagar, in which 300 students are studying, and has plans to set up its own coaching institutes."We want the youth of Kashmir to be administrators (and) not agitators, " said Zakir Hussain , another member of MRM in Kashmir. J&K should lead by example, says Afzal, adding, "there should be a separate unit in the Army for Kashmiri Muslims, so that these people can serve the country".For MRM, the only way to live happily in India for a Muslim is not to be aggressive and to compromise on controversial issues. "If a husband and a wife, a father and a son can compromise to save a family, why cannot Muslims do that to save a country?" says Afzal, who is against cow slaughter. "I am expecting a fatwa (from Saudi Arabia) against cow slaughter at least in India and then we will go public about the issue."MRM believes Article 370, which gives J&K special autonomous status, should be scrapped as it has only helped the elite of the state to maintain their status. "It has made the rich richer and the poor poorer," says Mir.When asked about the response of people in the state to MRM, Afzal quoted former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, saying, "Teen Bulaye Terah Aaye, De Daal Main Paani (Thirteen came, when only three were invited; add water to the broth to serve them all."