Hello I am Jhelum. For centuries; I have been flowing through this beautiful Valley, creating and sustaining life. I am a living being and I do converse, with those who gaze at my waves honestly but people seldom do that and that leads to a communication gap…and nature fills the communication gap with ‘consequences’ and not warnings. The warnings have to be picked up by you by gazing at my waves. Warnings are easy to notice….the garbage, sewage, industrial waste, plastic etc that you throw into my being makes me sick…..and the silting that you cause, the encroachment and deforestation that you undertake on my banks, force me to unleash the ‘consequences remember the devastating floods of 2014 ? ‘Consequence’!! But I tell you…you people miss the wood for the trees and the individual interests come first to you before collective good but today my rant is not for the physical harm caused by you….but the emotional hurt. So, the toxic industrial waste is still okay…..what nauseates me is the human blood spilled into my being.

I have seen much better days with happy folks swimming in my being, Shikaras and house boats floating on my surface, foreign and domestic tourists enjoying my love film shootings & picnics mosques, temples and Gurudwaras scattered in my vicinity festivities and joy everywhere…..but then came that illusive dream of Azaadi. God !! What Azaadi you are talking about, I do not understand…were you slaves before 1989? You were much better off !!
And then some people also claim that they are ‘fighting’ for ‘MY azaadi’ …that’s hilarious. I want to tell these wonderful people that I am ‘azaad’ by all means I freely flow at will and if you are worried about me, please do not pollute me.
Coming back to ‘Azaadi’…do you really think that is possible for Kashmir to become an independent country in today’s world? Think hard….do not be naive.
Your decisions today will affect the lives of your children tomorrow; the previous generation chose the gun and look what life you have got so please make your decisions carefully.
And ye .the idea of Islamic society is noble but does it mean that other faiths should not survive? Your religion teaches love and compassion then why did you find Pandits to be show-spoilers? Yeah….I know what you will say you will say that you did not push them out…and you do not know how and why they left everyone claims that they helped the Pandits…..but there were people from your society who killed, maimed, molested, threatened the Pandits to push them out, were you one of them? Well you do not have to answer. What was strange is that the Mosques were used for announcing the threat a place of worship used to intimidate? Pandits went away and took with them the joy and happiness put your hand on your heart and tell have you been happy after they left ?
One more thing I originate from Kashmir. I travel Northwards and then enter Pakistan… here lies the crux. You are the lucky ones you can build dams, power stations, canals etc with my help…you can even carefully alter my course to your advantage. Few decades from now, water will become the cause of wars water security will become more important than weapons and it bothers Pakistan. Do you think they love you? Nah! Look at the way they treat the people of occupied Kashmir on their side. Do you think they are bothered about your ‘right to self determination’? You must be kidding! Their real love is water my water. and the water of my other two sisters Indus and Chenab.. And you thought they loved you???
So long till my next rant.