Authorities on their Toes

By Yusuf Jameel, "Junoon performance worries authorities" - Howrah News Service - Howrah, West Bengal, India
Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Srinagar: Pakistani band Junoon on Sunday [May 25th] is performing on the banks of the Dal Lake, whose placid and jade-hued waters are fringed with willows and chinar trees against the backdrop of the magnificent Zabarwan hills.

The event that has put the authorities here on their toes.

A Pakistani Sufi pop band settling on to perform in Kashmir’s heartland Srinagar may be a pleasing outcome of changing times and the ambience of amity building up in the South Asian region, but the move is fraught with political connotations as well.

After all, Islamabad has not officially given up its claim on Kashmir though to many, both in the neighbouring country and here in Jammu and Kashmir, it is only dragging its feet from what it would until a few years ago insist is its "jugular vein".

At least, the hardnosed among Kashmiri separatists have not yet digested Pakistani artists heading for the "disputed territory" to perform and will certainly try to put their finger on the choice of Junoon.

Hence, setting the affairs in order for the Sufi pop band and then keep the event free from trouble is in itself a challenging job for the authorities here.

But what makes it all the more intricate for them is that among the audience will be President Pratibha Patil [*] and a host of dignitaries from Saarc [**] nations, besides Union minister Mani Shankar Aiyar, the governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Lt. Gen. S.K. Sinha (retd), and chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad.

This would be Ms Patil’s maiden visit to Jammu and Kashmir spreading over five days during which she is scheduled to visit forward Army posts in Tanghdar and Uri sectors to interact with the troops defending the Line of Control, address the Sher-i-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST) convocation in Jammu, inaugurate its news camps in Bhaderwah town, pay obeisance at the cave shrine of Mata Vaishnodevi tucked away in Trikuta hills and go for leisure at the meadow of flowers, Gulmarg.

A tight security umbrella is being put up for the President’s visit.

But it is mainly Junoon’s tryst with the place which is causing worry among the authorities, particularly the security forces’ officials. More than 10,000 people are being invited to see the band singing.

The concert will be part of the celebrations marking the inauguration by the President of Kashmir Studies Institute at Kashmir University (KU).

The concert has been sponsored by the Indian chapter of South Asia Foundation, a non-profit group, in collaboration with the KU.

The hosts have invited government leaders and other important dignitaries from all the Saarc nations, but it is learnt that Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai has already expressed his inability to join in view of his pre-engagements back home.

While his country is likely to be represented by its envoy to New Delhi, invitees like President of Maldives, Mr Mamon Abdul Gayoom, and his counterpart from Sri Lanka, Mr Mahinda Rajapaksa, will turn up seems to be improbable.

Also, there is no word so far from Pakistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Nepal as to who will represent them or they are going to skip the celebrations.

But given Islamabad’s stance on Kashmir, its participation in an event taking place in Jammu and Kashmir is unbelievable, say the Kashmir watchers.

[*] 12th and current President of India http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pratibha_Patil

[**] South Asian association for Regional Corporation http://www.saarc-sec.org/main.php

[Visit Junoon's official Website http://www.junoon.com/].