#srinagar kashmiri pandits protest resumed

[rudrjobdesk]

कश्मीरी पंडितों ने फिर शुरू किया प्रदर्शन, कहा- हमारी जिंदगी दांव पर है

कश्मीरी पंडितों ने फिर शुरू किया प्रदर्शन, कहा- हमारी जिंदगी दांव पर है

Image Source : PTI Kashmiri Pandits Protest Highlights कश्मीरी पंडित कर्मचारियों का प्रदर्शन अवसादग्रस्त महसूस कर रहे: प्रदर्शनकारी ‘कर्मचारी सरकारी लॉलीपॉप में नहीं फंसेंगे’ Jammu Kashmir News: कश्मीरी पंडित कर्मचारियों ने जम्मू में आज सोमवार को फिर प्रदर्शन किया और शांति बहाल होने तक घाटी से बाहर स्थानांतरित किए जाने की मांग दोहराई। ऑल माइग्रेंट एम्प्लॉई एसोसिएशन कश्मीर के बैनर तले सैकड़ों…

[born2battle]

My Saga in Separated Family Accommodation at Jammu

   On receipt of Vivek’s Posting Order to Rajouri, we had to decide about our choice of location for Separated Family Accommodation (SFA) and intimate our decision to the concerned Station HQ for registration of our choice. The options were varied ---- Deolali itself (current location) or Aurangabad (home town) or Jammu. The third location was the closest to Rajouri (only four hours away) but was expected to be difficult due to the law & order situation which was worsening in Jammu. Any new location was going to be a challenge but decision had to be taken urgently to enable further planning. We chose the harder option instead of the easier one.On completion of the Academic Session, we moved to Jammu by train --- our longest train journey!! I had to shoulder the responsibility of packing & sending all the luggage by truck, handing over our accommodation and leaving finally along with our children & my in-laws. It was such a nostalgic feeling leaving the “Home of the Gunners”.

   There was a long waiting list for allotment of SFA at Jammu, since it was the preferred location for keeping the families by most of the Units which were deployed in Field areas on the LOC. Luckily, our Unit ( 98 Field Regiment ) was located at BD Bari which was about 25 km from Jammu. We could manage temporary accommodation in the Unit Complex itself, which was certainly helpful initially. We stayed in “Basha” type of accommodation, peculiar for it’s construction as a temporary shelter of mud & brick walls with tin roofs. We took admission for Ashvini & Nandini in Army School at Ratnuchak which was 10 km away. All children travelled by the Army School bus, which was a modified 3 Ton vehicle. In the rainy season. It was quite often that due to heavy rains and flash floods, the water level of the river reached the danger mark enroute to the Army School. Consequently, it resulted in an extended stay in the School itself, for all the teachers & the children of BD Bari. In such situations, the ladies of the Units in Ratnuchak provided all necessary assistance, till the water level subsided. It proved to be the best solution under the circumstances.

   It was after a waiting period of three months that we were allotted a civil accommodation in Gandhi Nagar, on rent reimbursement basis. So, the process of packing, moving & unpacking was repeated. Our new House was very spacious but did not have any furniture. Hence, I had to improvise & convert our steel trunks & wooden boxes for utilisation as beds, dining table, chairs, study tables & settee. It was a test of my creativity skills. Even the children had to be transferred to Army School at Satwari, which was about 10 km away from Gandhi Nagar. They had to adjust once again in a new Army School, within the same academic year. Meanwhile, there was migration of Kashmiri Pandits from Srinagar Valley to Jammu. Several refugee camps were being established in Jammu and Akhnoor region. It created a tense situation in Jammu, often resulting in strikes and curfew. It was really tough for me to face this crisis alone, while staying in a civil area and taking care of three children & my elderly in-laws. We eagerly looked forward to meeting Vivek whenever he was able to come down from Rajouri on temporary duty at the Corps HQ.

    The situation in Jammu worsened consequent to the agitations & protests against the recommendations of Mandal Commission. This resulted in closure of all schools & colleges. It gave us a welcome opportunity to go to Rajouri and enjoy a well deserved break for almost two months. Our accommodation at Rajouri (named ASHRAM) had all the basic amenities except the kitchen. Hence, we had to depend on the Officers Mess for all our meals. 

     We planned our own routine in the lap of nature with various activities such as long walks, indoor games, reading  & gardening. We also interacted with other families in the Division HQ complex. There was a restriction on our movement outside the Army perimeter. We were very keen to observe the life at the LOC. So, Vivek accompanied us to visit a few forward Posts, only after taking necessary permission. At the time of visit to one of the dominating Posts in Poonch Sector, we heard the exchange of fire between the opposing Posts across Betar Nala. We had to cut short our visit and move to the Administrative Base. This incident gave us the goosebumps!! 

         On a few occasions,  Vivek found time to take us for visits  to some popular tourist spots in Poonch, Rajouri & Naushera. We were humbled by the hospitality extended at the Posts & at the Adm Base, despite the adverse weather conditions & war like situation on the LOC. We savoured different cuisine in different Battalions & Regiments. All the Units always ensured provision of the meals, as per the requirement of the class composition of their soldiers. Our journey by Jeep/ Jonga, along the narrow tracks leading to the Posts on the ridge lines was indeed thrilling. This was even more exciting during the snowfall season when any vehicle movement was possible only after fitting the non-skid chains on the tyres. In the peak winters, we were thrilled with the first snowfall and realised the utility of a fireplace and Bukhari at our residence as well as in the Officers Mess. It was again a first time experience.

      We returned to Jammu after this memorable vacation when the school session resumed. We looked forward to  permission for our subsequent trips as well. We were allotted the SFA in Jai Durge Complex in the Cantonment area, after a waiting period of 18 months. So, we vacated the civil house in Gandhi Nagar & shifted to our entitled accommodation with lot of enthusiasm. The process of settling down was easier in the new house since it was well furnished as per the scales of accommodation. It was destined that while Vivek was shouldering his responsibilities far away in Rajouri, all of us had to face several different problems  & medical emergencies during our stay in SFA. These difficulties were overcome with all the help by our neighbours as also by the officers posted in the Units in Jammu. The support by the Army family was really praiseworthy. Most of our relatives visited us in Jammu and were lucky to get permission to visit Rajouri for a short duration. Obviously, I got a chance to accompany them and visit some more interesting sites such as Dhani Dhar Fort which could be seen from our front lawn. 

Meanwhile, I joined as a teacher in a school nearby and also completed my B Ed by correspondence. Life was going on smoothly since we had adjusted so well in the safe environment inside the Cantonment. However, it was destined that we would face serious medical emergencies in quick succession. The first emergency was when Nandini had to be admitted in MH Jammu for investigation urgently. I had to manage her admission in MH , all by myself since Vivek could reach only on the next day. He could not stay longer and returned to Rajouri. Further, I had to be present in the MH at the time of review by the Specialists daily and also stay in the hospital at night. I used public transport for commuting upto the MH. This continued till my daughter was finally discharged after 21 days of treatment. Our neighbours helped us a lot at this stage by always escorting our children upto the pick up point of the School Bus and also provided any logistics support and the meals, as required. 

      The second emergency occurred when my father- in- law had a sudden paralysis attack. It was an unexpected challenge and I requested for any Army vehicle to rush him to MH Jammu. The first available 1 Ton vehicle was used for escorting him to the MH. There was a bigger problem at the time of admission when I was asked to submit his ID Card & Dependency Card, which I was not aware about. I informed the Medical Specialist that my husband was posted in Rajouri and my father-in-law was a Veteran of Second World War. Hence, I requested them to begin the investigations & the treatment. The report about the admission in MH Jammu was then conveyed to Division HQ in Rajouri. I was not able to communicate directly with Vivek since he was on recce mission to the forward Posts. He could come down only on the third day just for a few days. My  father- in -law was finally discharged after 14 days but his right side was partially paralysed. Both these emergencies and other challenges were physically exhaustive & mentally stressful for all of us.

       In retrospect, Vivek considers his long innings in Rajouri as the most professionally challenging and satisfying tenure in his career. Personally, myself & our children also learnt so much while facing all the unique challenges in SFA at Jammu. I wish to reiterate our takeaways --- every problem has a solution & every crisis is an experience. Life is about accepting the challenges along the way, choosing to keep moving forward and savoring the Journey!!!