Anshika Kathuria talks to the wife of slain terrorist-turned-Armyman Nazir Ahmad Wani who won the nation's highest honour this Republic Day, to bring you a report on a Kashmiri family that fought against all odds in its journey from being with the separatists to fighting for the country
Yeh desh hai veer jawaano ka (this is a country of brave soldiers) holds true when we witness extraordinary acts of valor by bravehearts like Lance Naik Nazir Ahmad Wani. The first Kashmiri soldier to receive Ashok Chakra, nation’s highest peacetime gallantry award posthumously. What makes this award even more special is that Wani was a terrorist and made the greatest sacrifice of life for the nation he originally fought against. The story of this valiant martyr is not only filled with courage and fearlessness, but also a 360 degree change of identity and mind.
On the 70th Republic Day celebration, Mehjabeen, Wani’s wife received the honour by President Ram Nath Kovind, as a proud, grateful nation watched with respect. Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid his respects and interacted with the family, encouraging Mehjabeen to have faith.
“When I was walking up to the dias to receive the nation’s highest peacetime gallantry award, there was only one thought in my mind: Is this award at par with my husband’s life? Yes, I was receiving this award becasue of my husband’s bravery but I would have preferred not to have made this walk. I would want my husband by my side. This award is nothing compared to my husband’s life. I wish I could trade it for his life,” Mehjabeen tells you.
However, she is resigned to her fate and says that whatever that has happened is because it was fated.
“I consider it my fate. I was destined to marry a soldier. I got whatever Khuda (God) wrote for me,” Mehjabeen says, who is a mother of two, Athar (20) and Shaid (18). She now journeys between the Valley and Kota where her two children are studying.
“My life’s only motive now is to educate my children and watch them make something of themselves. I only want to stay alive for them,” she tells you.
Mehjabeen is a teacher with the Government school in Kulgam in J&K where she has been teaching Kashimir and urdu for the past 15 years. However, right now she is on a long leave.
“I always wanted to teach and pursued my studies to become one. There is so much knowledge that one can impart to children today. They are hungry for knowledge, not necessarily textual. I teach classes I to VIII. They are so enthusiastic and want to learn stuff. They want to party as well. Sometimes they tell me that they want to contribute `5 each so that they can have a class party. That is when I take them sweets and sometimes cake. They love this break. It also means that I am more of a friend to them than a teacher. They are more open with me,” Mehjabeen says and recounts a student’s choice.
One day, while discussing what they wanted to become when they grew up, a Class III student said he wanted to be a militant. “He doesn’t understand what it means. He was just repeating what he hears the elders talking around him. I explained to the class what it means to be a militant. They listened to me with rapt attention. I don’t know how much of an impact this talk would have on him in the long run but for now, at least, he wants to be an officer. I am happy that I was able to convince him, for now, that he has decided to be a good human being and make a life for himself,” Mehjabeen says.
Her aim is to create good, responsible citizens who are dedicated to their nation. “I want to direct them into the right direction, and for that I take inspiration from my beloved husband, my hero,” she shares.
She also tells them that they need to acknowledge the effort that their parents are making to send them to school. “I tell them that their parents toil the whole day to earn money so that they can enjoy life and eat good food. This needs to be appreciated,” Mehjabeen says.
Her own two boys — one has just cleared Class XII exam and aspires to be an engineer. The younger one is in Class X and wants to be a doctor. They are studying in Kota, though her elder son is in the Valley with her preparing for the entrance exam for engineering.
She tells you that her husband, Wani was at the forefront of an anti-terror operation on November 25, 2018, against six militants in Hirapur village near Batagund, in which he lost his life. Proving the motto of his battalion (162 Infantry Battalion (TA) JAKLI) BalidanamVir Lakshanam (sacrifice is a characteristic of the brave) till his last breath, Wani killed the district commander of the militant organization Lashkar-e-Taiba along with another foreign terrorist.
In a statement, his fellow soldiers revealed that despite multiple hits on his body including his head, Wani attacked and injured a third militant. “Lance Naik Wani epitomised qualities of a fine soldier. He always volunteered for challenging missions, displaying great courage under adverse conditions, exposing himself to grave danger on numerous occasions in the line of duty,” a Rashtrapati Bhawan notification said.
Wani, a former terrorist, turned counter terrorist and finally a soldier in the Indian Army, belonged to a group of men called Ikhwans (meaning brotherhood). They began as terrorists, many of them travelled to the Afghanistan-Pakistan border for training, motivation and transportation of arms and equipment by the ISI. This group of local Kashmiris, led by Mohammad Yusuf Parray (popular as Kuka Parray) initially resisted the Indian Army but subsequently came over ground and joined the security forces in the counter-insurgency operations.
By 1994, these fighters were divided into three groups on the basis of the districts the cadres hailed from. The three divisions were — Yusuf Parray in the Bandipora area, Liaqat Khan in South Kashmir and Javed Ahmad Shah operating with the J&K Police’s (JKP) Special Operations Group (SOG). Their knowledge about the local language and culture, their efficiency with handling equipment, the experience they gathered over the years fighting the Indian Army and their intelligence and skill proved of great worth to the Indian Army.
“My husband belonged to the Liaqat Khan group, which focused on Anantnag and Kulgam areas. The Liaqat Khan group’s HQ was the Janglat Mandi in Anantnag town,” Mehjabeen tells you that says that she got married to Wani in 1998.
“I knew that what my husband did before I got married to him. I took it as my fate. I felt that whatever Khuda does may have some good in store for me. I was not scared. Back in the late 90s all the youth was joining the group. My husband was no different. He too joined. It was not as if he had a choice,” She shares.
Thanks to the intelligence support provided by this group, the Indian forces could detect and clamp down hard on terror, leading to a smooth and successful election process in 1996 and beyond. This collaboration with the Indian State earned Ikhwans the twin hatred of Pakistan and Kashmiri separatists. These men faced a lot of threats and neglect, but never surrendered to the hardships that came their way. Perhaps that’s why, they proved to be a great asset to the security forces.
Wani enrolled in 162 Infantry Battalion TA JAK LI (H&H) in 2004, one of the eight units comprised entirely of Ikhwan cadres. Soldiers from the 162 TA play a very crucial role in Jammu and Kashmir. Their skill, knowledge and intelligence is of supreme importance when it comes to tracking down terrorists and obtaining important information. This regiment has served with honour in numerous theaters, like Siachen Conflict, Kargil War, UN Peacekeeping in Somalia etc.Bharat Mata Ki Jai (Victory to Mother India)is the war cry of this valorous regiment. Wani was attached to 34 Rashtriya Rifles in South Kashmir. Native of ChekiAshmuji in Kulgam District, Wani was earlier decorated with Sena Medal (Gallantry) twice.
“He joined the Indian Army because he wanted to improve our sons’ lives. Also, he saw that there was no other choice for him to better his lot. He was a good husband, a good father and a helpful person. People liked him, he had a helping nature. Even today, our neighbours remember his kindness,” Mehjabeen says who lives way from her in-laws who are in a village.
“We had shifted to Kulgam many years back. We bought a house of our own. This is where I stay today. My in-laws are in the village. Though they had come with me to Delhi when I was there to receive the Ashok Chakra,” Mehjabeen tells you.
Wani was given a 21-gun salute and was draped in tricolor when the Army brought his body to his village and handed it over to his family. His funeral was attended by masses, 500-600 people gathered to pay their respects to the brave soldier.
“He worked for the benefit of the underprivileged section in his village and surrounding area, he always kept everyone happy and tried to resolve people's problems. He wanted to live for others and for his nation. I am proud of my husband,” Mehjabeen say.
The Government’s policies and initiatives for the Indian Army has helped Mehjabeen.
“There is a lot that the Government has done for us. I am just a teacher. I don’t know what solution there is for the Valley. I do my work — to teach the kids that they need to become good human and not do anything that will cause harm to others,” Mehjabeen says.
Uzair Ali Ahmad, a Kashmiri resident who is now pursuing B Com from Delhi University agrees with Mehjabeen and says: “The Government does a lot for us. I am satisfied with its policies. I am grateful for all the efforts done by it for the soldiers and their families. I migrated to Delhi from Kashmir because of the constant state of terror and fear in the valley. Nowadays, people recognise Kashmir more as a controversial, terrorism-ridden State than for its scenic beauty. I sincerely hope this scenario changes soon and peace is restored.”
The story of Nazir Ahmad Wani, a brave soldier, a good human being and a true hero, is proof that despite an unpleasant past, the nation will always recognise, remember and respect true sacrifice ad valor. It is never too late to do what's right, even if it is the toughest choice to make. Wani turned his life upside down and the nation salutes the braveheart. Tu rakht mein ubaal hai, tu zinda ek misaal hai (you are the boil in blood, you are a living example of bravery). May your soul rest in peace, soldier. The nation shall never forget your sacrifice.
The surrender policy
There are a number of militants in J&K who have taken up residence in the Valley. To counter this and to encourage defections from militant ranks, the Government has come up with a draft surrender policy in order to decrease their numbers in the State.
The policy says that those who will surrender will be called as ‘renouncers’ and that the renouncer will surrender only in front of Divisional Commissioners, District Magistrates, top police officers and heads of operational units not below the rank of Commandant.
The renouncers will be eligible for a fixed deposit of `5-6 lakh which will be available to them after a lock-in period of three years. In addition, they will also receive a monthly stipend of `5,000 or `6,000. However, this initiative will not cover militants found to have been involved in heinous crimes.
“The objective is to offer an opportunity to militants who eschew the path of violence. The policy is particularly aimed at economic rehabilitation, enabling them to lead a normal life and contribute towards society’s progress,” read the draft policy by the Home Department under the directions of K Vijay Kumar, Advisor to Governor.
Also, as per the draft policy, the renouncer can enrol under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana to seek self-employment.
