Iron
Man of Kashmir
By Som Nath Suri
(Member working Committee State BJP)
(Member National Council BJP)
14th
September, the martyrdom day of Shaheed Tika Lal taploo will
be written in Golden letters in the history of Kashmir. My
thousands of elutes to him. Shri Taploo was the Vice President
of Pradsh BJP Deeply engrossed, in nationalist spirit, always
reciting the mantra of “Bharat Mata ki Jai” and what great
conviction of integration of Kashmir with rest of India, he
was snatched by the cruel hands of terrorists from us. He
became martyr, but we were orphan. His martyrdom encouraged
the nationalist spirit and the news of his death spread like
wild fire in whole state rather in the whole of India. A sea
of mourners irrespective of cast and creed from every walk
of life and every corner of the state converged on the house
of the martyr. Women were beating their breasts and wailing
‘Kut Gow Panun Lala, Hai Lalo, Hai Lalo’ Shri Tika Lal was
called ‘Lala’ by the kashmiris. The Tulsi’s version fitted
him so well. When you were born, you cried, but all of us
laughed, but when you left, you laughed, but all of us wept.
On
the death of this “Iron Man of Kashmir” beyond expectations,
great people like Shri Lal Krishna Advani, Shri Kedar Nath
Shani from Delhi, Shri Inder Jee Sah Prant Pracharak, Shri
Sat Pal General Secretary J& K State RSS came to mourn
him. His last journey started from Historical Sheetal Nath
Shrini and it took more then 5 hours to reach the Shamshan
Boomi hardly a mile away. In the history of Kashmir it was
second mourning procession after Sheikh Mohd. Abdulla. This
shows how popular he was. When Shri Advani questioned the
then CM Dr. Farooq Abdullah about the lack of security for
Sh Tika Lal taploo, he candidly accepted that I know that
Mr. Taploo was liked by all. I never expected terrorists to
bend so low.
In
an all party condolence meeting at Sheetal Nath, leaders from
all the political parties including Thakur Baldev Singh, Prof
Chaman Lal Gupta, Shri Bagwat Swaroo from Jammu, Hon Justice
ML Bhat, Shri Mohan Kishan Tikoo, Shri Gh. Ahmed Bhat, participated
and paid their tributes.
In
1975 when the blue star storm reached Srinagar on 11th June
the procession turned violent, a number of temples schools
and some houses cars belonging to minority community were
burned and divested. The city was put under curfew. He along
with other workers me the Governor Mr Jagmohan and the govt
came into action. I have had the honor to work with Mr Taploo
till he breath his last. I vividly remember the days of 1976-77
when whole of India was clutched in emergency, no single man
could talk about the emergency, thousands of Indians were
incarnated, but the great son of Kashmir along with his colleagues
in spite of strict security demonstrated in Lal Chawk Srinagar
and was arrested. He also protested against Radio Kashmir
which has turned into a mouth piece of emergency.
The
price was rising alarmingly, Congress, National Conference
and other political parties were silent, only Shri Taploo
along with followers submitted a memorandum of Chief Secretary
and demonstrated against Price rise. It was a head line in
all papers in the valley. On one occasion I remember, he was
arrested in the court premises, the bar association protested
against it and struck work. He usually would be seen talking
on the politics of Kashmir with other bar members and friends
and foe in the bar.
It
was common talk in the bar after the martyrdom of Shri Taploo,
that the terrorist who killed him had not dared to shoot him
from the front as he must have feared an assault from the
courageous Tika Lal. His popularity varied other reasons.
He was an advocate by profession, he was a social worker he
would always enquire about the well being of his neighbors
mostly Muslims and do any odd job including appearing free
of cost in the courts for friends and foes alike.
He
fought his election quite a number of times, the last he fought
for BJP against his NC rival Shri PL Handoo sensing the tilt
in favor of Shri Taploo, the NC govt tried to bate him with
a seat in bench of High Court which he turned down. He used
to solve domestic problems by arbitration and out of court.
In
1986 carnage, Shri Tika Lal toured whole of the valley along
with Shri Kedar nath Sahney the Gen Secretary and AK Patel,
MP, Pacified the victions and exposed a conspiracy of Shri
Mohd Muft Syed. The Govt of India was informed and relief
work in Anantnag was started.
Evedently
Shri Tika Lal’s whole life passed in struggle with the assassination,
the nationalist forces in Kashmir were forced to leave their
mother land. All of us feel void created by the martyrdom
and we salute our “Lalla” the Iron man Kashmir. Let his soul
rest in peace.