Kashmiri Youth Leader Burhan Muzaffar Wani’s Death Anniversary

Kashmiris all over the world mourn momentously in memory of the martyrdom anniversary of a junior, celebrated leader Burhan Muzaffar Wani of the indigenous Kashmiri freedom struggle on 8th July every year. His life and his sacrifice have attained a cult-like status of resistance of Indian occupation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). The aim of marking the day is not just to commemorate Burhan Wani but also to remember the untold cost of sacrifices made by Kashmiris in their struggle to get the right of self-determination. The day targets to motivate the present generation and the generations to come to carry the culture of resistance and become strong against oppression.

The Making of a Leader

Burhan Wani was born in Pulwama on 19th September 1994 in a small city called Tral. Hailing to a well-educated and decent middle-class family, early life of Burhan promised a bright academic future. He was a son of Muzaffar Wani who had been a school principal and Burhan used to be intelligent, humble, and peaceful. But fate, which befalls so many of Kashmiri youth, changed the life path of the Burhan as the reality of the Indian occupation caused a drastic change.

The race happens at the tender age of 15 years old when he had a very humiliating encounter with the Indian security personnel who beat and insulted him and his brother. Burhan decided to struggle against the repressive policies of the Indian forces and sufferings of human rights abuse. He became part of the armed wing of the indigenous argument to freedom known as the Hizbul Mujahideen on the 16th of October 2010. This choice was a desire not only to change personally, but a more general feeling of frustration and militancy among Kashmir youth.

A Digital Revolutionary

Unlike the past revolutionaries who used simple forms of communication to make people aware of their case, Burhan Wani exploited the use of the contemporary communication gadgets to create awareness on the Kashmiri cause. He used social media to talk directly to the masses particularly the bright youth of Kashmir. His charisma, cool composure and coherent messages swiftly made him win massive following. He was an icon of a new media-savvy generation of resistance fighters questioning the powerful discourse as promulgated by the Indian state.

His cyber presence threw a spanner into the security establishment across India. His messages and videos, many of which urged everyone to join forces and fight back, damaged the Indian efforts to depict freedom struggle as just terrorism. Burhan was a consistent threat to the Indian military machinery over a six-year period, and he did not do so with immense fire power, but it was the ideological and the symbolic power that he was able to bring to the table.

Martyrdom and Mass Mourning

In an operation organised by the Indian security forces, Burhan Wani was martyred on July 8, 2016. His killing brought a widespread outpouring of civil resistance, mourning, and resistance in IIOJK. More than a million people attended the Eidgah in Tral to attend the final farewell. More than 40 times the funeral prayers were made to him, and this shows how much the people loved and adored him. He was buried next to his elder brother Khalid Muzaffar Wani who had also died in the hands of the Indian troops.

The martyrdom of Wani is a history watershed when it comes to the resistance of Kashmir. The months that were to follow that were marred by never-ending processions which were followed by curfews and ferocious attacks by Indian forces. The civil strife persisted close to 200 days, where hundreds of people perished, thousands got injured and many went blind on chances of being shot by pellet guns, just another level of ruthlessness against the Indian state.

A Legacy Etched in History

Burhan Wani did not only take out the arms, but he took out the ideas, took out the vision and took out the hope. He allowed a generation of frustrated people who had been gagged due to many decades of occupation to speak. His skill to talk to the young generation, to make the struggle human, and to act on behalf of his people brought him to such a pedestal of iconic status. His martyrdom was not the death of the movement; it gave the movement a new Vigor.

Burhan remains inspiring resistance even after he is killed. His narrative has become a part of the unforgettable history of Kashmir amongst the people. His martyrdom highlights a larger picture: the struggle of people of Kashmir to gain freedom, and a more willingness to submit to no judgment.

Symbol of Unbreakable Spirit

Wani was not just a fighter of freedom, but the emblem of the Kashmiri spirit of resistance and strong will. The fact that he used internet in his challenge against the powerful Indian state was an indication of a shift in the battle of resistance. The Indian authorities considered him as a danger not only because he always came armed but also because he came full of hope and such is much more dangerous.

The global nature of his message that the Indian government have been unable to control by either censoring or being violent signifies state powerlessness against a well-established and popular indigenous movement. The moral high ground in the struggle has also been achieved through the sacrifice of Kashmiri leaders and youth through pain and sufferings that were hard to imagine. Burhan and other like him have etched their names in gold into the history of Kashmir.

The Flame of Freedom Burns On

The ritual of martyrdom of Burhan Wani does not take place in vain, but it is rather a renewal of the Kashmiri people expressed as they are committed to their right to self-determination, which is legitimate. This day, as Kashmiris all over the world commemorate his birth anniversary, we as well promise ourselves to pick his mantle of resistance which he so braved. The life of Burhan teaches us a lesson that no matter how bleak the situation is, a small spark can start a movement. And once that fire is lit, it becomes an impossibility to extinguish it no matter how much oppression is applied to it.