Adil Bhat

Just came across a clip from a school somewhere in Kashmir. Independence Day celebrations held for or by the Waqf Board. I have a question. Isn’t waqf board a religious body entrusted with serving the Muslim Community. and ideally doing so while uplholding Islamic Values? Then there is something almost comical about this institution: an organisation built around a religious and communal purpose, yet sitting so comfortably through something you would expect a religious institution to at least question. It lends its name to celebrations that reduce our children to stage props and performers. Why is the default way of involving children — and particularly girls — in public celebrations to make them dance to irrelevant songs? Why aren’t our institutions giving them something to think about, create, learn, discuss, build or contribute? Especially in a place like Kashmir. Which has had a remarkable legacy of people who understood education as a means to enlighten minds, cultivate character and equip people with knowledge and spirituality. What about the intellectual and cultural legacy of wonderful scholars of the past. So if it’s an institution whose very existence is tied to religious purpose, you are taksed with deeper work of strengthening the communities spiritually morally, intellectually. And to be clear: the point is not the children. Children are often simply made to participate in whatever schools and institutions put before them. Perhaps that is the real tragedy here. The question is what an institution chooses to facilitate, endorse and place under its own banner.