Many people in the flood hit areas have been complaining that the army is rescuing only foreign nationals and tourists, and that they are paying no attention to the locals.
When somebody saves your life, you gracefully thank the person.
But opposite is happening in Jammu & Kashmir. People, who were rescued from severe flood damaging lives and property in the valley, attacked their saviours.
Reportedly, an NDRF jawan on Wednesday was attacked by angry locals here while few other personnel of the force were heckled as they were rendering relief and rescue operations in the flood-hit areas.
Many people in the flood hit areas have been complaining that the army is rescuing only foreign nationals and tourists, and that they are paying no attention to the locals. In this case also, the locals got angry when army decided to rescue people marooned in some other area rather than saving those whom locals were asking for.
In these troubled waters, where army has till now rescued more than 47,000 people and have been working day and night to provide them with shelter, food and medical attention. But the mistrust that has seeped deep into the people is coming in the way of rescue operations.
Some media channels (read Headlines Today), who have reporters hopping on the Indian Air Force choppers and have the luxury of getting their men and equipment guarded by the jawans as well, are talking to people in distress.
And rather than lessening their pain or getting the facts, they are causing more pain to them.
A reporter, who was talking to a woman who lost her home and children, even had the guts to say that the government is “doing nothing” in the valley and that no help is reaching to the people even when an army jawan was rescuing another woman in the background, when Home ministry has stepped up food and water supply up to the state and 1,25,000 packets of biscuits, 100,000 litres of potable water, 150 tonnes of ready to eat food apart from food packets were being made available, and when over 250 boats have already been deployed in relief and rescue efforts.
But there are also others who have praised the jawans for their continuous efforts despite so many obstacles.
The Army has sent out 20,000 soldiers, 80 medical teams and thousands others providing back-up, to rescue Kashmiris trapped in Srinagar and other regions facing the flood fury.
Playing a huge role in the entire rescue effort, 52 Indian Air Force helicopters and transport aircraft have flown over 180 sorties and dropped 155 tonnes of relief materials.
“On Monday, we focussed on Rajouri, Poonch and Banihal. We are distributing items like food, pump set, fuel, water, blanket and medicine. There has been a constant shuttle between Jammu and Srinagar,” AOC-in-C, Jammu air base Air Commodore Prashant Patange told NDTV over phone.
Kashmir Flood Information Channel, a group created by youth to coordinate rescue information and share information on the Valley. There you would find dozens of messages from youngsters—it has nearly 13k members—expressing their gratitude towards the Army for keeping their families and friends safe.
Now, once the water recedes and normalcy is stored, it will be seen whether there remains gratitude or anger.
