Jul 27, 2006

Goverment Brothels?


There is nothing black and white in politics as opposed to the way the politicians might want to see it. There is reason that sincere individuals who really dedicate their life to the welfare of other human beings stay out of the politics and if they enter the politics they become legends. How much can be sacrificed in the name of politics and what are the limits, I don't know. Here is an account of a 'State run' brothel, in the form of higlights from the actual story, in Jammu and Kashmir by a country that is the largest democracy in the world.
With shady intelligence agents, betrayed militants, corrupt officials, underage girls, and a gritty brothel, the case has all the makings of a John le Carré novel, set in the gorgeous Himalayan valley of Kashmir.

When the deputy inspector general of [Border Security Forces], K.S. Padhi, was arrested, he said, "This was part of our counterinsurgency operation. We were doing our job. We used to enlist girls for spying purposes.' It means it was part of state policy."

a 14-year-old known as Yasmina, also alleged that many of her customers were top bureaucrats, politicians, and security officials.The list of those she named – now under arrest without bail – is a who's who of the Kashmiri state. They include a senior Congress Party state leader, an independent legislator from Srinagar, the principal secretary to the former state chief minister, the deputy superintendent of Jammu and Kashmir police, and the deputy inspector general of the border security force.

Jammu and Kashmir has been the major dispute between Pakistan and India and the reason of three wars between the two nuclear armed countries. The full story can be read here.