At J&K NCC camp, common refrain among female cadets: 'Real azadi here'

These female NCC cadets from Kashmir are among the 500, of which 147 are girls, undergoing training at a National Cadet Corps (NCC) camp at Sainik school, Nagrota, in the outskirts of Jammu city.

They are participating in the 10-day camp to select a 40 -member Jammu and Kashmir Directorate Thal Sainik Team, which will take part in a national-level camp at New Delhi soon. Soft-spoken Aneesa of first JK Battalion Srinagar, and a student of government women's degree college in Anantnag, said she was the only girl representing her college at the camp.

"Most of the girls wanted to come. But were disallowed by their parents citing the prevailing situation in south Kashmir," she said.

Addressing those advocating 'azadi' and taking the path of violent protests, the cadets asked them to "taste the freedom enjoyed by them outside Kashmir".

"I want to tell them that the real azadi (freedom) is here. If you want azadi, it is here," she said and asked the youth to shun stone-pelting and sloganeering.

"Please don t go towards the bad things like protests, stone-pelting or getting involved in sloganeering for azadi.

Azadi is nothing. If you want azadi it is here," Aneesa said. She said she was initially worried when she joined the camp.

"Before I came to this camp, I was very much worried and asking what will happen in the camp. What type of activities will be there?" she said.

"But the camp commander lifted my morale. The camp commandant is very nice person and motivated me. I am enjoying a lot here. I want to suggest all girls to come forward if you want to live a life of freedom which is here," she said.