Baba Umar
Running parallel to the city’s Residency Road is a lane which is famously called as the ‘News Hub’ of Kashmir or in common parlance Press colony. All the leading newspapers of Kashmir and national News Bureaus line up on one side of this small lane with the bill boards erected on their entry gates. And just facing the ‘Daily Kashmir Times’, is a tea stall owned by an elderly man. He is doing this business since the onset of 90’s. And that makes his stall one of the oldest among other stalls in this narrow lane. 
Bashir Ahmad, 62, is a tall and muscular man. He had his schooling up to intermediate level and that easily helped him in getting a government job in the Agriculture Department. But in 1986, he took a voluntarily retirement. And believe it or not he left the job because of too many female employees in that department. “Frankly speaking, I can’t work with women who are stranger to me,” he says. He backs his statement from the sayings of Prophet (S.A.W) and the Quranic verses, though he is not clear. “You know what I mean to say,” he refuses to speak explicitly on the issue.
Bashir Ahmad, 62, is a tall and muscular man. He had his schooling up to intermediate level and that easily helped him in getting a government job in the Agriculture Department. But in 1986, he took a voluntarily retirement. And believe it or not he left the job because of too many female employees in that department. “Frankly speaking, I can’t work with women who are stranger to me,” he says. He backs his statement from the sayings of Prophet (S.A.W) and the Quranic verses, though he is not clear. “You know what I mean to say,” he refuses to speak explicitly on the issue.And then, a new life was about to start. Now, living on the pension and finding it difficult to get a private job living became a double edged sword. He decided to open a tea stall at a place where most scribes nestle. He says, he earns around 200 rupees a day and he is satisfied with it.“It’s because of this Press Colony I am surviving,” he says without any eye contact while being busy in making another cup of tea. “You know,” Bashir recalls, “I was picked up by the police a decade ago after having a verbal duel. Before the police party could reach the station, some scribes were already there and they managed my release within an hour.” “And that event”, he says with pensive look, “I will remember till death.”“They were all good people who got me out of the police station,” he says. “You could imagine how police treats you in the lock up.”Albeit the growing age, the zeal and energy to work is unparalleled. And as a young boy approaches and orders for a half-a-dozen tea cups and some biscuits, he smilingly tells him to wait for half-an-hour as it is the time for afternoon prayers.“I never miss prayers,” Bashir says and proceeds towards the Masjid.For years, he has been doing this business and the locality around too seem indebted to him. They call him ‘Daddy’, showing respect and value. The scribes love to hang on his tea stall. They discuss, brainstorm and chat about everything. Even press releases are distributed on the Daddy’s tea stall.“This stall not only serves us good tea, but something more than that,” says a vibrant young scribe, sipping a hot cup of tea. In the hectic schedule and the pressure cooker situation it’s Ahmad’s tea stall, where scribes relax and gossip about things. And what is going to be tomorrow’s headline the Daddy’s stall is first to know it.Bashir, after half an hour, is back and he has to prepare half-a-dozen cups of tea. Lighting the stove and increasing its flame, he welcomes the waiting customers. There is a visible glow in his eyes too. “Sorry, I kept you waiting,” he modestly speaks out. He says he knows what the people are going to read tomorrow. Because everything is discussed here on his stall and his experience and intellect with regards to politics and Kashmir issue is a great help to scribes.“I bet you do not know what I know now,” he says. “I mean whatever will appear in the newspapers, I will come to know that beforehand.” Ask him about the present situation of Kashmir, and he keeps mum for a while followed by a volley of events that have shaped the present valley. He recalls every major happening in the Kashmir conflict. He even recalls the major ‘setbacks’ received by the people here. From Abdullahs to Mirvaizs to Geelanis, he says he knows everyone’s deeds. However, he likes, Yusuf Shah, popularly known as the Syed Salahuddin—the chairman of United Jihad Council (UJC). He has offered prayers behind Shah and according to him, ‘Shah is a good human being’.“At least Shah is not like Qadir Ganderbali (a Police officer at the time of Sheikh Abdullah, who was a sort of terror and feared for his torture cruelties),” says Ahmad. “I remember, one of my friend saying, how Ganderbali put a big rat into his trousers till he fainted.”“And everybody knows how Ganderbali died,” he addsBashir wishes the present situation changes forever for everlasting good. He daily prays for the peace in the valley. He wishes to see the end of bloodshed and human rights violation before his death.Before I bade him goodbye he stops me and asks, “If peace prevails, would I become the Chief Minister?” he smiles to my surprise. “No, I won’t, I will remain the same Chai Wala, but there will be no loss of life and destruction in my Valley.”
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