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| Jammu, Ladakh need to be segregated from turbulent Kashmir | | | RUSTAM
EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, July 22: Ever since the State of Jammu and Kashmir acceded to India, Kashmir has been creating problem after problem. The Kashmiri leadership has at no point of time during all these years of accession allowed New Delhi to heave a sigh of relief. The reason: It considers Jammu and Kashmir as a disputed territory whose political future, according to it, has yet to be determined.
That's the reason that the Kashmiri leaders, both "mainstream" and separatist, consistently put forth demands ranging from greater autonomy or semi-independence to self-rule to merger with Pakistan to independence to joint control to joint management to introduction of dual currency to economic independence to shared sovereignty to soft borders to porous Line of Control and to what not. That's the reason they question the very presence of the Army and paramilitary forces in Kashmir. That's the reason they question the application of the Indian laws in the state. That's the reason some of them talk about the need to protect the "constitutional and financial autonomy" of the state. And, that's the reason that certain Kashmiri leaders instigate the common Kashmiri Muslims to come on the streets, organize anti-India demonstrations and attack the symbols of Indian sovereignty and civilization.
This attitude of the Kashmiri leaders has always been disliked by the people of Jammu and Ladakh. In fact, they feel, and rightly so, that they are suffering immense political and economic losses for no fault of theirs' and that the Kashmiri politics has had a very adverse impact on them. They also feel, and rightly, that New Delhi consistently strives to purchase peace in Kashmir at their cost overlooking their genuine and legitimate aspirations and general political and economic rights and interests. They also feel, and very rightly, that it was not a wise decision on the part of New Delhi to link their destiny with Kashmiri leaders whose aspirations, needs and compulsions are different and who regarded the people of Jammu as "aliens" and "oppressors". In other words, they feel that the State of Jammu and Kashmir is not an organic whole and that it consists of three disparate regions, which will never reconcile their contradictions. Indeed, the contradictions between the political aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and between the latter and Ladakh are mutually exclusive and not reconcilable. The ongoing violent movement in Kashmir leading to the imposition of curfew, deployment of the Army and disruption in the political, economic and social activities and perfect peace in Jammu and Ladakh establish beyond any doubt that Jammu and Ladakh and Kashmir represent two different strands: one pro-New Delhi and the other anti New Delhi.
One cannot but agree with those who say that the association of Jammu and Ladakh, which are out-and-out Indian, with Kashmir, which is for a dispensation outside India or outside the Indian constitutional framework, has, instead of helping New Delhi to tackle Kashmir in an effective way, only made its task rather difficult. It is a fact that whenever New Delhi thinks of giving some political concession to Kashmir to keep it in a good humour or to win it over, the people of Jammu and Ladakh oppose the move tooth and nail and threaten massive protests. It is also a fact that it is because of the fear of Jammu and Ladakh that New Delhi doesn't muster courage to negotiate a settlement with the Kashmiri leadership. It is also a fact that the people of Jammu and Ladakh would under no situation allow New Delhi to give any concession on Kashmir.
That means the deadlock would continue for an indefinite period. Why should New Delhi allow the deadlock to perpetuate? Why should not it take steps that restrict the area of contention and strife to the small Kashmir Valley, which is the real trouble spot? It must take steps that limit the area of conflict to the Kashmir Valley and it can be done very easily by segregating Jammu and Ladakh from Kashmir. The segregation of Jammu and Ladakh from Kashmir would give wide powers to resolve the problems facing Kashmir. It would enable the conflict-managers to arrange a meeting of Kashmiri leaders, including those who represent the internally displaced Kashmiri Hindus, to find what could satisfy them. In fact, this is the only course left to restore a lasting peace in Jammu, Kashmir, Ladakh and the refugee camps housing the displaced and persecuted Kashmiri Pandits and Sikhs.
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