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| Kashmir: From the frying pan to the fire | | | Col J P Singh, Retd | 9/4/2010 9:15:52 PM |
| Over the past few months one has read and watched a series of reports and discourses on resolution of Kashmir issue. In addition there are allegations of false promises, alienation of Kashmir, alienation of youths, ignoring core issue, human rights violations, indiscriminate killings, failure of the govt, corruption, fissures in NC as well as in the coalition on the one side and restoration of autonomy, self rule, Armed Forces Special Powers Act, self determination and Azadi on the other side of the spectrum. Every day there is new assertion and the chorus continues from Pt Nehru – Sheikh Abdullah onwards and reaches the parliament on 26 August and Tangdhar on 29th. “Kashmir issue has political geneses and has originated with independence of India and birth of Pakistan and become a complex one which requires sustained political effort by all the stake holders through a dialogue process to resolve it as per the aspirations of the people of the state” said Omar at Tangdhar on 29 August 2010. Out of all most interesting was the speech of Dr Farooq Abdullah in Lok Sabha. Before him S. Rattan Singh Ajnala of Akali Dal had stated that every Indian in India wants Azadi and so did Sikhs and other ethnic minority communities and continue doing so. He asked Dr. Farooq, “ Have you or your govt given autonomy to minority Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists or three diverse regions of your state”. “You will never get anything like us so forget misleading Kashmiris.” He reiterated. A charismatic orator that he is, Dr. Farooq Abdullah drew applause of Parliamentarians by stating that Kashmiris are Indian to the core and complete state including the Pak and Chinese held areas of erstwhile state of Maharaja Hari Singh are part of state of J&K and hence integral part of India. Ironically he also appealed parliament to talk to people to know what do they want and what Azadi means to them. What he should have done himself is conveniently passed on to Delhi. He demanded restoration of autonomy like other colleague of his party as if it was a quick fix solution / aspirin to all ills and headaches.
Mr. Prakash Karat flew in from Kanyakumari to Kashmir to forcefully endorse the demand of restoration of autonomy in a press conference least knowing what the issue is or without taking a wider consensus. Those who know nothing or little of Kashmir talk more about Kashmir. One has read and heard lots of demands and proposals like these but never heard or read of any leader talking directly to common masses like Mahatma Gandhi, Vinobha Bhave, Medha Patekar, Mamta Baneerji or Girdhari Lal Dogra to ascertain what exactly is their problem and how do they propose a solution. If at all these leaders talk to the masses it is through press, TV or committees and commissions.
Springing of Omar Abdullah to power through a democratic process and election that was certified to be fairest and free by international and domestic observers made a promising beginning by holding out lots of hopes of progress and prosperity after two decades of cross border terrorism. Omar is young, aspiring and articulate leader. On top of that he is grand son of iconic Sheikh Abdullah. He was put in the office by Congress with the expectation that he may be the ideal person under whose leadership J&K will fully integrate with India (yet another experiment after 1975 accord with Sheikh) and valley will be paradise again. This prospect did not go well with the enemies of India and political opponents. Without allowing him to prove his administrative acumen, he is being hounded out of the scene by one and all including youths whose interest was upper most in his mind in the beginning of his tenure. Instead of integrating state to the union, he tried to out do his opponents and became a proponent of autonomy & removal of security forces. The centre for the reasons best known to it ignored this deficiency and started seriously considering restoration of autonomy to the state without realizing that will the present incumbent or his successors ( unless Bakshi Gulam Mohd or Jagmohan is brought again ) be able to shoulder the responsibilities of an autonomous state with the kind of diversity, imbalances, discrimination, misgoverance and rampant corruption that our state is and the performance he has shown in the past. Public impression in Jammu is that till now central govt has been appeasing Abdullah family to keep Kashmir in India over the sentiments of people of whole J&K. Sheikh Abdullah was given designation of Prime Minister for himself, special status, separate flag and separate constitution for J&K and more assembly seats for the valley. On the contrary it is Abdullah family which has blackmailed Delhi the most and is main cause of alienation of Kashmiris. Hence the time has come to bury the ideologies of elders and the past and leave the rest to youth’s imagination; why because those who are willing to die must be having clear ideas of the problem and imaginations of the solution.
60 years is not a short period to address and resolve a national issue howsoever complicated it may be. Ironically the core issue or the main problem has been ignored and successive govts instead concentrated on pacts and packages. The result is that Kashmir is not with India and India is in bad light world over on Kashmir. Those who discuss Kashmir most are the ones who know little about Kashmir. The real issue is that Kashmir is a Muslim majority region. Demand for autonomy, self rule and Azadi is a natural prelude to the formation of an Islamic state subordinate to neighboring Pakistan not withstanding East Pakistan breaking away. Short term solutions may be plenty but full integration of the state with the union (with or without Article 370) is the permanent solution because it is this which will open the floodgates of opportunities to the Kashmiris and will lead to the free flow of investment into the state which in turn will bring about prosperity and economic development. Author has been victim of autonomy regime during which to attend weddings at Pathankot and Dinanagar in 50s, the family had to obtain a permit from DC Jammu which was subjected to scrutiny at Lakhanpur. With the transport and other means available those days it was a herculean task to go out and enter the state. Memories of the torture of obtaining permit and travel still haunt the mind. If that system is restored all avenues to the south of Lakhanpur will become forbidden fruits. Most sufferers will be the youths who will miss opportunities of higher education, lucrative jobs and globalization.
Most observers of the valley state that the current agitation refuses to die down due to non serious attitude of the state and central govts towards the core issues of alienation of valley and wasting the intervening period of lull following election in presentations and picnics. Rather than restoring the autonomy the need is to emotionally integrate the valley with the union and open out all the avenues of opportunities to the youths of Kashmir. Jammu and Ladakh must be empowered and given due share of funds and employment. Delimitation of constituencies and redressal of regional imbalances should be carried out immediately. India should reinvent itself to accommodate Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh in a different manner from what has been done till now.
(Author can be accessed at email - [email protected] and [email protected])
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