news details |
|
|
| Separatists too under pressure for holding talks with Delhi | | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, Sept 4: It took about four years for the Government of India to complete the process of dialogue which enabled late Sheikh Abdullah to regain power, after a gap of 22 years in 1975. And those who now believe that clinching the issue with Sheikh Abdullah in 1974 was an easy affair are wrong. And if the separatists have begun vehemently pleading for the resumption of the dialogue for the settlement of the Kashmir issue and for resolving prolonged spell of unreast and violence, which has so far claimed the lives of 65 people, it may not be a seven-day affair even if Delhi agreed to hold talks.
Delhi is under pressure to consider opening the channels of dialogue with the separatists and this time the exercise is not expected to be as easy as it was between 2003 and 2006 when Delhi remained engaged in intermittent dialogue with the leaders of AHPC, Peoples Conference and the JKLF. It is so because the head of the hardliners, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, has announced his willingness to enter into talks with Delhi provided the centre agreed that Kashmir is a dispute, ordered demilitarisation, released all detainees and repealed the AFSPA.
Well one thing is certain that separatists, including the hardliners are under pressure to force Delhi to accept to open the channels of dialogue so that, if not any immediate result could be expected, the Valley could experience peace and normalcy. This pressure has been ostensibly mounted by people who have felt highly uncomfortable because of losses to their trades, losses to the studies of their wards and other miseries. And reports said that for the first time Geelani is not hesitant in participating in the dialogue because he has emerged as the undisputed leader of the current movement. If any proof is required one need to refer to Friday's massive procession that Geelani organised and set out a roar against the ruling National Conference while addressing the big congregation at Pathar Masjid which has remained the stronghold of the NC for the last 62 years.
And Geelani does not want to miss any opportunity in forcing Delhi to come to some settlement. Well it seems that holding talks with Mirza Afzal Beg, close l associate of the Sheikh, was not as difficult as it is with holding the dialogue with the separatists. At the same time after the moderates, led by Molvi Umar Farooq, continues to endorse what Geelani has been demanding has made it easy for Delhi to face the separatists, who may not afford to fight over supremacy.
Two things need to be debated before the doors of the rooms of the conference hall are opened. First, is it possible for Delhi to accept all the conditions imposed by Geelani for joining the process of talks? Should Delhi hold dialogue only with Geelani or is there need for involving all other separatist leaders in the proposed talks ?Well so far Delhi has not made its mind clear as far as Gelani's demands are concerned. It may not be able to maintain silence for a long time because Geelani has assumed added political weight and the level of peoples' resistance seems showing no signs of fatigue.
Well the experiment on withdrawing troops from within the civilian areas can be conducted and so can most of the detainees to set free. Already Delhi is in the process of diluting the AFSPA, notwithstanding Defence Ministry objection. And if such exercises are carried out it can satisfy the ego of Geelani. As fas as the demand for treating Kashamir as a dispute is concerned it is being considered all over the world and even those countries that are friendly to India do so. Neither the Ganga nor the Jehlum will be on fire if Delhi accepts Geelani's demands. Secondly, Delhi needs to involve all separatists in the talks so that Gelani does not have an impression that he is the sole representative voice of people of Kashmir.
Since the dialogue process is expected to be a prolonged affair, it cannot be as short as Geelani and others expect, It will be better for Delhi to keep all the separatists engaged in parleys. Once it happens, it may not give time to the separatists for inciting people to violence and it may also result in the gradual erosion in their credibility and strength. Choice is with Delhi. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
STOCK UPDATE |
|
|
 |
| BSE
Sensex |
 |
| NSE
Nifty |
|
|
| |
CRICKET UPDATE |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
