Each time the Valley erupts, seeking “azadi”, New Delhi follows the tested policy of ‘exhausting’ people coupled with promises that never see light of the day. Will government of India act differently this time to address the brewing anger on the streets and initiate process to resolve the core K-issue?
|| ZAHOOR GULZAR
On August 25, union home minister Rajnath Singh emerged from a meeting with J&K chief minister Mehbooba Mufti from latter’s Gupkar residence here to address a joint press conference. The day before Singh, holding a powerful ministry in the government of India, had, before flying to the restive Valley, tweeted: “…ready to hold talks with anybody who believes in Insaaniyat, Jahmooriyat and Kashmiriyat.” Barely few minutes into the press conference, Singh was asked a question by a journalist from New Delhi: “Why aren’t seperatists coming forward for a dialogue.”
Before the union minister would have responded to the question, a senior journalist, working with a New Delhi based newspaper, rebutted the question. “How will they come forward? They are all under house arrest,” the senior journalist responded. The press conference moved on but the question as well as response to it brought into the focus an important reality of Kashmir politics: New Delhi would talk to everybody from mainstream politicians to Shikarawallas and Tangawallas but the seperatists from Syed Ali Shah Geelani to Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik, who “represent peoples’ aspirations” have always been ignored. Kashmir is on the boil for almost two months now, witnessing at least 70 killings and injuries to over 7000 people in action by the forces.
The uprising which has already consumed another summer in the Valley is now threatened to spread to other parts of the State. This fast deteriorating in situation in the Valley saw New Delhi dispatching the home minister to the Valley to assess the situation. “We will talk to whosoever needed once peace and normalcy is restored in the state,” Rajnath had told a press conference on July 24 here. To a question on whether there would be any talks with separatists, Singh had said, “Let normalcy and peace be restored first. We will talk to the chief minister here and we will work only after taking her into confidence. Let us first ensure that normalcy returns. Then, we will talk to whoever we want.”
Geelani, one of the three key separatist leaders who have formed an issue-based loose alliance said that, however, given India’s track-record on Kashmir he strongly feels that lasting solution to Kashmir problem was possible only through acceding the right to self-determination.
The initiative by New Delhi didn’t see any change in the ground situation in Kashmir, as both, the number of dead and injured, kept rising, putting enormous pressure on the PDP-led State Government which came under severe criticism for mishandling the situation, post Burhan encounter. “While New Delhi might have brushed the concerns about Kashmir initially as law and order situation thinking it could be handled in few days, the spread of the uprising to all parts of Kashmir, resulting in disappearance of the government men and machinery from the ground made the policy makers to realize that the situation was taking a worse turn in the Valley though later,” said a renowned political analyst, wishing not to be named. That could explain Prime Minister Narendra Modi breaking his silence over Kashmir, 32 days and 52 killings after when he advocated a path of “democracy and dialogue” to restore peace in the spirit of “Insaniyat (humanity), Jahmooriyat (democracy) and Kashmiriyat”.
“Today, one feels pained to see that innocent youths have been handed stones. Politics of some people is clicking but what will happen to these gullible and simple youths. Humanity and Kashmiriyat will not be allowed to be hit. The path of democracy and dialogue is there,” he had said on August 9, while asserting people of Jammu and Kashmir had the same freedoms as enjoyed by every Indian. These were Modi’s first comments on the continuing uprising in theValley in the aftermath of the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen Commander Burhan Wani by security forces onJuly 8. “The problem with New Delhi is that they think they can handle the Kashmir which is basically a political problem through development packages. And at the same time they have been testing this policy to tire down people whenever there is an uprising in Kashmir,” said the political analysts.“
That could explain Prime Minister Narendra Modi breaking his silence over Kashmir, 32 days and 52 killings after when he advocated a path of “democracy and dialogue” to restore peace in Kashmir.
This has messed up the Kashmir issue over the years and now there is a wrong notion that has crept in the power corridors in Delhi that Kashmir can be managed.” Instead, the political analyst insisted, New Delhi need to sit down with the state government and chalk-out a roadmap to engage Islamabad and voices of dissent (seperatists) in Kashmir for the lasting solution to Kashmir. “That is the only way to resolve Kashmir,” he insisted. The point was emphasized upon by the State’s opposition leaders led by former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah when they met Modi in New Delhi on August 22 and appealed to him to start a dialogue with all stakeholders for resolution of Kashmir issue, saying an administrative response rather than a political solution had “created an unprecedented sense of disaffection and disenchantment” in Kashmir, especially among the youth.
“The Prime Minister acknowledged that he should have reached out to the people earlier. His remark that there is a need to look beyond development aspect to address the problem is significant,” Congress leader GN Monga, who was part of the delegation, said. Minutes after meeting the State opposition delegation, the Prime Minister issued a statement indicating that the government may be considering some political initiative on Kashmir. “There has to be a dialogue and we need to find a permanent and lasting solution to the problem within the framework of the Constitution,” Modi said in his statement. But no sooner the statement was issued the seperatists rejected it saying they found nothing new in it.
“We are not averse to an amicable solution to the problem through dialogue but we should be expected to sit across the negotiating table only if and when New Delhi openly accepts Kashmir is a dispute and agrees to hold talks involving the people of Kashmir which are principal party to the dispute and Pakistan as well,” said a joint statement issued by the seperatists. Geelani, one of the three key separatist leaders who have formed an issue-based loose alliance and which is issuing protest calendars since killing of Burhan Wani said that, however, given India’s track-record on Kashmir he strongly feels that the lasting solution to the Kashmir problem was possible only through acceding the right to self-determination of its people.
“India must shun state violence and uphold International law, respect and adhere to UN Charter and especially the UN resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir,” he said adding “By fulfilling its promises and obligations towards the people of Jammu and Kashmir, we understand the universal principle of right to self-determination is the only road through which peace can be achieved in J&K.” Any initiative, Geelani said, which New Delhi takes without considering the aspiration of people of Jammu and Kashmir would be “exercise in futile”. He was referring to All Party Delegation that government of India plans to sent to Kashmir to hold talks with the stakeholders, an initiative that was taken by New Delhi in 2010 too when Kashmir was in the midst of an uprising.
“We all know the outcome of that All Party Delegation. We shouldn’t expect the new All Party Delegation to perform. Nowadays such moves by New Delhi are seen in Kashmir as anger pacifying tactics. How far will it work for New Delhi remains to be seen,” said the political analyst. Given how New Delhi responded to three consecutive summers of unrest in Kashmir beginning 2008, it can be concluded that Government of India New Delhi follows a standard operating procedure each time Kashmir erupts, seeking “azadi”. When finally the All Party Delegation arrives in Kashmir many won’t be wondering about the outcome of the move by New Delhi. It has happened in 2010. “They (the delegation) may meet a handful of people picked up to ascertain the reason for the uprising as if New Delhi is witnessing the situation for the first time in Kashmir,” said the analyst. After a brief pause, he added, it remains to be seen whether government of India would try and reach to seperatists and at the same time initiate dialogue with Pakistan. For now, while Geelani and Mirwaiz continues to be under house arrest, Malik’s detention at the Srinagar central Jail is growing longer with each passing day!
Given how New Delhi responded to three consecutive summers of unrest in Kashmir beginning 2008, it can be concluded that Government of India New Delhi follows a standard operating procedure each time Kashmir erupts, seeking “Azadi”.
