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| Modi breaks silence, not ice | | Straight Talk | 
By K B Jandial
At last, PM Modi broke his silence and spoke on Kashmir situation on Tuesday; one month after Kashmir plunged in to another cycle of violence which is refusing to die down. He opted to speak about the pain of Kashmir, not from J&K but hundreds of kms away in Bhopal in the village of a national freedom fighter, Chander Shekher Azad. And the ruling BJP spokespersons swung into action immediately to parrot it as a great path breaking speech, honest feedback of Kashmiris notwithstanding. Its ally, PDP, gave a guarded reaction—welcome the statement but looking forward for measures on the ground.
Why PM took a month to publically react to a dangerously developing situation which is causing nation-wide concern? Be it his style, but Modi took even longer time to speak on two other contentious issues- cow vigilantes and thrashing of dalits. Many wanted Modi to make unscheduled landing at Srinagar as he did for Nawaz Sharief. Omission in counseling “patharbaaz” in his popular Maan Ki Baat discourse is adversely noticed.
A mesmerizing orator as he is, Modi is not concerned about his criticism and chose his own timing to speak. Accepting PM’s right, but did he speak something big. Assuring to “find solution to all problems” including employment, he lamented that “the boys who should be holding laptops, bats, and balls in their hands & dreams in their hearts are today carrying stones.” He is absolutely right but that is the way Kashmir has been behaving unmindful of the loss. Yes, Modi tried to connect emotional cord by saying that Indian nation loves people of Kashmir which is a fact also but can we say the vice versa? Both houses of Parliament made fervent appeal for peace in Kashmir. But all failed to cut ice.
Modi echoed Vajpayee’s mantra of “Insaniyat, Jamhuriyat and Kashmiriyat”; he had already invoked it for half a dozen times. Another PM, Narsimha Rao too had said in 1995 that “sky is the limit” for Kashmir. All these words have been reduced to clichés.
On reality check, Kashmir is enjoying full democracy like any other part of India. Free and fair elections, important ingredient of all democracies, are held under the watchful eyes of ever strict Election Commission of India. The disdained DC Khaliq era has since over. Another footprint of healthy democracies is the freedom of speech and expression that is available in Kashmir in abundance. It is not available in many Islamic nations. Some attribute Kashmir’s disaffection to this freedom, especially media freedom. All separatists and other anti-India leaders are openly expressing their anti-India rants and spread their message, even if at times, not permitted in organizing public meetings on the ground of law and other issue, through media. Their fundamental rights are protected even by the judiciary which quashes detention orders of many detainees and bring “arrested” SSP to court. Governments in Kashmir are no longer hand-picked by Delhi.
“Kashmiriyat” is a golden principle of life, unique to Kashmir that is nurtured by Kashmiris themselves. Does it exist in original form or reduced to clichés. Separatists, some mainstream political leaders, civil society and other Kashmiri organizations recently joined hands to force Mehbooba Govt. to abandon the proposals of permanent settlement of KPs and colonies for local “Sainik”. After exodus of KPs in 1990, now another minority- Sikhs are feeling unsafe as they are asked to come out and join anti-India protests and raise pro-Pak slogans. This is not “Kashmiriyat” but growing intolerance.
Third part of mantra is “Insaniyat” in which Govt. has a definite role. “Insaniyat” means humanity but Vajpayee meant it also compassion and love for people of Kashmir. Modi Govt is expected to reach out the people of Kashmir with compassion and love and provide everything that could erase from their minds the impression that they are not treated well. This could cover rehabilitation of those who shed gun and return to sanity. No custodial killing is tolerated and persons responsible be tried for murder. Modi already gave Rs.80000 cr package and its fast-track implementation be ensured. Modi and Mehbooba must address people’s problems and give all concessions, if required. But they must also respond to this gesture by inculcating respect for India and its symbols and not by raising ISIS & Pak flags or pro-Pak slogans to register protest. It doesn’t happen elsewhere.
But this compassion cannot be extended to those who are on killing spree, storming security forces camps & police stations, snatching rifle & ammunition or throwing grenades, petrol bombs & stones, indulge in acts of arson and violence. Compassion doesn’t mean that policemen and security personnel offer to get beaten up at the hands of frenzy mob, hand over arms and ammunition when asked for, and vacate thanas or other buildings if astray youth want to set these on fire. The “protestors” have marked some police officers performing duties in sincerity and threatened to kill their families. The media and the political leaders have made these elements the victims of Indian “brutality’” and those who are targeted villains. The figures of injury as given by Rajnath Singh in Rajya Sabha contradict the perception of excessive use of force- out of 7800 injured 4500 are security personnel and 3350 civilians. “Insaniyat” must end when violence is resorted to lynch men in khaki and public property under a plan.
It is premature to link the released 2010 jailed stone-pelters just a few days before the killing of Burhan, with current spell of stone pelting? The current cycle of continuing stone pelting that led to loss of lives of 56 persons. It puts a question mark on Mehbooba’s attempted healing touch. Granting premium to violence will only strengthen the “patharbaaz” cadres continuing no-win situation.
In Rajya Sabha’s second debate on Kashmir situation, the veteran leader Gh. Nabi Azad listed out the good initiatives taken by UPA regime like round table conferences, constitution of working groups and appointment of three interlocutors. Knowing well the polity of J&K and vacillating minds of the people of Kashmir, Azad should have told about the impact of any of these initiatives on the ground. Had these impacted Kashmir the nation would have been saved from this unrest?
The problem is not as much of healing touch as of ideological variance between Kashmir and beyond Pir Panchal range. This ideological incompatibility is exploited by Pakistan and other internal enemies to engineer repeated cycle of violence and put the children of the poor people to path of self-destruction. Boys belonging to poor strata of the society are allegedly given money to stone forces, security camps and Govt. vehicles or brainwashed on religious sensibilities to join jihad that will take them to ‘janaat’. If that is so, why the separatists and other ideologues of the movement have sent their wards to the safe environ outside Kashmir and abroad and not made them to lead “patharbaaz” on the streets of Kashmir and get killed for janaat?
Another myth is about the causes and solution of the present turbulence. All “patharbaaz” and those involved in militancy are not fighting for autonomy (there is huge misconception of its erosion), self -rule, removal of AFSPA, transfer of hydro-electric projects to J&K or more jobs but for azadi, even though small boys and teenagers do not know what it means. These are issues of mainstream parties which do not control the situation on the ground. So, deciding these issues in the wake of violence are misplaced though these need to be resolved at appropriate time with due consultation with stakeholders.
Nowhere in the world, be it Middle East that that saw promising Arab Spring five years ago or elsewhere, violence had helped none. One regime is ousted by protests and violence and the successor too meets the same fate. Egypt is its glaring example. Violence has only given self-inflicting pain to the poorest of the Kashmiris whose sons, daughters and other dear ones who fell to the temptation of throwing stones or indulged in violence against some consideration, and in turn got critically injured or killed in the police action that is always condemned for using excessive force. In the first place why did they indulge in violence or clash with forces? The fight is decidedly unequal.
Since independence, Kashmir (not J&K) has seen turmoil of different dimensions periodically. Every cycle of violence had some reasons and igniting points. 1953 violence stemmed from arrest of Sheikh Abdullah on 9th August, violence of 1963 was due to missing of holy relic from Hazartbal shrine on December 27, violence erupted in July, 1984 with dismissal of Farooq Abdullah, Govt militancy in nineties had roots in rigged Assembly elections of 1987 and Amarnath’s land row sparked 2008 violence in which both regions of the State got engulfed. Killing of an innocent boy in Macchil fake encounter by army led to violent protests in Kashmir from June-September, 2010 in which 110 precious lives were lost.
What was the provocation this time? Burhan was undisputedly a prized militant. Can the killing of a militant be a ground for such a wide spread violence? Are Kashmiris, who have faith in Sufism, now romanticizing terror? If yes, it would be the beginning of another bad patch, especially when the entire world has united against terrorism.
Happening in Kashmir could not be spontaneous as there was definitely something in the air that the administration and intelligence agencies failed to notice. M K Narayanan, UPA’s NSA in an article in Daily Telegraph about two months ago had written about signals from Kashmir that indicates situation drifting to nineties. It was talked Jammu that Kashmiri traders had shared their anxiety with some of the Jammu traders that something would happen after Eid.
Political leaders and commentators have given different reasons for the current upheaval. The most shared reason is Kashmir’s anger on PDP’s coalition with Hindu rightist BJP. Even if many analysts think so, it is flawed. If BJP is the source of upheaval, then why Kashmir had been on boil all these 68 years including militancy in last 27 years when it was not in Govt. BJP shared power only in March 2015, then why youth showed anger after one year. How Mehbooba won 25 June by-election in Anantnag, now epicenter of militancy, by increased margin with 34% polling where NC and Congress based their tirade on bringing BJP in Kashmir through unholy alliance? Those who are basing people’s anger on BJP must answer as to why, in the first place, militancy came into the State when pro-Kashmir state’s premier political outfit, NC was in power with Congress. The Congress party had too shared power with another pro-Kashmir party PDP for nearly six years. Playing politics on Kashmir is also a negative factor for peace of the region.
From this argument a question arises. Can one region dictate the mandate of another? Can Kashmir reject Jammu’s overwhelming mandate merely because it had chosen BJP this time? Senior Mufti was right in forging alliance with BJP.
What did BJP do in the last 15 months that angered Kashmiri youth? Did their leaders do anything to execute its Hindutva agenda, change State’s special status, or, for that matter, Jammu card? The truth is otherwise. BJP has compromised its stated position on all issues and for toeing PDP line by which eroded its base in Jammu.
Pakistan has unique distinction of breeding terrorism and also becoming its victim and is today stood isolated internationally. According to G Parthasarthy, Pakistan has been shunned by US and other western allies; regarded as an untrustworthy by Arabs and Iran; and reviled by neighbors for sponsoring terrorism. Its sole friends are China and Turkey. How awful is that Kashmiris are raising slogans of the country which doesn’t respect democratic rights and have no economy?
Active involvement of Pakistan and growing alienation of Kashmiris especially the younger generation is not new. And blaming Pakistan for these is also no solution. Whether India resumes dialogue with Pakistan or not, the internal problem shall persist unless genuine concerns are addressed by the Governments. In addition, some effective steps for de- indoctrination of the affected youth are thought of. People are shown the mirror on Pakistan and other Islamic nations vis-à-vis India.
Parliament debate does not make the nation wiser except that it portrays nation’s unity on India’s integrity with an appeal to the people of Kashmir to help restoring normalcy. Refreshing was some good speeches including of Dr. Jitender Singh, Shamsher Singh Manhas and both PDP MPs. Dr. Karan Singh disappointed Jammu. All Party Meeting or delegations had done no good in the past nor would do it any this time. Dialogue with separatists is ruled out as they don’t want to talk within the parameters of constitution and Govt of India can do it otherwise. Azadi is out of question, as Home Minister made it clear. The priority is to stop bloodshed for which parents, elders, civil society and politicians must cooperate. The Govt. must show courage and maturity in taking decisions in consultations with all stakeholders and move forward for betterment of all regions of the state.
(The writer is former Secretary Information, health, transport, CAPD departments and a member of Public Service Commission, feedback: [email protected])
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