By Daya Sagar
A LOOK THROUGH THE MIST
J&K PDP has not routed NC in Kashmir Valley simply with the slogans against AFSPA 1990 or by demanding handing over power projects to J&K PDC but has routed NC more with talks of asking Government of India to focus more on “Kashmir Issue” and not issues in Kashmir ( Mehbooba Mufti had very boldly made known her party’s approach in ‘that’ regard while speaking in Lok Sabha on 16th June 2014). PDP’s J&K Self Rule Framework 2008 Page-18 Chapter II The Contours of Resolution : Setting the stage for Resolution:Jammu & Kashmir Issue: Challenges Clause- 58 says: What sets apart “self-rule” from “autonomy” is the political context in which they are conceived and operate. Self-rule refers to Autonomy from the nation-state of India, whereas Autonomy connotes relative autonomy from the Government of India. The two are vastly different in substance and style. The change — from “autonomy” to self-rule” — means is a fundamental shift in the terrain of political discourse and the existing status of the Kashmir issue. ……. Page-19 Chapter II The Contours of Resolution : Setting the stage for Resolution: Jammu & Kashmir Issue: Challenges Clause- 59 says: Autonomy refers to empowerment of the Government of Jammu and Kashmir vis-a-vis the Government of India. As such it becomes a part of the center-state debate in the Indian federal set up. Self-rule on the other hand refers to the empowerment of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, vis-a-vis the nation of India…….). Central leadership should have no difficulty in understanding what is “Kashmir issue” in the words of J&K PDP and hence must focus on that in case road to peace and prosperity has to be tread.
In Oct 1947 the tribesmen aided and abetted by Pakistan forces attacked the areas of Princely state of Jammu Kashmir bordering Pakistan. In Gilgit Baltistan region the invaders did not face much local resistance from the forces of Maharaja / the local population and most of the area was occupied by the rival forces (Pakistan ) beyond possible recovery by the Indian forces even after accession of J&K with India on 26th October 1947 (of course Dr. Karan Singh has cultivated a new controversy as regards the accession of J&K with India when he said on the floor of Rajya Sabha on 10th August 2016 that Maharaja Hari Singh had signed the instrument of accession in his presence on 27th October 1947).
Whereas, as regards Kashmir Region (although the invaders there too faced very less resistance from the State Forces and Brigadier Rajinder Singh had to make extreme sacrifice (before the Indian forces could arrive). The invaders had received negligible support from the local people of Kashmir region although there it was nearly a total Muslim population (and India had been partitioned on the basis of religion). So, at that time had the Kashmiri masses on the basis of their religion associated with the ‘Pakistani’ invaders, the reaching of Maharaja from Srinagar to Jammu and invaders not taking over the control of Srinagar airport/ routes/ valley would have been a question? It has to be accepted that the scale of Hindu migration from Kashmir valley in 1947 was very less as compared to what the world has seen after 1989. Why has the anti-India / religious radicalism grown in Kashmir Valley after independence, could be a question. The Kashmir Valley leaders must introspect at their level as well?
So, it is time now to do plain speaking. The NDA government cannot justify the continuation of the Kashmir turmoil just by pleading that it has no magic wand to correct the damage done by the Congress governments over more than six decades. The issues have to be accepted and corrected. All the six MPs who got elected in 2014 Lok Sabha elections belonged to BJP & PDP (three from each party) It is so strange that inspite of that the J&K Chief Minister had to convey at occasions to the government of India the political needs of J&K through media / public statements as she has also done in Panaji on 15th December 2017. Whom do these MPs represent?
In addition to opining on handling the militants by security forces and parenting / counselling of ‘misguided’ youth of Kashmir valley , another issue that Mehbooba has in a way tried to push under the mat during the interactions on this 15th December in the India Ideas Conclave 2017 ( IIC2017 Goa) is of return of Kashmiri Pandit migrants. The J&K Chief Minister & PDP supremo has also opined that they (Kashmiri Pandit migrants) are better placed outside the Valley whereever they are staying and her government is considering to rehabilitate the Kashmiri Pandit families who had not migrated in 1990 and had dared to stay back ‘home’.
Earlier also in 2015 Mufti Mohd Sayeed, the then J&K CM, had while speaking in the Legislative Assembly on 9th April 2015 had disclosed that as per reports gathered from interactions with Kashmiri Pandits only 10 to 15 per cent of them will choose to return to the Valley since they (Kashmiri Pandits) are well placed in various parts of the country and abroad… and if government does something on the matter, they will come to the Valley on seasonal pattern. The Government of India should have taken such disclosures seriously but that was not done even then, the migrant leaders too did not took that seriously and did not refuted the disclosures made by the CM. Now Mehbooba too has said so in 2017 also. This could be one of the prime indicators to show the nature of the approach that the governments have held as regards J&K affairs all these years.
In brief, these are summary indicators of what GOI as well as the prime BJP leaders too need to take notice rising above all kinds of local political vote bank interests including the life & style of local government in case J&K (particularly Kashmir Valley ) has to be provided environment of peace and stability.
( Daya Sagar, a Sr. Journalist and Social Activist, can be reached at dayasagr45@yahoo.com)
