Celebrating Independence Day is a national festival and the Head of the Government takes salute as a mark of celebrating the day when India cast away the yoke of slavery and subjugation to the foreign rule sixty-nine years ago. When, after half a century of struggle and sacrifices, Indian nation succeeding in restoring its freedom and dignity, its wise and sagacious leaders chose the path of democracy and secularism as the path along which this nation would be carried forward. The nation has stuck to those laudable principles and the roots of democracy and secularism are now deep and strong. In years to come, our country will become stronger in all aspects of life. That is the message which leaders want to convey to the nation on Independence Day.
The State of Jammu and Kashmir lags behind no state of the Indian Union in pursuing the agenda the nation has set before itself. We are having elections to the Legislative Assembly every six years which are free and impartial. Governments are changed through peaceful means of the mandate of the people. The State has established democratic institutions that provide strength and stability to the political structure in the State. The freedom of speech and press, very essential to the survival of democratic dispensation, are well in placed and functional. It means that opposition has the freedom to express itself freely and fearlessly so that the good of the people is not missed as a result of arrogance of power.
Unfortunately, our State has been denied full-fledged peace and order owing to interference by a covetous neighbour. Since its borders touch with the borders of our State, this unfriendly neighbour has unleashed terror and disruption in our State. Inimical elements within and aggressive designs of our external adversaries have together wrecked disaster to the State and its people. It is more than five weeks those irresponsible leaders have given call for strike on an instance of combating violence. Life has come to astand still in the valley because everything stands disrupted. It is but natural that the Chief Minister has made direct reference to this situation in the State. She has been very clear in saying that neither stones nor guns will solve the problem that faces the people in Kashmir. Violence is not the method by which issues if any can be resolved. A State is run by its established laws. People can have grievances and they want solution of their problems. The Government has to respond and address their problems but all this cannot be done under the shadow of a gun or by creating an atmosphere of fear and dread in the State.
In her address to the public on Independence Day, the CM briefly but effectively reflected on three aspects of ongoing situation. One was the uncertainty created because of disputed nature of Kashmir issue. Although she did not specifically make a mention of dispute with Pakistan and China but she did say with stress that we need to have good relations with Pakistan and that can be achieved through sustained bilateral dialogue. After all, recognizing that issues cannot be solved by fighting or waging wars, therefore there is no alternative to dialogue. The second aspect she took into consideration pertained to the role of the youth. She said the State is proud of the youth who are to be groomed for future leadership of the State and the country. The youth should be seen in educational institutions and not on streets throwing stones. The State is trying to provide education up to the highest level within the State. The State has professional educational institutes of highest level like those of Medical Sciences, Engineering, Technology, Agricultural etc. Our youth need not go outside the State and bear heavy expenses for higher and professional education. It is for them to decide how best they can make their career when the Government is providing all necessary facilities. The third aspect which the Chief Minister dealt with was her plea to the parents of the youth to rein them in and not encourage them to do activities that would spoil their career. The parents have a duty towards their children, towards society and towards the country. It is of giving such training to their children in home that they are imbued with the spirit of serving and building a strong nation. The Government is very much willing to address the problems of the youth if they are ready to sit round a table and discuss.
For more than two decades and half, the State is in a situation of turmoil. The question is what the turmoil has brought to the people and to the State in general. Death, disaster and disruption are the gifts of the sponsored turmoil. Therefore people need to do some introspection. Continuing unrest has happened at a time when it was the peak season and thousands of families are associated with tourism, handicrafts, pilgrimage tourism and related things wherefrom they earn a living in the valley. A month long strike has brought economic disaster to the valley and its people. We hope that the sane and sincere appeal made by the Chief Minister to the people of the State in general and to those in the valley will be heard and accepted.
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