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EDITORIAL While the change in Hurriyat leadership was on cards, some of the recent events in the separatist camp had not only thrown the whole process in throes but had at one time threatened the very existence of the amalgam. It therefore is almost an achievement for the Hurriyat that it has not only overcome the virtual belligerence of the veteran politician Geelani but has even emerged more wholesome from the process. Indeed, one can see in the election of Abbas Ansari as the head of the conglomerate an attempt to put the extremist elements on the brink so to say, though.....more It is one of rarer occasions when the Governor of the State himself opens the darshana to the Amarnathji Gupha, as General Sinha has done. For one thing the Cave is up in the mountains. Then, the Yatra has been a choice target of the terrorists and is steeped in terrorist threat. There are wide apprehensions that the terrorists on the run after being dislodged from Hill Kaka would try to mount an attack there. For nothing is unexpected of a terrorist. Even the people who had lingering doubts about the dark ....more |
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Bid
to derail peace By Ghazanfar Butt The second half of the month of June looked promising in Jammu and Kashmir. The tourist traffic had picked up and it looked as if the initiatives taken by Prime Minister Vajpayee for peace were having a positive impact. ......more Nepal: New PM's appointment sparks debate By Subhashis Mittra The recent appointment of Surya Bahadur Thapa as the new Prime Minister of Nepal by King Gyanendra is unlikely to end the political uncertainty ......more Needed : An industrial policy for J&K By H C Katoch Generation of industrial climate in a country, State or an area with potential and growth is dependant on protection by the Govt through provision of infrastructure facilities, extension work and incentives in the beginning to counter the competitive market price of goods and services.......more |
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EDITORIAL While the change in Hurriyat leadership was on cards, some of the recent events in the separatist camp had not only thrown the whole process in throes but had at one time threatened the very existence of the amalgam. It therefore is almost an achievement for the Hurriyat that it has not only overcome the virtual belligerence of the veteran politician Geelani but has even emerged more wholesome from the process. Indeed, one can see in the election of Abbas Ansari as the head of the conglomerate an attempt to put the extremist elements on the brink so to say, though they may not completely be marginalized. For, how can an amalgam sideline elements upon whose very goodwill it depends not only to survive but to keep together? The reports that it was pressure from outside who did not want to see Hurriyat divided at the crucial time, which kept Hurriyat from being splintered, are ominous indications in this regard. Though one can see the silver lining of the subversive tendencies and pulls having been forced to show some respect for the sentiment and feelings there, it must not be discounted that even after the ‘unanimous election’ Hurriyat remains a deeply divided house. It was only a month or so back that his parent party Jamat-I-Islami had divested Geelani of the representative status, but it was mysteriously restored the other day. Yet in the Saturday meet that elected Ansari, the Jammat representative was conspicuously absent. So was Yasin Malik who was widely tipped for the headship. Though his ‘representative’ was present and voting, it couldn’t have been very difficult for Malik to spare time from his ‘signature campaign’ for the crucial meet. That is another ominous silence, if one may call it so. The endorsement that was transmitted through Ghulam Rassol Dar could have been vouched more fittingly. Why, cynics would even point to the grim bearing of Mir Waiz too! All that puts a great onus on Ansari. Though he is not very far from the Geelani angle in his preferences, he does represent an entirely different spectrum in there. Indeed, analysts see a bridging of sorts with the Shias here. Keeping Pak angle in view, one could even see a compensation for the very ruthless Shia-Sunni strife overtaking most of Pakistan from the usurped parts of Gilgit and Skardu to Karachi itself. Conversely, the symbolism of the Shia head could be an attempt by the indigenous elements in the conglomerate to bridge the sectarian divide in the Valley. The symbolic gestures, however, are known to prove rather costly for the groups because the symbols themselves remain under unholy pressures to go to the other extreme. A welcome sign here is the new chief’s declaration that ‘talks not guns’ would solve the problem. That, indeed, is what the mainstream politics has been saying, and was getting chided for. Is there hope that a corner is actually being turned here, that the Hurriyat has gotten over the extremist positions and postures? It is one of rarer occasions when the Governor of the State himself opens the darshana to the Amarnathji Gupha, as General Sinha has done. For one thing the Cave is up in the mountains. Then, the Yatra has been a choice target of the terrorists and is steeped in terrorist threat. There are wide apprehensions that the terrorists on the run after being dislodged from Hill Kaka would try to mount an attack there. For nothing is unexpected of a terrorist. Even the people who had lingering doubts about the dark proclivities of the terrorists have seen their true colors when they first tried to ‘ban’ the Yatra and then kept attacking the devotees to disrupt it. It is a tribute to the faith and daring of the Yatris that they have not only been coming for the Yatra inspite of these precipitate threats but have been joining the Yatra in ever increasing numbers. For its part the government has also tried to cope with the challenge. The administration that is overseeing the Yatra from its new ‘base camp’ in Jammu appears to have put in that extra effort that makes the normal arrangements satisfactory. The pilgrim camp in M A stadium looks an orderly, well monitored place. One may however add that the pilgrimage is only beginning and the test of the arrangements would come towards the middle and the end when the full rush would be on. The extended Yatra is not only a boon for the city trade, but a virtual livelihood for a full complement of traders, workers, horsemen and coolies in the Valley. Though one cannot say whether they have been restricted by the security consideration or not, one feels that the participation of the local sansthas, social activists, NGOs is not quite in keeping with their prominence and presence in the city. Probably, some more groups can still be mobilized to help the Yatris here. For, it is dharma of this land to ease the hardship of the Yatris. Let none be thwarted in fulfilling that dharma either in pious pilgrimage or piety of service. |
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