Kashmir Valley ran into widespread unrest since July 8 when a local terrorist and Hizbul Mujahideen commander was gunned down in Kokernag area along with his two armed associates as he was wanted in a number of criminal cases against him. Unrest broke out when separatist leaders including both factions of Hurriyat gave a call for total strike by way of protest against the killing of a commander of a terrorist group that carries a ban on it.
The practice of separatists giving call for total strike following the killing of a local or non-local terrorist commander in an encounter with security forces is not a new thing in the history of current terrorism in Kashmir. The purpose they want to serve is to convey to their external sponsors and handlers that they reject the philosophy of non-violence and want to reach their goal through the gun. Incidentally, they have sent their own children and wards to different countries for education or training while they implore the local youth to take up the gun and fight the Indian might. What they are prepared to do for them is to send condolence to bereaved families and give calls for extended strikes and thus increase the difficulties of the people of the valley.
The State administration was left with no choice but to dissuade the swelling mobs from inflicting damage to public property and endanger law and order to the extent of posing threat to the life of peace loving citizens. Using muscle power is against the liking of any Government because it is people’s Government. But when people take law into their hand, the Government is duty bound to protect the lives and property of peace loving people. Some losses of precious lives have happened in the process and many people have been injured in the locally invented stone throwing tactics. It is regrettable.
As unrest continued and there was no result of Chief Minister’s appeal to the elected representatives of the people to interact with their respective constituencies, it became unavoidable for the law and order maintaining agency to enforce preventive measures.
Our neighbor in the west, which has been openly advocating for moral, diplomatic and psychological support to the armed insurgency in the State since 1990, played up the disturbed situation in the valley and gave it unusual media hype with a mixed doze of falsehood and exaggeration. It has tried to stir the international opinion by shooting letters to the UN and some world capitals asking for plebiscite in the State. What it actually wants to tell the world is that its ambition of snatching away Kashmir from India’s hands by means of gun has failed and now it wants to achieve that objective by instigating the people against the elected Government in the State.
It is in the fitness of things that Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has called All Party Meeting to discuss the situation that has developed in the State and its implications in broader sense. Evidently, all sane elements among political parties will favour and support restoration of peace and termination of violence because innocent lives are lost in the mayhem. It is also true that all stakeholders should be taken on board in finding out what ails the people and where their aspirations are not finding articulation. Whereas we highly appreciate the expressions of various party leaders including the parties in power that all steps should be taken to avoid loss of life and property, it also becomes incumbent on them to give a call for saying good bye to violence and hanging on to peace efforts. It is necessary that a call should be given that gun has to be eschewed so that security forces have no need to react.
It will be noted that Prime Minister Modi has taken more than expected steps to engage Pakistan for peace talks. He even made an unscheduled visit to Lahore to meet Mian Nawaz Sharif. But the question is that India cannot close her eyes to the fact that Pakistan has done nothing to contain bids of her jihadis sneaking into our side and carrying attacks in Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Udhampur and other places. If Indo-Pak talks have to proceed, that can happen only in an atmosphere of peace and not under booming guns. Mehbooba has made passionate appeal to all stakeholders to contribute their bit to restoration of normalcy and thus save more loss of precious lives. People are suffering owning to curfew and other restrictions. Tourist industry has suffered a serious setback at the peak of the season. Kashmir’s economy suffers irreparable loss. All this should stop.
It is discouraging to know that National Conference declined the invitation of the Chief Minister to participate in the All Party Meeting. We cannot believe that NC expects solution of Kashmir’s problem through the use of muscle power. NC is a historical party which has played the most significant and crucial role in the freedom struggle of Kashmir and in shaping its future. Its participation would have immensely contributed to the strengthening of All Party appeal for restoration of peace in Kashmir.
While the CM’s appeal for peace has been endorsed in the All Party Meet, it is important that relief and compensation is provided to the sufferers of turmoil. Those who need medical assistance should be provided with all support and the bereaved families should be given ex-gratia relief to overcome the suffering and hardships they are made to suffer. The Government is already committed to finding remedy to the difficulties of the youth and a slew of schemes are already on the anvil. These should be implemented to remove alienation.
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