After the liquidation of a group of terrorists in Tral area in July last, Kashmir valley plunged into surcharged frenzy of anti-India public demonstrations that turn violent as usual with thousands of youth below twenty-five years of age coming out in mobs and hurling stones on security forces and the police. Separatists like Hurriyatis and their affiliates were emboldened to raise the pitch of anti-India slogan mongering as they took inspiration from overt and covert ambivalence of the mainstream opposition parties in the legislature. For nearly four weeks from the onset of this scenario of unrest, the Central Government remained unmoved. It had the right inkling that the dissenters were enacting another scene of regular and traditional blackmail of the Centre. Pakistan immediately galvanized its propaganda machinery into action, shot letters to UN Secretary General, knocked at the doors of foreign office of various western countries, and whipped up Kashmir frenzy among the jihadi groups.
The opposition in the Parliament ganged up to censure the Government for its “no-concern” attitude towards Kashmir situation focusing attack on the Prime Minister for not opening his mouth. Congress led these attacks forgetting that Kashmir festering sore was its own creation. Their criticism resulted in the Centre agreeing to send All Party Delegation (APD) on a mission to Kashmir how unrest would be calmed down. During their visit, 26 MPs drawn from 20 parties represented in the Parliament, the delegation met with 300 individuals and organizations in Kashmir and 200 of them in Jammu. These organizations and individuals presented their case and made suggestions they think would normalize the situation. In Srinagar, Hurriyatis declined to meet with the delegation or talk on Kashmir. Some of the members of the APD taking their individual decision tried to reach the separatists but received only a snub. The Hurriyatis chose to ignore the official invitation from the Chief Minister to come to meet with the APD. Someone among the APD remarked that the Hurriyat leaders are always very eager to meet with Pakistani delegations. Obviously, these separatists are not interested that prevailing unrest in the Valley should come to an end. They want the so-called “victimhood of Kashmiris” to be exploited to the hilt.
The general impression with political commentators in the State is that usually the Parliament members are not fully aware of the nitty-gritty of Kashmir politics. Hopefully this two-day visit will have given them an impression of what are the nuances of Kashmir politics and that in future debates in the Parliament on Kashmir, they will be able to present a much more balanced and objective view. Boycott by the Hurriyatis and other lumpen in the Valley was matched by main Panun Kashmiri ideologues in Jammu. However, many Jammu delegations strongly pleaded for political reorganization of the State according to its three regions in a way that one is not made hostage to the other. Jammuites have a long pending complaint of discrimination and deprivation. Delegation of Jammu Chamber of Commerce made a very cogent point in saying that turmoil and unrest in Kashmir adversely affected the economy of Jammu and hampered business enterprise. Harshdev Singh, the ex-Minister strongly pleaded for fair and just delimitation of assembly constituencies in the State. Interestingly, the Ladakhi MP, during his meeting with the APD, delivered subtle warning to the Central Government for trying to sideline Ladakh and trivializing its concerns and aspirations. This unnerved the Home Minister who declared on spot that the State comprised not one but three regions and that the APD would soon be visiting Ladakh to assess the issues facing the people there. Actually, the Prime Minister had also hinted during his All Party meeting in New Delhi about the territorial composition of the State of Jammu and Kashmir.
Besides individuals and delegations from civil society, the APD also received briefing on current security situation from the chiefs of the security forces as well as the army commanders. Pallet guns have been withdrawn as it was a demand of the delegations who had met the Home Minister during his July visit to Kashmir. Home Minister has appointed a nodal agency in his Ministry to take care of the complaints of Kashmiri students studying in institutions outside Kashmir but the said ministry did not think there was any need of a similar nodal agency either in the State or at the Centre to take care of the migrant employees in Kashmir who were attacked and looted during the ongoing turmoil at least at two places Nutnusa and Hal or the non-state students at the Srinagar NIT, who were manhandled and humiliated during the crisis a few months back. Being the children of lesser God they perhaps do not need any attention.
The APD has not in New Delhi today to formulate its report. The terms of reference for the APD were only to report how unrest in Kashmir valley can be dozed down.
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