Shiban Khaibri
Those who have been vying with one another in showcasing as to how much was Article 370 of our constitution sacrosanct for Jammu and Kashmir that a simple suggestion by Mr Modi to have a mere debate on its merits and demerits drew sharp reactions to this extent that “then the very question of the accession of the State of Jammu and Kashmir was to reopen” etc; have, very recently, overtly breached it by supporting and passing a resolution in the State Assembly by advocating something like “peace process and dialogue” with our hereditary belligerent neighbour Pakistan. What is this oft resorted to “Peace process , dialogue,
A view point
confidence building measures” etc; needs to be addressed in totality as also whether, these terms are used as an alibi, as a political tool or as a means to blackmail and browbeat the Central Government. Before that, it is imperative to spill the beans about the “dire and very urgent need” for the resolution under reference to be taken up, presented and finally passed in the Assembly and not debate and discuss the problems of price rise, inflation, corruption, unemployment, financial crisis, power and infrastructural issues confronted by the common man.
Has the entire exercise something got to do about the drubbings the ruling coalition got recently in the Parliamentary elections? Is it thought of as one of the last ploys to attempt to regain the fast slipping ground from under the feet of the ruling dispensation? Are signs afoot to stand up in congruence with the separatist camp to garner votes in the ensuing Assembly elections? Is the move aimed at placating Syed Geelani and others in giving blame to India for not resolving the so called Kashmir issue in the interests of the “peace in the sub – continent”? Another question of equal importance that needs a sincere clarification on political morality or ethical values if any, in the political firmament, that in spite of a massive voter turnout of over 67% in the last Assembly elections indicating peoples’ affirmation in the accession and bothering not two hoots about other allied ” issues”, Omar Abdullah termed that ” as a vote for Sadak, Bijli aur Pani” only and was not to be taken for the “Kashmir issue having been resolved”, has his Government right from 2008 to early 2014 done any thing with the UPA 2 to “have talks and peace process measures” with Pakistan, if not – why only now, when the present Government is merely a few weeks old? In other words, does a weak, indecisive, wavering in stand (like at Shram -ul- Sheikh) Government led by Dr. Manmohan Singh preferred to a very sincere but firm and assertive Government at the centre led by Narendra Modi by the NC leadership supported by the Congress? Has the recent statement of the CM Omar Abdullah that not “even from a far distance” would he like to “shake hands” with the BJP (and its leader Modi) reflected in any way in challenging the Union Government’s national policy in matters of external affairs to indulge in the pressure tactics and arm twisting, just to vindicate the rhetoric he and his illustrious father, resorted to against Mr Modi during the recent Parliamentary election campaign? There are many questions that come one after the other which the torch bearers of the “dialogue – peace process with Pakistan” have to reply and they cannot reply except playing issues wrapped in historical obscurantism. Historical facts and happenings are pawned with indistinctness, manipulated by some well known Kashmiri politicians and that is the bane of the conflict. Religious card is the pivotal fulcrum, amidst chanting of “traditional brotherhood and secular Kashmiryat”, the unlike poles which are bound to repel.
Honorable member belonging to Panthers Party Mr. Rafiq Shah deserves all kudos and appreciation for calling a spade a spade by holding the view, “This is not at all the subject under the jurisdiction or the domain of the State Government”. In respect of “urging” the Central Government to hold talks with aggressor Pakistan, Mr. Rafiq further said, “It is usually a part of the national policy of a sovereign country to hold talks with any country or not, a State Government cannot decide about it.” He walked out in protest from the august House.
Can we believe a country which agrees in a flag meeting for a ceasefire during the day but during the night of the same day, our three posts in Pargwal sector are heavily shelled by the Pakistani Rangers. PDP chief and MP Mehbooba Mufti saying that defence Ministers of both the countries should resign in case even a bullet from either side was fired or in other words, when Pakistan, as per its avowed policy resorts to attacking, India’s Defence Minister too should resign, speaks about an illogical stand in that, an aggressor and the victim of aggression are, under specific designs, kept at the same footing. Who shall take such unsolicited “solutions” to the problem seriously, otherwise played to the gallery?
Can any one in the state leadership disagree that the gun culture was exported by Pakistan nearly three decades back into a peaceful progressing and fast developing state with particular reference to Kashmir division? Can it be disputed that the mayhem, arson, killings, attacks on the security forces, the army jawans in the Valley and even in Jammu division has been the handiwork of Pakistan and a result of extreme religious fanatic indoctrination by that country and its other non-state actors promoting terror? How can then a peace loving democratic, secular India be coerced, albeit Assembly resolutions and various rhetoric, to succumb to the pressure tactics of a theocratic terror country, a rogue country, an aggressor country and how can we indulge in cajoling exercise of offering “talks and the peace dialogue” to it ? Pakistan dares on our soil to discuss the agenda with the valley separatists and fundamentalist leaders who believe in allegiances on the basis of religion and exclusiveness only? All of them want Kashmir to be ceded from India which can never happen, come what may.
How can any one account for Pakistan’s heavy shelling on LoC, 22 posts, 28 villages and 15 hamlets getting badly damaged in Jammu sector on a single day on Aug23, preceded and followed by intermittent border violations and firing on villages resulting in thousands of our border villagers migrating to safer places, their day to day activities and earning livelihood affected. Instead of advocating for a befitting reply, central government is projected as “culprits” before the people in the state and as a measure of “atonement” asked to go beseeching Pakistan for having a peace dialogue and talks with us? While violating LoC and resorting to shelling in Jammu sector by Pakistan, its terrorists in Kupwara , Kashmir engage our security forces resulting in neutralizing four of them and two of our brave heart army personnel getting martyred. In Baramulla District, around the same time, encounters take place between Pakistan terrorists and the security forces and then to talk about “talks and peace process'” seems ludicrous and silly. India traditionally is committed to peace and amity but Pakistan is not a taker, we have seen it since 1947.
Pakistan has one more “feather” in its cap of manufacturing terror. After Gen. Musharraf openly agreeing for Pakistan having promoted and sponsored the Taliban, now ISIS and Tahrik-e-Taliban are working together in Pakistan, a new outfit called Ansur -ul- Tawheed coming into being as per a fresh dossier by the NIA. According to latest reports, as many as 300 young people from this country have been recruited and trained to be sent to war zones in Syria and Iraq via Singapore. Can Pakistan , now wash its hands off this another sin, resort to any sort of de- ideological activities , reform itself, stop terror camps and terror manufacturing, stop indoctrinating misled youth into some “jihad” against India? Even China has blamed Pakistan trained terrorists for outbreak of a deadly violence, killing 19 in its Xinjiang region. Is the resolution passed by the State Assembly answering these points? Last but not the least, “reverenced Article 370 ” has been breached by going out of its domain as matters regarding Defence, Foreign Affairs, Communications etc; cannot be interfered into by the State.
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