After listening for 75 minutes to a joint opposition delegation of Kashmir leaders headed by NC President Omar Abdullah, an official statement from Prime Minister’s office said that the Prime Minister has expressed his concern and pain over the situation in Kashmir. He appealed all parties to play positive role in bringing normalcy in the disturbed valley.
This is the first time that the Prime Minister has made direct appeal to all stakeholders in Kashmir to work for peace. These opposition parties had complained that the Prime Minister was silent on the loss of lives and the unrest that had gripped the valley since July 8 last. Prime Minister’s statement speaks of constructive suggestions made by the Kashmir delegation, which, in all probability paved the path for breaking the ice.
The one ambiguous phrase which has more than once appeared in the text of the memorandum submitted to the Prime Minister is political aspect. There appears variance in the texts presented to the President and the one to the Prime Minister. In the former text, the delegation speaks of political process to the resolution of Kashmir issue, but in the text to the PM it speaks of political process to the resolution of on-going crisis in the valley. The Prime Minister’s statement has clarified the confusion by speaking about a political solution within the framework of the Indian Constitution.
The Prime Minister has categorically stated that anything can be considered within the framework of the Constitution. The delegation has returned with a much clear vision that it has to unite its efforts in convincing the people that creating unrest, resorting to violence and hoisting unwanted flags will only lead to more suffering and more hardships. The representatives of the people have to perform a serious role and there is no other way out.
Economic development is a panacea to many ills but not to all ills. That is what the Prime Minister has said. That is a clear indication that he does not rule out the necessity of pressing political option into service. This also is precisely what the leader of the delegation of parties in opposition told to media persons. Political approach to the tangle does not lie in the hands of the Prime Minister. It lies in the democratic system; the system that gives the members of the delegation the right to present their case to the President and the Prime Minister on behalf of the people they represent. Therefore, it is they who shall have to draw the roadmap for political process. That is the underlying import of the appeal of the Prime Minister to all parties to come together in bringing peace and normalcy to the restive valley.
We have also to understand that in regard to Kashmir situation, for sections of political leadership in the State, including the mainstream politicians, it has become their habit to speak of vague phrases like “political issue”, “lasting solution”, “acceptable solution” etc. These reflect either inadvertent confusion or advertent polemics. Leadership has the responsibility to remove confusion and call a spade by its proper name. Kashmir is a dispute and Kashmir is an issue. The dispute is about the part of Kashmir illegally occupied by Pakistan and not vacated despite resolutions of the Security Council. By Kashmir leadership of all hues asks New Delhi to enter into a dialogue with Pakistan and find ways of resolving the Kashmir issue so that the people of the State are not made to bear the brunt, they simply mean that the Government of India should put forth the agenda for Pakistan to withdraw from the part of Kashmir illegally occupied by it. It Pakistan withdraws in the light of the world opinion, this will push our borders to their original location and the shelling and firing across the LoC that takes so many innocent lives will come to an end. Kashmir leadership, therefore, is very right in demanding that New Delhi opens the dialogue with Pakistan along these lines. It has to be understood that the people in PoK and Gilgit and Baltistan have been protesting for decades at end demanding freedom from hegemonic rule and opportunity for self determination. There is strong resentment among the people in Gilgit and Baltistan against the authoritative and arbitrary rule of Islamabad.
What has made the situation in Gilgit and Baltistan very critical and explosive is the deep inroads made by China in the region on the invitation and tacit support of Pakistani rulers. This does not bode well for the people of those areas and at the same time poses serious threat to the security of India of which Kashmir stands on the frontline. Kashmir leadership has to understand that this is a very serious situation and no amount of emotionalism and isolationism can help meet this challenge.
Now that the Prime Minister has made an appeal for return of normalcy, and Omar Abdullah, who led the delegation, has tweeted his satisfaction over the response of the Prime Minister, it is time that the delegation of the leaders of opposition make a joint public appeal to the people in Kashmir to withdraw strike and resume normal life so that the security forces return to their barracks. If they do not make such an appeal forthwith, people will begin to lose trust in them and will label them as hypocrites.
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