Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde has been on three-day extensive visit of the J&K State that covered the two regions of Jammu and Kashmir. This has come close on the heels of his visit to Ladakh last week. In terms of security, J&K being a sensitive state, the Home Minister did well to find time soon after assuming the charge of his ministry, for visiting the State, and gathering first hand information on security related and other matters. His visits, whether to Ladakh and Kargil or to Jammu and Kashmir regions was choreographed in a manner that provided him broad-based information on security and its related dimensions in the strife torn state as well as interaction with various actors ranging from local political leadership to small traders involved in cross LoC trade. In comparison to his predecessors at the Union Home Ministry, his recent jaunts to the state promise better and more pragmatic understanding of Kashmir situation and how to charter the roadmap of future interaction with the state. Visits to the international border at Suchetgarh and Chakan-da-Bagh LoC crossing in Poonch meant to convey India’s determination to ensure territorial integrity of the state notwithstanding nefarious designs of antagonistic elements on the other side of the border. At the same time, it reflected India’s willingness to promote such confidence building measures as would contribute to lasting peace in the regain and smoothening of Indo-Pak relations. He made it clear that New Delhi considered trade and commerce as the vehicle of CBMs and would take up with his Pakistani counterpart the issues of increasing the number of items to be traded and proposing electronic connectivity. It was naturally expected of him to assert India taking serious view of inimical acts of Pakistan, like digging of secret tunnel at Chachwal, violating the cease fire agreement or making recurrent attempts of infiltrating terrorists into Indian Territory. India was prepared to meet these challenges. It is pertinent to mention that the Indian Army Chief has said that nearly 400 highly trained and armed terrorists are awaiting infiltration into Indian Territory from their bases in PoK.
In Srinagar, the Home Minister has held one more high level security review meeting. Obviously in this meeting, top echelons of civilian, military, security and intelligence establishment have deliberated on further input in the domain of intelligence, and upgraded counter insurgency measures. Pleased to say that situation had improved fairly in Kashmir, Shinde had full praise for security forces in contributing to restoration of peace in the State. In particular, it is the GOC-in-C of Northern Command whose revised strategy of securing the porous border against infiltration by terrorists from across the LoC has brought about sea change in the ground situation in the State. The Army and security forces including the State Police are maintaining high level vigilance to deny the enemy any chance of subversion.
The Home Minister has visited the Lal Chowk and some adjoining areas in Srinagar city. This is for the first time ever since the eruption of armed insurgency that the Home Minister has paid a visit to civil lines and mixed up with the people to have an ice cream at one place or make some shopping at the other. It certainly gives moral boost to security forces and sections of civil society while at the same time it sends a message to the separatists and militants that the Government means to ensure territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Indian State. In recent weeks and months, the Government has been concerned about the attacks on Sarpanchs and Panchs in the valley and threatening given to them to resign from their posts. The militants are directed by their mentors to intimidate elected representatives and derail democratic process. The Union and the State Governments both are joining heads to exorcise the evil spirit casting its shadow on democratic dispensation in the state.
It is commendable on the part of the Home Minister to have found time in two successive weeks of visiting J&K and acquainting himself with the ground situation. Such frequent visits help in maintaining close rapport among various security agencies and civilian establishment. The Home Minister has not made any major policy statement during his visit notwithstanding the fact that in his interaction with the media some pointed questions were asked. He has given government’s views but very succinctly, and reflected on various issues like Chinese intrusions, revival of Khalistan movement, rape cases in Haryana etc. Some media persons may not have felt satisfied with some of the views of the Home Minister, but after all, he reflected the government’s views. For example, there is controversy on the role of PLA along the international border in Ladakh. It is greater in the case of Eastern State of Arunachal Pradesh. There is massive build up on both sides of the boundary line. It does portend threat to security of the frontier. Likewise it is not enough for the Home Minister to say that he does not want to disturb Centre-State relations in the background of efforts of reviving Khalistani movement. Shinde knows that revival of Khalistani movement in Punjab would mean boost to the separatist and secessionist movement in Kashmir. The Home Minister will need to reflect on some elements attempting to revive the Sikh separatist movement. It is so because recent reports coming from Canada and other western countries with pro-Khalistani Sikh elements active are worrisome. We have seen that some of these elements had made an attempt on the life of Lt. Gen. Brar in a London street.
In final analysis, it is satisfying that the Home Minister made a serious and well planned attempt to equip himself with full information on the ground situation in Kashmir. He had another round of talks with the Governor and the CM. We can expect him to reflect the impressions of his visit in the Union Cabinet very effectively. However, there is the need to caution him against any complacency in Kashmir. His visit to a few spots in the civil lines in Srinagar city and interaction with some shopkeepers and waving merrily to the passers-by sounds sweet but should not be taken to mean that all is well in Kashmir. Visit to Raghunath Temple in Jammu and Hazratbal mosque in Srinagar is a fine gesture despite the fact that gatherings at these places of worship have different orientation. In the nation building process divergent orientations need to be reconciled visibly as well as invisibly. The Home Minister would do well to keep up unbroken efforts of monitoring peace process in Kashmir.
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