No doubt the mission of Union Minister is intended to end the unrest in the valley, however in the long term it needs to analyse the nature of unrest and the underlying reasons below it. Analyzing the Kashmir unrest reveals that it involves both symbolic as well as substantive issues.
Union home minister Rajnath Singh while on four day visit to Kashmir sought support of all political parties and stakeholders to resolve the problems of the state.
Singh, on the last of his four-day tour of the state, said the security situation in Kashmir is better “to an extent” than the previous year but he could not say that it “has totally become peaceful”. The government is making efforts to improve the situation in the Valley. “We are trying to regain the faith of people (of Kashmir),” he added while talking to reporters in Jammu. “I want cooperation and support of all, including all political parties and all stakeholders of the society to resolve the problems of the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh,” the home minister said.
He did not agree with a view that the militant ranks in Kashmir have swelled and said “terrorists are being strongly dealt with by the security forces bravely.” Singh was asked a question regarding his remark on Monday that the Centre will not do anything “against the sentiments” of the people of J&K, in the context of Article 35A of the Indian Constitution under which residents of the state have certain special privileges and rights.
In his reply, he said, “First of all, I want to clarify. Please do not distort my statement. I said Jammu and Kashmir including Ladakh—the entire state. I talked about the sentiment of the people of the region (J&K).”
Pressed further, he said, “as far as Article 35A is concerned, whatever I had to say, I have said that (yesterday). The matter is sub-judice and I have nothing more to say.” There has been a raging debate over the fate of this Constitutional provision ever since it was challenged in the Supreme Court by a woman who has alleged that it was discriminatory.
Several Kashmiri mainstream parties as well as separatists have opposed abrogation of this Article, warning that it would have serious consequences. Asked whether the central government will abide by the decision of Supreme Court on Article 35A, Singh evaded a direct reply, saying, “whatever I had to say was stated by me yesterday. I don’t think there is a need to elaborate.”
Queried whether the government will file a counter affidavit in the Supreme Court on the challenge posed to it, Singh said, “the matter is in the SC. I don’t know what will happen in the future. At this point of time, I cannot say beyond this.”
Singh batted strongly for equal development in all the three regions of the state—Kashmir, Jammu and Ladakh. “We want that there should be no discrimination with any part of the state. All the three regions should have proper and comprehensive development. This is the ideology of our government,” he said.
“Keeping in view this aspect, Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) had announced a development package for J&K under which 63 projects are being implemented in the three regions of the state,” he added. Under the package, 6,000 transit accommodations are coming up for which Rs920 crore have been sanctioned, he said.
“Rs2,000 crore have been sanctioned for the compensation to the displaced people of Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir,” the home minister said. “To prevent this scheme from falling prey to corruption, we have linked it with Aadhaar for direct benefit transfer to the accounts of the displaced families,” he added.
Singh said the Centre has a tough stand towards illegal migrants but a “sympathetic view” towards those displaced within the country and the minorities of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh who have become refugees in this country. To a question about sealing of borders, he said wherever fencing is not possible and physical barriers like riverine terrains can’t be used, technology like sensor-based cameras will be used.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh said five Cs – compassion, communication, co-existence, confidence-building and consistency – will form the basis of a permanent solution to unrest in Jammu and Kashmir, offering to meet anyone who, he said, wants to help do that.
“We wish to see smiles on the face of Kashmiri people,” said Mr Singh, who was addressing a press conference before flying to Rajouri district in Jammu for the second leg of his visit to the state. Asked about Article 35A of the Indian Constitution being challenged in court as discriminatory – it bars people from outside Jammu and Kashmir from acquiring immovable property in the state – Mr Singh said the Centre had not initiated such a process. “I want to assure that I am not talking about only Article 35A, whatever our government does, we will not do anything against the sentiments of the people here. We will continue to respect that,” the minister said.
No doubt the mission of Union Minister is intended to end the unrest in the valley, however in the long term it needs to analyse the nature of unrest and the underlying reasons below it. Analyzing the Kashmir unrest reveals that it involves both symbolic as well as substantive issues. The government needs to address the issue of conflict resolution by involving all the stake holders in the peace process and the symbology of “Azadi movement” by involving the separatists and the state government. Apart from that restoration of a stable government and the economic progress of “Jammu and Kashmir” is the need of the hour. Besides, in establishing long-term peace in the Valley, which may only come when some of the following issues have been addressed:
– AFSPA: The Armed Forces Special Powers Act has been a cause of great discontent in the Kashmiri populace against the Indian state. A reworking or partial lifting of its implementation should be mused over.
– Article 370: With some sections demanding its repeal. it’s imperative to understand that such a step might further alienate the Kashmiri people.
– Separatists Question: A long term solution cannot be arrived at without including the separatists in the political discussions.
Overall, while that State should be praised for reaching out to the people in Kashmir valley, there’s lot more to be done to ensure that longterm peace arrives in Kashmir and it can once again be rightly called a ‘Heaven on Earth’.
