Post summer unrest of 2016, The challenges faced by Kashmiris have multiplied manifold. It has put the separatist leadership under tremendous pressure. The mantra and the strategy of Hartals has failed as far as ground situation of the valley is concerned. The Onus of current Turmoil is on the leadership that made people believe in Now- or- Never theory. The refusal to meet few members of All Party Delegation of Indian Parliamentarians during 2016 unrest backfired, people now understand that almost after one year Indian State forced the same separatist leadership to suggest an unconditional dialogue process by allowing the Top 3 leaders to meet in front of the same door that was closed down when Indian MPSs Came to meet them.
Undoubtedly, as usual our leaders are caught in a catch 22 situation, where they actually don’t know what is coming next.
People here need to understand the statements that have hit the media centers from last few months initially, India dropped/skipped the rants of ‘Attot Ang ‘ while offering talks, Pakistani Army chief followed the same by calling for a political solution to K-Issue without calling it ‘Jugular Vein’ and at the same time Hurriyat reciprocated with the Same tone. Therefore, Time has come to address the nation without bias and let us tell our nation the tenets of this unconditional dialogue. For if there is a breakthrough of any nature people here will not call it a sell-out. The need is to take nation onboard and unequivocally make people understand that there is no cosmetic or immediate solution to K-Issue in offing. A dispute at Mohalla level takes months and years to resolve, and ours is a dispute concerning two immature nuclear giants, Whose National interests are shaped by hatred and hostility for each other. We need to understand few hard hitting realities, What if India and Pakistan refuse to talk to each other for next 10 decades? What if world powers continue to show their tilt towards Indian State and economic interests for next 10 decades? Does it mean we should keep dying every now and then? Does it mean, we should continue our strategy of Hartals? Does it mean we should continue boycott of elections and pave way for Right wing sponsored candidates to take over the affairs of the State?
Indian State is working on the plan to control and administer J&K for next 100 years and we as nation are busy in reactional protest trends. The future challenges are going to be gigantic in nature. We need to prepare our plans and strategies today, and not when enemy hits us right in our head. We need to be prepared to counter the demands of “Separate Statehood” for Jammu Post 2020. We need to be on tenterhooks as the demand for “Union Territory Status” to Ladakh may gain momentum. It is necessary to devise a strategy now as our tallest leaders were unaware of “Economic Integration of Kashmir with India” as the Indian State called it post implementation of GST in J&K. We cannot change our fate by issuing statements from Banglows and cages. If multi-pronged and multi-faceted strategy is the need of the hour.
We as a nation must chalk-out a plan to save lives and energies of our youth. It is not always necessary to die for the Cause; we need to learn to live for the cause.
Sheikh Younis hailing from Baramullah can be reached at sheikhyounis123@gmail.com
