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Political, not military solution

Kashmir Times. Dated: 8/23/2016 10:36:48 AM

New Delhi should take a cue, acknowledge the problem and introspect

More than forty five days after Kashmir erupted in violence, there has been no bid by the state government or the Centre to reach out to the people. The only action has been adoption of military methods and the only words spoken are ones that criminalise the youth out on the streets and have ended up inflicting more psychological wounds. The Centre's response this time goes beyond the familiar pattern of silence, followed by shoddy and cosmetic attempts to cool down tempers with interlocution and promise of dialogues, as has happened in the last one decade. The present government headed by Narendra Modi has shown far more insensitivity than previous governments have by not just going into a denial mode but going all out of the way to berate the people of Kashmir or at best talking about development. On Sunday, in Jammu, union finance minister Arun Jaitley called stone pelters as "aggressors" who needed to be dealt with firmly and said that there was no scope of compromise. Such statements of belligerence in the face of civilian unrest act as agent provocateurs rather than calming down tempers. To follow up prolonged silence with aggressive rhetoric is to add fuel to the already dangerously blazing fire in Kashmir. As part of the administrative set-up, it is the responsibility of government functionaries to view the nature of such a crisis as is unfolding in Kashmir with a measure of sensitivity and introspect as to why young boys in Kashmir get compelled to jump into agitations that threaten their own lives. A bit of reflection would be revealing that such risks are not taken only at the behest of some instigators or for money, as is being pedalled by the BJP government. The Centre should have taken a cue from the army general, whose timely intervention perhaps helped anger in Kashmir from further escalating.
Last week, when army personnel entered a village in south Kashmir, picked up some youth, thrashed them severely, beating to death a college lecturer and several others battling for life, the Northern Army Commander Lt Gen H.S. Hooda was quick in taking action. The very next day he ordered a probe and said that such killings will not be tolerated. He maintained that the security forces acted after they came under heavy stone pelting but was cautious enough not to justify the killing. Instead he acknowledged the damage and assured action against guilty security personnel. Hooda went a step further and called upon all sections including the armed forces for calm. He said that it was time for everyone to step back and reflect on finding ways out of the ongoing situation. While making that fervent appeal, he did not hold the army or the security forces above the board. Such acknowledgements of disproportionate use of force and appeals for peace, without lacing them with condescending remarks, should have come from the political powers of the day. It is unfortunate that while reasonable minded army officers sent into Kashmir by the same political powers to wage an unending battle against civilians are pragmatic enough to realise the desperation of the situation, the government of the day has its head buried like an ostrich in the sand. The contrast marks the gravity of the situation, far graver than the present reality of bloodshed in Kashmir and the ugly scar of pellet guns. Those who are expected to behave most responsibly in such a situation are the ones who have completely refused to grapple with the reality, even introspect fairly. The army officer did what he could. Beyond that he has no mandate to reach out to the people. That power is vested in New Delhi and therein lies the dangerous irony revealing that the political powers have no ability or inclination to read the situation in Kashmir politically and address it accordingly.