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| Kashmir continues to be a playfield for new conspiracies | | | Early Times Report
JAMMU, Oct 30: Sheikh Abdullah, the tallest political figure, used to say that Kashmir has been converted into a playfield for international conspiracies. When he was heard saying so Kashmir was really being used by the US, UK, Russia and other European nations as a playfield for carrying out various experiments.
The end of the Sheikh era has given a chance to state level political leaders to experiment with their cherished ideas for what they call settlement of the Kashmir issue. The latest sermon on the matter has come from Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, who is otherwise known for supporting one idea after the other for the resolution of the Kashmir issue.
Omar has come out with an idea that had, at one stage, found favour among the moderates in the separatist camp. And Omar Abdullah has favoured the Northern Ireland peace model, which has resulted in relative calm in the United Kingdom since the late 1990s, but with a rider: there cannot be any power-sharing between mainstream and separatist groups in the state. The three-way Northern Ireland pact, also known as the Good Friday Agreement, signed in 1998, lays down the status and system of government of Northern Ireland within the UK, the relationship between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland and the ties between the Republic of Ireland and the UK.
Omar said it was one of the "possibilities in the peace process". But he ruled out a power-sharing arrangement between the mainstream and separatist groups in the state. "No, power sharing is not on my mind at the moment. I am just looking at a number of possibilities. This (Northern Ireland) could be one of them," he has said.
Does it mean Omar has relegated the NC stand on restoration of greater autonomy to the sidelines? Or is Omar favouring northern Ireland peace model for the resolution of the Kashmir issue as a vote catching device? Before airing his support for Northern Ireland type model Omar would lay emphasis on restoration of greater autonomy as he believed that going back to pre-1953 constitutional position could lead to the settlement of the Kashmir issue.
And if Omar's emphasis on Ireland type model was aimed at wooing voters he seems to have gone wrong because separatists, who matter in Kashmir, have criticized Omar's latest sermon. And Syed Ali Shah Geelani, who heads the hardliners among the separatists, has, expectedly, opposed Ireland type model and demanded that nothing short of implementation of the UN resolution could solve the Kashmir issue. He has said that no solution which aims at the status quo can be acceptable to people of Kashmir.
And the JKLF chief, Mohd. Yasin Mailk, has said that mainstream politicians should not dish out ideas which were beyond their mandate for implementation. He posed a genuine question to these mainstream political parties. Do they want autonomy, self-rule or Irish model? While saying so he had in his mind the autonomy slogan raised by the NC, the self-rule demand of the PDP and the Irish model pronounced by Omar Abdullah. It seems Malik has deliberately ignored the BJP and the Congress stand on the issue as they want the status quo to be maintained on the plea that Jammu and Kashmir state is an integral part of India.
One need not feel surprised if politicians like Omar Abdullah or Geelani come out with yet another new ideas. One thing seems to be certain. Syed Ali Shah Geelani is not prepared to deviate from his cherished demand for the implementation of the UN resolution on Kashmir. He is the only political leader among the separatists and the mainstream groups who has not changed or modified or amended his stand on holding a plebiscite.
No wonder if new ideas come up from those who matter and from those who are Inconsequential because of the ensuing Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. |
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