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| Valley in tempest: Israeli army officials’ visit divides state polity | | NC, PDP’s criticize while Congress describes it ‘a tourists’ visit’ | |
Sanjay Khajuria
Jammu June 14
Israeli army officials’ visit that has created tempest in valley amidst the criticism from the mainstream political parties and separatists elements starts here today. Bringing the differences of Congress and PDP the scheduled visit has created an evident divide in state politics while Congress terms it as a tourist’s visit the NC and PDP has openly criticized the visit.
It is to mention that Israeli deputy chief of general staff Major General Moshe Kaplinsky is likely to visit J&K from today June 14 and is expected to discuss various issues with army officers in the state. There is likelihood of his meeting with Lt Gen Tej Sapru, General Officer Commanding of 16 corps and other senior officers in the state to discuss issues of mutual interest. Within the allegations and counter claims from various parties, the sources in army confirmed the visit of Israeli army officials and described it a personal/ non official visit.
And this visit has created a tempest in the state polity creating a divide with Congress favouring the visit while NC and PDP standing against the said visit.
Both National Conference and the PDP recalling their harmony expressed on various issues to reject the Private Bills in assembly proceedings have shared the benches criticize the scheduled visit of Israel army officials to valley. Both parties have described the visit permitted by union government is a wrong liaison and would sent wrong signals at the time when state is heading towards an era of reconciliation and peace.
In fact since the official proclamation this proposed visit of senior Israeli army officer to J&K has triggered a major row in Kashmir with mainstream and separatist parties fearing that it could send wrong signals among the people of the Muslim majority state with a known fact that ‘sectarian differences’ between the two communities as people in the Valley generally harbour anger against Israelis because of its oppression against Palestinians.
Main opposition party the National Conference has reportedly cautioned against this visit saying that the visit will negate the peace process and defeat the basic concept of friendship between India and Pakistan.
The NC provincial president Mehboob Beg as per the news items appearing in some media section stated that on one hand the government is talking about the dialogue process and on the other hand militarily moves are being made. This is really unfortunate in the era of reconciliation and friendship such military cooperation with Israel will have negative impact on the whole thing, Beg has stated. Further he had commented ‘the visit of the Israeli army officials is fraught with danger. It will send a wrong signal that the Centre is not ready to solve Kashmir politically.”
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the major alliance in the present Azad led coalition government, too is not impressed by the high profile visit. Taking a tough stand the senior PDP leader and MLC, Nizam-ud-Din Bhat too described the this proposed visit Israeli officials as a move which will have long-term ramifications. While the Congress leaders from particular community though following the stance of high command are playing ‘the tourism card’ and are describing Israeli Army officials visit as simple as other tourists visit the heaven on earth and claim anybody can visit it.
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