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| Kashmiris reject it, Jammu hates it, Ladakhies decry it | | Who wants autonomy? | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Aug 11: Prime Minister's assurance of a political solution to Kashmir problem was widely discussed here today. Reactions ranging from subtle to critical poured in all day. The separatists rejected the offer straightway. However, a part of the mainstream lobby welcomed the development.
The Prime Minister's assurance has raised many questions. If restoration of internal autonomy is the proposed political package for silencing dissent in Kashmir, then New Delhi has to do a lot of thinking. Where the autonomy dose work in Jammu and Ladakh?
Who wants autonomy in Kashmir? Barring National Conference (NC) nobody is interested in it. Even the pro-Indian Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has its own roadmap for Kashmir resolution. It is interested in self rule.
As far as the separatists are concerned they cannot opt for this arrangement for the time being for obvious reasons. They are exercising utmost caution while issuing statements. The Hurriyat chairman, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq while talking to NDTV's Pranoy Roy (on phone) last evening said the Mushraff's formula was not a final solution. "It was an interim arrangement and had to be taken to the people after five or ten years for ratification." He tactfully evaded a response when Roy asked him if a solution within Indian constitution was acceptable to him.
Mirwaiz gave his reaction this evening. "We are not striving for internal autonomy. New Delhi has been deceiving Kashmiris since 1947 and the talk of restoration of autonomy is yet another sugar coated pill to frustrate the on-going movement", he said.
The most moderate Hurriyat leader, Professor Abdul Ghani also broke his long silence today. "We have tasted autonomy from 1947 to 1953. India. The government can abuse its constitution to dethrone and arrest the Prime Minister whenever it deems fit", he said.
For Syed Ali Geelani, the move is aimed at hoodwinking the international opinion. "If Prime Minister is interested in solving the dispute, let him accept Jammu Kashmir as a disputed territory first", he said.
The commoner on the street is straight as usual. "New Delhi has always gone for short cuts to silence Kashmiris. This attitude snowballed into the 1989 insurgency. Another shortcut may silence Kashmir for a decade or so but it will erupt again. This is the time when New Delhi must address the issue in its historic perspective", said Ali Muhammad, a school teacher.
And for the sake of arguments if it is accepted that defiant Kashmir would accept autonomy as a solution, what about Jammu and Ladakh? The people of Jammu have always hated autonomy. When Sher-e-Kashmir was the `undisputed' leader of the state, the people of Jammu gave him sleepless nights by their Eak Vidhaan, Eak Nishaan and Eak Pradhan slogan. They want greater integration with India.
BJP leader, lashed out at the Union government for "succumbing to separatists." He said the BJP position on Jammu Kashmir is crystal clear. He demanded abrogation of Article 370 of the Indian constitution that guarantees special status to the state.
The people in Ladakh do not want autonomy. They want Azadi (freedom) from what they call Kashmir hegemony. Further they have got the hill council and they are happy with it. At present they must be more concerned about their rehabilitation rather than stuff like internal autonomy. |
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