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| Antony says Pak insincere, Chidambaram says no | | Troubled J&K | | Rustam
JAMMU, Jan 9: The Kashmiri leadership is vertically divided into several groups. Some are demanding independence, some Pakistan, some self-rule, some autonomy and some India-Pakistan joint-control over Jammu and Kashmir. Leaders putting forth such pernicious demands do not see eye to eye with each other. They hate each other and they leave no stone unturned to malign and let down each other. They refuse to come on one platform because they feel, and rightly, that in unity lies their destruction and in disunity opportunities and opportunities to fleece and bleed India and enjoy worldly life like the kings. They even kill those who they consider a potential threat. Take, for example, the gruesome murder of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq's father and the Lones' father Abdul Gani Lone. Is it not a fact that former APHC chairman Abdul Gani Bhat had last year publicly said "we, not the Army, killed our leaders?"
The Kashmiri leadership knows in its heart of hearts that what it is demanding is utterly unacceptable to the Indian nation. It also knows in its heart of hearts that Pakistan is not the friend of Kashmir and Pakistan on the brink of ruins. It also knows in its heart of hearts that their case is very weak and that the people across the country know it full well that problem in Kashmir is not economic and political. It also knows in its heart of hearts that it represents only the minority viewpoint. It is important to note that only a section of Kashmiris is involved in a movement, called the secessionist movement in Kashmir. This section belongs to a particular sect, which has been in the driver's seat since 1947 and which is the most prosperous section in the entire country. It knows in its heart of hearts that the relations between the United States and Islamabad are far from normal. It also knows in its heart of hearts that it has no support-base outside the Kashmir Valley, which is the real trouble spot and den of intrigues.
It would not be out of place to mention here that even the former interlocutor for Jammu and Kashmir Dileep Padgaonkar has exposed the Kashmiri leadership and reflected on the social composition of the ongoing secessionist movement in the Valley, as also the weaknesses of the movement and wrongdoings of the ruling coalition. The Early Times carried a four-part story under the caption "Jammu and Kashmir in the words of Padgaonkar" only recently just to call the Kashmiri leadership's bluff and put things in right perspective.
It can be said without any hesitation that the bulk of Kashmiri leadership has no credibility left, as it simply aroused popular passions and then exploited the situation to grind its own axe. The general public is aware of everything their leadership has done from time to time. That's the reason the area of influence of the Kashmiri leaders, both separatist and "mainstream", has shrunk to a considerable extent. Take, for example, the case of the National Conference. Its support-base in the Valley has considerably dwindled. It has not been able to increase its tally from 28 in a House of 87 since 2002. This was the party which had captured more than 66 per cent of the Assembly seats in 1996. This should explain everything.
This is the situation. The best course for New Delhi should have been to adopt a pro-active policy to controvert the Pakistani influence and isolate those Kashmiri leaders who had vitiated the state's political atmosphere by exploiting the religious sentiments of the gullible Kashmiris for promoting their vested interests. But it has not done so. On the contrary, New Delhi has done every possible to keep the pot boiling in Kashmir by its words and deeds. There is no need to refer to what New Delhi has been doing to keep the fissiparous tendencies alive in the Kashmir Valley, as the concerned citizens of the country are fully aware of everything that was done and that is being done.
Suffice it to say that the Defence Ministry and the Union Home Ministry are dealing with Pakistan and Kashmir differently. The Defence Ministry maintains that Islamabad continues to foment troubles in Kashmir. It says Islamabad is not sincere. The Home Ministry has a different standpoint. Chidambaram continues to describe Kashmir as a unique problem that needs a unique solution. But more than that, he has given a clean chit to Islamabad which continues to allow its soil to be used by those who want to annex Kashmir to Pakistan and dismember India. Take, for example, his recent statement on Pakistan. He had said: "I think they (Islamabad) have realized that any overt support to state actors or non-state actors, if that is discovered, they will pay a heavy price. So I think overt support has certainly diminished. Covert support, I really can't make an assessment". Chidambaram said this in an interview to Doordarshan. Where was the need to make such a statement? But he made it and strengthened the position of Pakistan in his own way.
The truth, in short, is that it is New Delhi which is sustaining the secessionist movement in Kashmir and creating an environment that only helps Pakistan implement its anti-India agenda. Is this the way to run the country and maintain its territorial integrity? This is not the way and the nation is watching with vigilance everything that is going on. |
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