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| Upset Valley leadership asks Advani to follow Atal | | Process Of Disintegration | | Rustam
JAMMU, July 15: The Kashmiri leadership, both separatist and "mainstream", is very much pleased with BJP leader and former Prime Minister ailing Atal Behari Vajpayee and extremely angry with those who have been at the helm in the party these days. They are pleased with Vajpayee because it was he who initiated the "process of reconciliation" in 2003 with a view to "resolving the Kashmir issue" and "harmonizing relations with Pakistan". It was from Srinagar that Vajpayee extended his "hand of friendship" to Pakistan. Vajpayee extended the hand of friendship when the armies of India and Pakistan were face to face with each other or when the two armies were in a combat position in the wake of terrorist attack on Parliament and the 1999 Kargil intrusion. The Kashmiri leadership of the time appreciated what it called the "statesman in Vajpayee". It said Vajpayee "saw a window of opportunity and grabbed it to dismantle the walls of hatred in South Asia". Vajpayee had said in 2001 that "ab aar paar ki ladai hogi". The Kashmiri leadership of the time also appreciated Vajpayee for his "insaniyat ke daiyre mein" formulation. Vajpayee had said that the Kashmir issue needed to be resolved within the parameters of humanity, thus suggesting that Kashmir was a "human problem". This was precisely the line of all Kashmiri leaders.
The attitude of the Kashmiri leadership towards Vajpayee has not undergone any change. In fact, they continue to hail Vajpayee as a great statesman India ever produced. It is understandable. Remember, Vajpayee had indicated his willingness through his Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh to recognize Pakistan as a party to the Kashmir issue, enable Islamabad to enjoy co-equal power with New Delhi in the Indian Jammu & Kashmir, render borders and Line of Control irrelevant, divide Jammu Pradesh along Chenab River on communal lines and give maximum possible autonomy to Kashmir and its adjoining areas. Earlier, Vajpayee had reassured the Kashmiri Muslims that Article 370 shall ever remain a permanent part of the Indian Constitution. It is different that Vajpayee could not give effect to his "vision". One of the reasons which failed Vajpayee was the political instability in Pakistan with its President General Pervez Musharraf under severe attack. Pervez had to quit Pakistan to save his life.
As said, the Kashmiri leadership these days is also feeling extremely upset with top-ranking BJP leaders like Jaitley and Advani, saying "their stance is an antithesis of Vajpayee's call for 'insaniyat ke daiyre mein' and even their own initiative to hold direct talks with separatists which was the first contact of its kind at that level". Kashmiri leaders are criticizing Advani and Jaitley, saying "in their bid to score political points the BJP seems to have forgotten its own role in trying to find an amicable solution to Kashmir problem". "If anything, the BJP must launch a campaign for speeding up the process initiated by Vajpayee rather than agitating against Article 370 of the Indian Constitution".
All this should explain everything and establish that had the politically awakened Indian electorate not rejected the BJP-led NDA in 2004, the story of Jammu & Kashmir would have been altogether different. Importantly, the Congress-led UPA is treading the path the BJP-led NDA charted in 2003. It is good that Advani and Jaitley have reversed the Vajpayee's Kashmir policy. This change of heart on the part of the BJP central leadership would surely help the party regain confidence of the Indian electorate. But the question to be asked is: Will Advani and Jaitley stick to what they said a few days ago? |
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