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Kashmir- another false start ?
By Zafarul-Islam Khan
 Almost
a year after Government of India invited the All-Party Hurriyet Conference
to talks, and four months after the so-called ‘ceasfire,’ New Delhi
has named deputy chairman of the Planning Commission, KC Pant, a former
minister under Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, as the Indian interlocutor
who will talk to all Kashmiri groups within India. As with earlier
‘talk’ offers, the APHC has not received any formal invitation so far.
Pant seems to be acceptable to the various Kashmiri groups which
reportedly vetoed two earlier choices: BG Verghese, who secured eternal
infamy for himself by giving clean chit to uniformed criminals in the
Konanposhpura mass rape case of February 1991, and George Fernandes whose
revolutionary postures stand exposed after the tehelka.com exposé.
It is not known when and if KC Pant will start his mission in earnest. His
appointment, on the eve of Jaswant Singh’s Washington visit, may be yet
another attempt to ward off mounting international pressure on New Delhi
to sort out the Kashmir tangle which has soured Indo-Pak relations all
these years since Independence and may lead to yet another war between the
twin countries.
The much touted ‘ceasfire’ has not led to any tangible change on the
ground in the Valley and other militancy-infested areas of Jammu &
Kashmir. Military and militant operations continue unabated and the major
sufferer is still the ordinary man as usual. From 1 January this year to 6
April a total of 701 people lost their lives in J&K. Out of these 270
were civilians, 294 militants and 137 security personnel. Official and
non-official estimates of the total lives lost in Kashmir since the
eruption of militancy in 1988 vary from 20,000 to 80,000 lives in addition
to huge losses to property and economy.
It is not clear where the supposed negotiations, if they ever do take
place, will lead to. Authorities still look at militancy as a law and
order problem which, they think, may be tackled by use of excessive force.
India still refuses to talk to Pakistan which has gone out of its way to
rein in militant outfits operating on its territory.
Indian policy in Kashmir may be described as mostly rudderless in
political terms. A military response is sought to solve a fundamentally
civilian and human rights issue. Even the outgoing and current army chiefs
have aired their doubts about the efficacy of this approach. It is time
New Delhi formulated a clear-cut policy that would satisfy the majority of
the people in the state of J&K.
A related recent development has clearly demonstrated why the majority in
J&K is alienated. Discrimination against Muslims, documented and
undocumented, is a fact of life in J&K as in other parts of the
country. Top bureaucratic and security posts are almost reserved for
non-Muslims even in this Muslim majority area. J&K Muslims have long
complained that there is a concerted effort to change the state’s
demography by settling non-Muslims in various parts of the state in
violation of the provisions of the state’s constitution. Until recently
‘pandits’ monopolized bureaucratic posts. This changed only after
their en masse emigration from the Valley under debatable conditions. It
is alleged that they were persuaded by Mr Jagmohan, the then governor of
Turkmangate fame, to move out for a few weeks while he tackles militancy
by means which have gone into history like firing on marchers and funeral
processions.
These perceptions received a fillip early this month when the army
published notices that ‘Muslims and tradesmen’ need not apply for new
low-rank posts. After an outcry, a further notice was issued for
publication which said that the army is not bound to be ‘secular’ in
its recruitment policy. According to the Asian Age (6 April) this
arrogance was realized at some level and the second notice was hurriedly
withdrawn from the offices of newspapers. Such tactics, however
embellished and eloquently defended, will not help winning the Kashmiris’
hearts and minds. q |
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