Striving for Peace in Strife Torn Kashmir

Killings by Pakistan trained; pro- Pakistan terrorists have been unrelenting in Kashmir. When Modi announced demonetization one of the arguments was that this is aimed at containing terrorism in Kashmir. Later even while abolishing article 370 and 35A this was to be one of the aims. In this background we get the disturbing news of the killing of Rahul Bhat (May 2022), A Kashmiri Pandit (KP) by Kashmir Tigers, a militant pro Pakistan outfit. The loud mouths from the ruling establishment are silent on this while the Whatsapp University got one more point to blame the Kashmiri Muslims for this brutal killing. As such the brutal act has been done by the terrorist outfit, trained into inhuman methods by the Pakistan based training camps funded by America.
The Kashmir issue has multiple factors contributing to the present turmoil. The alienation of the locals due to erosion of autonomy has been the fertile ground on which the crops of terrorists were grown by the neighbor fully backed by America. America’s goal was to keep control on the oil resources of West Asia. The complementary aspect of geographically strategic importance of Kashmir was also one of the reasons for America to operate through its vassal Pakistan.
Earlier attempts were made even by Atal Bihari Vajpayee to have dialogue with diverse groups of Kashmiri dissidents. He very aptly said that the solution to the Kashmir issue lies in ‘Insaniyat, Jamhoriyat and Kashmiriyat’ (Humanism, Democracy and Kashmiri culture). Later Dr. Manmohan Singh also attempted to have dialogue with dissidents to solve the problem. Today while Vajpayee’s meetings with dissidents are put under the wraps, the meeting of Dr. Singh with Yasin Malik is highlighted to project as if Congress has encouraged such dastardly actions.
The act of releasing the terrorists took place when Rubaiya Saeed was kidnapped (VP Singh Government), are put under the carpet and Congress is blamed for the present plight in the region. The most needed process is of course that of rooting democracy and restoring autonomy. In turn what is being imposed is the Central rule and undermining the democratic process. The presence of the military in the area is the constant eye sore for civilian life. After 2014, with Modi coming to power the process is going in a reverse direction as far as democratic mechanisms are concerned.
One recalls that during the UPA regime there was a sincere effort to make the Pandits go back to their beloved land. A process was conceptualized to rehabilitate a few pandit families back in the Valley. Good deal of monetary allocation was also provided for this work. One of the most important steps, which by now have been frozen, was the interlocutors report. The team of interlocutors sent by the UPA, was constituted by Dileep Padgaonkar, M.M. Ansari and Radha Kumar. The team travelled extensively and recommended the gradual restoration of autonomy.
Abolition of Article 370 has been always on the agenda of BJP and was supposed to be a solution for all problems related to Kashmir. Two years down the line the civic life is much worse and democratic voices do not have much place in the policy making in the state. The murder of Rahul Bhat has underlined the continuing issues which dog the state.