but the Kashmir issue has not only stumped the government, it seems to have become the toughest challenge for the government in this tenure so far. Though New Delhi does not want international mediation, Islamabad has packed its bags and is set for a global roadshow with 22 lawmakers as special envoys to world capitals to highlight the problem. Pakistan has also made it a point to remind the United Nations its long-held promise of self-determination to the Kashmiri people. If this move by Pakistan finds footing, India will be under pressure.
The recent SAARC meeting, which Rajnath Singh had attended, not only turned out to be futile, but it further soured the ties. While Pakistan has gone on a hyper mode in this matter, India seems to be wobbling and is still trying to find some leg space in the “stone strewn” disturbed area. India seems to be treading on thin ice.
Rajnath’s first visit to Kashmir after Burhan Wani was killed was viewed through the spectrum of security angle and nothing worthwhile happened. Now, New Delhi is blaming Mehbooba Mufti for her “failure” to control law and order. The Centre must keep in mind that the state in discussion in Kashmir and hence more sensitivity has to be shown. The Centre must come out of its closet and hold talks with all the stake holders in this regard. Sadly, no one is concerned about the ground reality truths like the losses faced by the state exchequer and the daily wage earners.
The Prime Minister recently showed his keenness to extend a healing hand with his “deep pain and concern” over the violence which has now entered its 7th week. His comments like “all those killed, police-persons, innocent persons and protesters were part of us”, has not gone quite well with some of his political colleagues who have a different opinion about the issue.
The question that comes to mind after the Prime Minister’s words is that are we doing enough for “our” people? Time for words and sympathy has gone. Action to concretise sympathy has come. There were talks about replacing the pellet guns. What is the alternative? The PAVA guns? Maybe… may not be… But sincerity on the government’s part has to be more visible. For close to seven weeks, the local and Central administration have failed to convince the protesters not to stone the police and in turn the method used to keep the protesters at bay has also been highly questionable.
The pellet guns were introduced after the protests in 2010 and were meant to be a “softer” approach to curb the crowd. But the pellet fallout has left a huge “blind spot” if the hospital records are to be taken into account.
At the international level too, the time is not conducive. US isn’t being able to play mediator as the country is set for its Presidential polls and if the Republicans win, what role Donald Trump will play is anybody’s guess. Also if the Democrats, who have had a so-called pro-India stand, win, with Hillary at the helm of affairs, things may not go India’s way, as Hillary during her Senator days has not been known to have made comments or her actions in the Indo-Pak matters nor indicated any tilt towards India. Meanwhile, to put Pakistan in an embarrassing situation, PM Modi has raked up the Baloch incidents which has gained global momentum and dented Pakistan’s image, but that has not helped our cause in the Valley issues. The decibel count from both sides have, probably, crossed the permissible limits and India being the biggest democracy of the world, its leaders must show more restraint and seek better bilateral ties and get Islamabad involved in talks rather than raking up the rhetoric.
