Binoo Joshi
J K News Today Commentary
The existing position in eastern Ladakh has its inherent potential impact on Jammu and Kashmir, no matter that the two stand as two different entities as union territories . That they are longer part of the same state has not taken away the mutual challenges that they are facing at the moment when border crisis has seen many ups and downs in the recent weeks.
This brings in Lieutenant Governor G C Murmu ‘s role in this situation . J&K’s strategic interests ate interlinked with Ladakh , as with the rest of the nation. But Ladakh being adjacent to J&K, and both the UTs facing border crises with the hostile neighboring countries , the L G ‘s role at this point of time is critical for the national security.
When he was sent to J&K as the founding L G by the Modi government , it might have relied more on his skills as administrator and someone who could transform the landscape of Jammu and Kashmir from neglect to development , but the challenges of security were not off its mind. J&K is one of the strategically most important territories in the country. Its place in the national security has always been there. Now it is more.
J&K has borders with Pakistan and it also has Line of Control that divides it between India and Pakistan . The current situation in Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir has no parallel , not even during the previous wars that were imposed on the country.
Today, there is a risk of two-front war, even if it is by proxy. Pakistan is continuing with its designs to explore more and more ways to instigate trouble in the Kashmir Valley . It is multiplying the terror tools by spreading radicalism and enticing the youth toward the new form of “jihad ”in which violence is combined with the massive propaganda on social media. The use of all such channels is creating new problems .
Lt. Gen. Murmu is aware of all this. It is his leadership that has kept the things under control .Pakistan , he is also in know of the fact, is firing from across the LoC to send terrorists with arms and ammunition. The potential of the infiltrators is quite dangerous. They can change the situation if they happen to succeed.
The infiltration sends several messages – ( a) Pakistan is solidly behind the terrorists,( b) it is a force multiplier for the terrorists besides replenishing their depleting cadre who are dying in encounters with security forces ( c ) they divert the attention and energy of the armed forces . This also impacts the psyche of the people at large .
As these challenges continue to unfold in J&K, the crisis at LAC cannot be read in isolation. China – Pakistan nexus and their long-cherished theme of destabilizing these places has not diminished; rather increased.
Lt. Gen .Murmu through his people-friendly measures can create a barrier between designs of the adversary and the people. He knows the art of keeping people on the side of nation , that’s a big strategic asset at the moment.