Commentary
J K News Today
It is an irony of sorts . There is a near unanimity among all the politicians in Kashmir that India should re-open dialogue with Pakistan for resolving Kashmir issue and ushering in a lasting peace in the state. It is a beautiful idea because there is no other alternative for India and Pakistan to sit together and resolve the issues hurting normalcy in the relationship of the two South Asian countries . But when this idea is peppered with a relentless hate- India and hate-Indians campaign , the same thought sounds biased and imported by the powers hostile to India, its integrity and sovereignty.
None of these leaders, right from the veterans like Farooq Abdullah , Mohammad Yusuf Tarigami, Ghulam Hassan Mir and Hakim Yasin to the young icons Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah of the so-called mainstream camp have missed a chance to put blame at the doors of Delhi for whatever is wrong in Kashmir . Not even once they have pointed out to Pakistan’s machinations in the Valley , and now extended to other parts of the state, the Muslim dominated parts of Jammu and Ladakh regions . Their one-eyed view has contributed to the growth of the separatism .
They have deliberately avoided making any reference to Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir , better known as Pakistan occupied Kashmir ( PoK) . They are scared of talking of the occupation of state’s territory to Pakistan and exploitation of the people there by Islamabad, for they know that any word against Pakistan would invite the wrath of Pakistani establishment , whereas hate-India campaign brings them lime light amid the unique security that they enjoy India .
It is an old and well-known trait of these political groups and leaders. They have tried hard to hide their failures by exploiting the innocent and gullible masses in Kashmir . For seven decades they have not been able to deliver on the promises of getting basic facilities to their people. Whenever the cries for water, power, roads , educational facilities and health care become loud, they shift their goal post to the “ unresolved Kashmir issue.”
Omar Abdullah who had fought and won the elections in 2008 on the promise to provide basic necessities to people shifted his goal post. “ Kashmiri youth don’t need development , jobs, their problem is political, address that,” he had thundered at a rally in presence of the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi in Anantnag in October 2009 . His predecessor and successor Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and Mehbooba Mufti have tirelessly been advocates of the dialogue with all stakeholders besides stressing imperativeness of dialogue with Pakistan .
This is nothing but there attempt to distract attention from the real issues facing the people in Kashmir . The politically wise and super conscious people of Kashmir know that they are being taken for a ride . Now a revolt has started brewing up this exploitation . But, unfortunately for them, the alternatives are equally exploitative leaders .
Dialogue with Pakistan is a cover for their failures.
