Asem Mohiuddin Policy
On 15 August the Prime Minster of India Narender Modi reiterated that in Jammu and Kashmir he choose the path of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to ensure peace and stability in the region that is in trouble for over thirty years.
It was only a day later after his statement the former Prime Minster who was battling with life in AIMS Delhi breathed his last. But he left the three words behind he believed in that the Kashmir has a solution in Insaniyat, Jamhuriyat and Kashmiryat. Vajpayee who was a seasoned politician from Sangh Parivar was the most respected politicians in India and in Kashmir where in general there is a deep rooted hatred for Indian politicians.
Like in other parts of India, Kashmir too mourned his loss. Even the separatists Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, Mohammad Yasin Malik of JKLF condoled his death and admitted that he was the sturdy voice for dialogue. His era as prime minister of India is well remembered and refereed as the most peaceful and politically stable times in Jammu and Kashmir politics.
When the Kashmir was going through the erroneous political phase due to highest level of insurgency and the democracy was invisible on ground, he set the seeds of democracy and conducted free and fair elections in state in 2002. The confidence in the democratic institutions in Kashmir grew so high that he extended the hand of friendship to Pakistan from the soil of Kashmir in presence of thousands of people from Sheri-e- Kashmir stadium.
The daring politician would ensure that he translates his words into action. Travelling in a bus with a hand of friendship to Pakistan through Wagah border and defusing tensions after the massive parliament attack of 2001 when the two countries were on a brink of war and translating this adversity into an opportunity of ceasefire are his unmatched capabilities as politician.
Vajpayee stood tall as a politician and changed positively situation in Kashmir. Following his death some people accused him of an architect of Babri Masjid demolition in 1993 and backing Narendra Modi who was accused for inciting communal riots post Godhra in 2003 in his home state Gujarat.
In Kashmir people have a secular image of this right wing man and had great hopes attached to him. In 2014 Parliament elections when the Modi wave had engulfed the whole country and his hoarding, advertisements with his life size pictures were dominating BJP’s elections campaign, Kashmir was rather the only place in country where life size pictures of Vajpayee were visible. While his three words of Insaniyat, Jamhuriyat and Kashmiriyat won him the hearts of Kashmiris, it seems Vajpayee will continue to rule the hearts of Kashmiries.
Will Modi really follow his path?
In all his years Modi has been reiterating that he will follow the path of Vajpayee to solve the Kashmir problem. He even denounced the violence and said that not bullets but by embracing the people of Kashmir would only resolve the problem.
While the prime minster seems affirm of resolving the problem and trying to reach out to the people of Kashmir in different ways, however it doesn’t match to the policy of Vajpayee who brought the major changes in the Kashmir politics.
It is undeniable that the trigger to the problem existing in Kashmir has in Pakistan and any initiative that subside Pakistan in Kashmir may not be productive. Even the separatists in Kashmir have been repeatedly insisting on India to start a dialogue with Pakistan if it wants peace in Kashmir admitting the fact that they cannot enter into any negotiations with India until Pakistan is party to it.
Modi’s Kashmir policy is minus Pakistan and he wants to ensure peace while shunting out the neighbouring country in the region. Vajpayee knew this contrasting reality and he was first to reach out to Pakistan that gave him support and confidence not only to conduct free and fair elections in state, however, also it was the major transition phase in Kashmir insurgency when guns were replaced with ballots.
‘”The peace in Kashmir is evasive until Pakistan is on board. Pakistan has direct intervention into political affairs of Kashmir and India needs to reach out to the country for the long term peace and stability in the region,” said a professor at Kashmir University teaching politics. For his official reasons, he wished not to be named.
“The stance of present political regime in Delhi is quite tough towards Pakistan and it doesn’t want to take them on board and this may lead New Delhi for bigger challenges in coming times.”
Kashmir is going through serious problems and its challenges are multiplying.
Recently the report of the United Nations where India was accused of violating human rights has pushed the country to the back foot. India in response to that banned the journalists from abroad to travel to Jammu and Kashmir without the prior permission. The measures could only be timely helpful and will not help India to improve its image in the human rights department unlike China where the dictatorship has a total control on its all institutions.
The only thing that can help India is to improve its human rights records since it is a democratic country where the institutions have strong powers. For upholding the human rights in Kashmir, it is mandatory for the country to ensure peace and stability in the border region which doesn’t only share its borders with Pakistan, however, also the neighbouring country wields considerable influence on the psyche of people.
Modi has so far not been able to work on that front and its policy to bash Pakistan is continuing. Experts fear that the anti Pak rant may be stronger in coming times owing to 2019 elections. They fear that it may have resounding impact on Kashmir situation.
“If you ignore Pakistan in Kashmir and think you achieve peace, it is near impossible. You can see even separatists refuse to hold dialogue with India without Pakistan,” Noor Mohammad Baba, political commentator of Kashmir said.
Baba, however, sees optimism in the present political regime in New Delhi and said that this is the time when something on Kashmir could happen.
“BJP led by Modi is in full majority. He doesn’t have only the sweeping public mandate; Modi also enjoys the full authority in his party to take decisions which is evident from many monumental decisions like GST, Demonetization etc. He can take the bold decision on Kashmir and can settle down it once for all. I am sure no one would oppose his decision”.Policy Policy Policy Policy
