Seriousness of Centre will be tested by the manner it retains advisors & consultants on J&K

 By Daya Sagar
AS of now it is not easy to discern any pattern the present events in J&K may lead to. Union Home Minister will be leading an all party delegation to Kashmir Valley on 4th September. It could be a good beginning keeping in view the way Raj Nath Singh has conducted the affairs so far and the way Mehbooba Mufti has questioned the protests that started from 9th July 2016 after three militants were killed by security forces a day before . More will depend on the long term exercise that GOI is expected to start in this regard after the delegation returns to Delhi. No doubt the seriousness will be tested in the manner Government of India retains any future advisors and consultants on J&K. The screening of the earlier and conventional consultants is must for any solution to J&K turmoil.
Those who talk of a ‘political’ approach to the issue are not at all serious from Indian point of view and hence they have never cared to spell it out. They must be compelled to spell it out so as to make the way ahead possibly some smoother. Rather many of them do not at all know J&K.
But one thing is sure that the so called ‘main stream’ elements will surely come under pressure to revisit their visions in case Government of India carries on with the policy that let the different stake holder in Kashmir Valley (J&K) first settle their own visions amicably before some exercise is started, if not done so then one more file may be added in the ‘shelf’.
Let first those who believe in J&K being India arrive at a common agenda within the scope of Constitution of India. Even PDP will have to revisit its vision Self Rule where it says NC’s Autonomy is autonomy for J&K Government from Central Government where as PDP Self Rule Frame Work seeks Autonomy for J&K State from Indian Nation state (that surely does not lie within the scope of COI and even questions the totality of 1947 accession since it calls for joint Indo Pak control on some subjects ).
And of course the likes of JKLF and other Hurriyat elements too have to be tested by NC &PDP at local level worth their accepting any ‘alloy’ NC PDP may forge together. NC and PDP will have to come out with a clear approach towards separatists and as long as they do not totally reject them no immediate stable peace is evident ( any ‘calm’ should not be mistaken as peace ) since no political party at national level can afford sending any message that the sovereignties could be shared with outsiders.
I have already suggested that in case the present NDA government is serious let the government take out J&K Autonomy Committee Report 1999, PDP Self Rule Doc 2008, Justice Saghir Ahmed PM’s 5th Working Group Report 2009, and Interlocutors for J&K Report 2012 from the shelf, go through these documents, accept or reject. As regards the J&K Autonomy Committee report that is also covered by a resolution of J&K Assembly, the same can be even presented before Parliament for deliberations worth acceptance or rejection. Can stake holder from Kashmir Valley first settle their own visions amicably?
So, far Delhi does not appear to have taken seriously what Dr Karan Singh had said in Rajya Sabha about date of signing instrument of accession of J&K with India in 1947by Maharaja Hari Singh, as regards J&K being as good an Indian state as Punjab or UP and treatment that has been to J&K by India after the accession. The observations made by him matter more since he is the son of the Maharaja who signed instrument of accession in October 1947 and has claimed to be a witness to that. What Dr. Karan Singh had said has been more to the interest of those who question India and government of India to the extent that among other things he has put even the date of signing the Instrument accession by Hari Singh under question to a great dis advantage of India .Dr Jatindra Singh MOS described Dr Karan Singh as an intellectual giant when he said, “it is very difficult to speak after an intellectual giant has finished speaking.” In the same way, referring to our fatherly figure, Dr. Karan Singh, I think, the timing that has been given to me is difficult. But, Sir, I shall try to do justice as far as possible. Otherwise, so far, no official note from GOI has come regarding the issues raised by Dr. Karan Singh.
So, will Delhi be different this time has yet to be seen.
(Daya Sagar is a Senior Journalist and a social activist can be reached at [email protected])