As regards the suggestions made in Parliament of India on this 10th August for taking into confidence all the stake holder concerning the Indian state of J&K without setting any pre conditions , it is for Government of India to take a decision but still assuming that it would agree to the suggestions for such discussions keeping in view that the problem that J&K is today infested with has its basic roots resting no wherein economic deficiencies but the roots do more lie in ‘political’ fields that could also be visualized somewhat in the description about the 1947 accession that Dr. Karan Singh Ji has drawn in Rajya Sabha and the style of fields underlying the eruption of July 2016 public protests in Kashmir valley..
How will the government of India bring the stake holders in the ‘meeting room’ is a question? No doubt so far no any serious and meaningful trial has been made.
Some hopes have been set for narrowing the arena of confusions & and controversies with the signs of the style of approach that GOI may take to in the coming times. Rajnath Singh had not outrightly accepted the suggestion made on 10th August by senior leaders like Ghulam Nabi Azad, Sharad Yadav and Sita Ram Yachuri that all a party group team / committee /group should visit Kashmir valley immediately to interact with the people there and hold talks with all shades of ‘Kashmiri’ leadership. Rajnath Singh had instead said that Centre will first consult the J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti for knowing the particulars of the people and leaders with whom any such parliamentary delegation ( if visits J&K) should interact and rather he (Home Minister) would appreciate in case Chief Minster (Mehbooba) also at her level takes all the stake holders into confidence worth leading to a better yielding interactions thereafter with the all party delegation or parliamentary delegation as and when the same is sent to ‘Kashmir’ in case need is felt for that. No doubt Home Minister has so far maintained that all discussions / negotiations could be held only with the provisions of Constitution of India and J&K being an integral part of India.
Similarly another signal with a difference that has come from the Indian Home Minister on 10th July and could also be taken from the all party meeting chaired by Prime Minister on 12 August is that the agenda for future talks with Pakistan has been now briefed to demand ‘Pakistan must vacate the areas of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, which they have occupied through aggression’. Hope this shapes into real policy. Let us wait and time test the government.
No doubt the impressions given that Centre will try to have some broader consensus on the political issues concerning J&K amongst the members of a multi party delegation / parliamentary delegation before it set to visit J&K ( ‘Kashmir’) too point towards fair intentions worth finding some solution. The outcome of the all party (parliamentary party) meeting taken by Prime Minister on 12th August has been in the same direction since no any programme for such like visit has been drawn so far..
Keeping in view what has happened in Kashmir Valley on 8th of July this year, what has happened after 8th July and what have been the reactions of the subjects of J&K to the events, we can broadly divide the stake holders in six groups: (1 ). Those who do not have any questions regarding J&K being India and have only issues concerning neglect and discrimination ( social, economic, political) . (2). Those who are classed as ‘ Main stream political parties ‘ like NC&PDP but have some reservations like J&K being as good India as is Punjab.(3).
The separatists like Hurriyat and JKLF who do not accept 1947 accession of J&K with India as final and talk of plebiscite/ independent Kashmir (J&K) or some vouch for J&K to become Pakistan ; and so far if at all such subjects are questioned by Governments it is like ‘political prisoners’ or by keeping their leaders under ‘house arrests’ (4).Of course are the separatists who have waged an ideological and ‘militant’ war against India.(5).
The POJK DPs, West Pakistan Refugees settled in J&K , Kashmiri Migrants and (6). Of course those subjects of J&K who are left back in POJK (Mirpur, Muzaffrabad, Gilgit Districts of pre1947 days ).
So there is such a broad list of stake holders.. And in case all are to be involved, will a solution come in a conventional joint meeting? Surely, it is not that easy and practical. Therefore, under the circumstances and POJK being under illegal possession of Pakistan let GOI first start with soft and easily assessable groups at internal levels.
Why not make a trial by those of Class (2) within themselves and then let them settle with Class (3).Then the ‘shakes’ of Class 2& Class 3 would be an amalgam worth sitting across table with GOI &Class (1).
And of course Type -4 and Type -6 will have to be handled by GOI only. As regards the local issues concerning type 5, that can be settled by GOI itself… Concluded
*(Daya Sagar is a Sr Journalist and a social activist and can be reached at dayasagr45@yahoo.com)