After the visit of All Party Delegation led by Home Minster Rajnath Singh scheduled for this 4th September Government of India is expected to consider retaining some group / team for working out a long term solution frame work with regard to J&K, rather it will have to be done. This 10th August, during a discussion on the prevailing situation in Kashmir after a militant was killed by security forces on 8th July, suggestions have been made by almost all the leaders on the opposition benches that ‘Kashmir’ affairs should be handled by taking into confidence all stake holders including ‘separatists'( Hurriyat Conference).
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 classified as ‘Main stream political parties ‘ like NC and 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 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 pre-1947 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…
Going by the behavior of the Kashmir Valley leaders all these years there appears no easy / likely consensus even with in Kashmir Valley about the resolution of the so called ‘Kashmir issue’ that Mehbooba Mufti too accepts to be with and as per her statement made on 25th August 95% of the people want to settle that peacefully, let alone amicable settlement among all the three regions of the state.
Let stake holder from Kashmir Valley first settle their own visions amicably What ‘ace’ Prime Minister Modi has up his sleeve
worth fixing the terms of reference will have to be seen. All we can do is to wish him well.
(Daya Sagar is a Sr Journalist and a social activist and can be reached at dayasagr45@yahoo.com )