Dear Editor,
Prime Minister Narendra Modi beat the drums in Tanzania when there was a violent political turmoil in Kashmir. He should have cut short his foreign tour, visited Srinagar, discussed the situation in the Valley with Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, made placatory gestures to the bereaved families and inquired after the health of the wounded people. When a member of a militant outfit kills innocent persons, he is glorified as a brave Mujahid. But when he is gunned down by police or security personnel, he is described as a victim of a barbaric act. Instead of being wounded or killed by fusillades of stones, they have to resort to retaliatory firing. After all, there is a limit at which toleration ceases to be virtue. The separatists have injected so much poison of hatred against India into the minds of the Kashmiri youth that they are vociferously clamouring for Azadi. Law and order can be restored by force, but their mindset cannot be changed. For this purpose, a vigorous campaign should be launched with dogged determination and relentless resolve. Unless they are freed from the evil influence of Pak-supported separatists, peace cannot be maintained in the Valley.
Bhagwan Singh,
Via-e-mail