If Jammu & Kashmir Government knows just five per cent of the population is the ‘agent trigger’ for the current violence and 95 per cent favours peace then it should not be difficult for the government machinery to quell the unrest comfortably. Arithmetically, it looks very simple but when it comes to maintain a political balance it is a different issue as was evident by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti’s annoyance at the Thursday’s joint Press conference addressed along with Union Home Minister Rajnath, who was wrapping up of two-day situation-review visit at Srinagar. Unfortunately Chief Minister played into the hands of a section of local media which wanted her to comment something unpleasant in the presence of Union Home Minister on the unrest to trigger a fresh controversy. Her annoyance has said many things which otherwise would not have come to the front. Comparing violence of 2010 when she was in opposition and violence of 2016 when she is heading the ruling coalition with BJP was not at all justifiable. Violence in any form is condemnable and does not justify statistical comparisons. Yes, priorities change when one changes his or her stand and Mehbooba has not done anything different from other politicians anywhere. The only difference is that she is talking tough in front of Central leadership. She could have spoken at the onset of the violence and retorted media for its follies. Was she waiting for Central leaders’ nod to go ahead. But somewhere ‘better late than never’ philosophy looks to have faltered due to the political delays, lethargy, and failing to understand the ground reality when we know we have neighbours waiting to encash from such situations and would like to keep it boiling for some more time. Government should come out with a clear cut line of action to take five percent of the troublemakers so that the 95 per cent peace loving population gets the elusive peace. Rhetoric is not going to bring in peace and normalcy.
