Its not for no reason that one would fight to get the control over any place that is called almost a heaven, if not completely a heaven. But things this time around are far more intense than one can imagine. Some call it a freedom movement, while others claim it to be an identity crisis for this place whereas other little influential persons are busy politicizing the issue not realising the hazards. If you are still confused about what i am talking about, let me cut the whole story short.. Kashmir is in serious danger!
Not that the Jammu and Kashmir has faced very less problems since India's independence, but this one, by far, is most difficult to address as unlike the previous problems, it seems to arise from our own side.
Little did any one know that a protest over handing a piece of land to The Amarnath
Shrine board for better facilities of the pilgrims would take such an ugly turn that the local party i.e. the Hurriyat conference has demanded freedom for Kashmir, let alone the cross-border problems. The thought itself provokes many and irks my feelings towards those trying to seperate the land from the nation. They have put us in the similar state, we had put the British in, by chanting slogans like "Give us freedom" , Quit India", etc. Mind you the former was a different issue altogether.But the question that lies is... are they justified? Or is the Indian government unable to satisfy the demands of the J&K janta? Or is it that some people are just trying to turn the tide in their interest in the heat of the moment? The questions are many... but there's no body to answer..
Ever since the introduction of Article 370 that has special provisions for the state, the valley has been in controversies for reasons associated with treatment of Muslims to that of issues with Kashmiri pandits and various other local communities. While our Pakistani counterparts are all willing to gain authority over the region, any mishandling of the issue by the government can cause irreparable damage to the nations developments which historically will be regretted.
But as the saying goes, "In every adversity ,there's an opportunity!"
So i believe this is the time when the Manmohan Singh government has to take some tough calls and act with a lot of metal in the blood. It is the time for the Indian government to set an example before the world that how secular as a country we are. This is also an opportunity to show the British a way of dealing as we would have expected them to during their regime. All in all, its a golden chance to do things, a chance for a real reform in the valley.
Though giving in to the demand for a free Kashmir is far from a thinkable solution, the first step should be to control the upsurge(read violence and protests) by some means to get on with negotiations. Once able to reach there, J&K citizens should be assuaged by Kashmir given treatment as any other state of the country and not as just an extension of the territory, even if that calls for an amendment in the Article 370 or the worse scrapping of it. Then various trade reforms are necessary. High mobility within the state and intra state trade with jammu anf Kashmir is required on a large scale. High subsidies, even if they are a burden in the short run, special allowances, grants and sanctions for various development projects and the like are necessary steps. This will not only gain the trust of the Kashmiri people but will also keep the local politicians busy with such projects and avoid any kind of a frenzy situation for the center.
These might seem very optimistic and idealistic but realistically for solving problems of Kashmir, it is very essential to solve the problems of the kashmiris. This might at least stabilize the state and give it a respectable position in India's growth story.
I really wish that India always remains a united country and for this people of this nation have to come forward and voice their opinions. It surprises me to know that we are from the same urban city where some made it a fashion to speak shout "Save Tibet". Wondering why nobody has still come forward for saving kashmir.
"Assam se gujaraat tak, bengal se maharashtra tak
jaati kahi dhun ek hain, bhasha kahi sur ek hai,
kashmir se madras tak, Kehdo sabhi hum ek hai,
aawaz do hum ek hai.... jaago!!!!
Jai Hind! Jai Bharat!
Regards,
BM
