Kashmir Needs Sensitive Handling, Not Hard Power

Historically, popular uprisings have triumphed over force as happened in the Philippines (1986), Czechoslovakia (1989), Poland (1989-90), Ukraine (2004-05), Lebanon (2005), and Nepal (1996-2006). If the Kashmiris were to come out on to the streets in force and demand independence, the security forces would be helpless, but, except for a very small minority, the Kashmiri people do not wish to either join Pakistan or opt for independence from India. The government must act to end the alienation of the people in the Valley, says BRIG. GURMEET KANWAL (RETD.)

- Gurmeet Kanwal

Fanning the Flames

Gradually, almost inexorably, the Kashmir Valley appears to be slipping out of control – yet again. Since the July 2016 death of Burhan Wani, a Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist, incidents of stone pelting have spread from the urban to the rural areas. Kashmiri youth, including young girls, now feel emboldened to pelt stones at the security forces conducting counter-insurgency operations. They do this to distract the troops’ attention and help the terrorists escape. Besides over 90 people killed, almost 13,000 civilians and 4,000 security forces personnel – mainly from the CRPF – are reported to have been injured in incidents of violence since July 2016.

There is a palpable sense of anger and alienation among the people in the Kashmir Valley. However, the feelings are not so pronounced among the people of the Jammu division, south of the Pir Panjal mountain range. Whether or not, the anger of the Kashmiris is justified is another matter. The turnout at the bye-election to the Srinagar Parliamentary Constituency held in April 2017 was miserably low. Slogans of ‘azadi’ are again being heard. Pakistani and, increasingly, Islamic State flags, have begun to appear in public places with predictable regularity.

Clearly, though 70 years have passed since independence, successive governments have failed to comprehensively integrate the state of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) with the national mainstream. It is a national failing for which all the governments at the centre and in the state must share the blame. The Pakistan army and the ISI are fanning the flames and exploiting the strife-ridden environment to their advantage in accordance with their carefully formulated strategy to ‘bleed India through a thousand cuts’.