A question has arisen: why Kashmir was not on the table of India- Pakistan foreign ministers ‘ talks on July 15. The Indian position  is that it was willing to talk about all issues, including Kashmir. But it, indeed, wanted to know  what progress Pakistan had made in bringing to justice  the perpetrators of 26/11. Pakistan’s position:  how could the dialogue move ahead without addressing the core issue of Kashmir.Both  view points are understandable.

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi revealed  at a joint press conference with  his Indian counterpart in Islamabad on July 15: “I have received  messages from three organizations in Kashmir  urging me to  take up the issue of human rights violations  in Kashmir”. There are no prizes to guess as to who all had written to him. And, there  is no denying the fact  that while  stating that Kashmir had an “ elected government”, Qureshi  also  rolled out a  reel in words about situation in the Valley;  curfew in cities, use of armed forces for  maintenance of law and order and  civilian killings.

This picture travels beyond. The situation in Kashmir, where stones in streets are  making as much news as the use of internet, face book, twitter and you tube, has caught the world-wide attention. It is being  relayed  to all the world capitals and other international  cities.

Tufail Mattoo, 17-year-old  who died in police action on June 11 , has become  a  face of Kashmir’s victimhood.  His  story  is being read as a story of Kashmir’s youth, who are becoming victims  caught in clashes. The clashes are between the youth, frustrated and angry at the system which has betrayed them.   Kashmir is not on edge. But it’s living on edge  to edge , an unprecedented situation.

This situation  has not come on its own. There are  very strong reasons.  Politicians, masters in  blame game, have found a number of alibis to  shift blame on others and present themselves as competent people – some had been, and some are -   who  have done their best  during their times .

At least, that’s what the impression Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah gave  during his  visit to New Delhi on Saturday, while all  his predecessors including his father Farooq Abdullah  have  stated that they did they performed better. Omar, on his part, got  an unqualified assurance from Prime Minister Dr.  Manmohan Singh and Congress president Mrs. Sonia Gandhi that he had all their support in  dealing with the situation.

That was expected of them. After all, they had helped him become Chief Minister  18 months ago  when they had extended support of Congress party  to National Conference in formation of the government.  The renewed support ,has not reduced, but increased the responsibility of the Chief Minister, because it increases pressure on him to deliver and deliver fast.

In the Valley, the people are angry. A simple reason for the whole trouble, as one gets  a sense  sitting in Delhi is, that the  anger is a state of emotion, that cannot be generated unless there is a severe provocation.   It is both internal and external. These  young men are angry with the system, which they believe,  is not caring for them in any manner. In their anger, they  have come to  show that they have the power of stones  to effect the political changes that they wanted to make in their Valley. And the international media has not failed to  pick that  up.

The Washington Post, reported from Srinagar: “In a post-9/11, globalized world, Pakistan -backed separatists no longer roam the streets of this summer capital with guns. Instead, the heirs to the conflict are styling their discontent after cellphone images of the Palestinian uprising and its stone-throwing youths.” The newspaper quoted a  young man , as saying : "If we take up arms, the world will call us terrorists. Stone pelting is the only way to fight for our freedom," said Sajid Shah, a.k.a. Lion of Allah, who was editing his videos in hiding Wednesday. "It makes India think. It makes the world think: What's happening in Kashmir? We will get our freedom with the stone."

This  is a story  of Kashmir  making  headlines across the world. Whether some one likes it or not  the images   emanating from Kashmir  have come to resemble  Gaza Strip and West Bank. The comparisons cannot be discarded.  Those seeking to draw  their own version of the situation in Kashmir, presenting it as a crisis  of the dimension  that it is,  not only are  trying to negate  the ground reality  but also  helping those who  have  made  Kashmir  blink on the globe.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has won backing  of New Delhi  for governing the state. It was good on the part of New Delhi to have offered its support for strengthening   Chief Minister.  And  it has been rightly observed by Omar’s father  Farooq Abdullah that Delhi has supported Omar  more than the support he   ever got during his tenure as Chief Minister.

This support needs to be seen in the current political scenario at the national  level. At the time  when Congress  is having problems with its allies  in UPA , particularly with Nationalist Congress Party, Trinamool Congress, DMK , it badly needs  support of four National Conference MPs in Lok Sabha .  In a way it is quid pro quo.

Secondly,  Delhi  still continues to push for young generation of politicians to succeed, because there are bigger political objectives at stake .

Thirdly, it  loves them who  stay within a defined  red line on Kashmir .

Fourthly, it  has an inherent  way of working  on Kashmir, wait and watch  till the time other political players fall in line and  demonstrate their willingness to play the way Delhi wants.

Fifthly, and most importantly,  Congress’  own house is not in order . Its leaders are playing petty games with each other.  These games are so petty that even street politicians would have behaved better . The state unit head of the party is a teacher of  a class  of unruly students, because he  is hardly a leader. His rivals in the Ghulam Nabi Azad camp are no better.

The Congress party  and the UPA government cannot throw any alternatives  at such a crucial juncture. It also is a fact that no one  wants to stick his or her neck out when the things are in a complete mess. Besides, they have   albatross  around their neck, which they created themselves on issues like demilitarization, repeal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act.

But if the situation goes to the extent where New Delhi would feel an unbearable heat at international level on Kashmir- it  would be taking its own measures . The  history of Kashmir  holds a lesson. Correct the course in time before it is too late.

Lastupdate on : Mon, 19 Jul 2010 21:30:00 Mecca time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 19 Jul 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 20 Jul 2010 00:00:00 IST