Songs of blood and bullet are only getting shriller by the day. Kashmir is drenched in the blood of its young. Deaths behind deaths beyond deaths – this only can describe today’s Kashmir. People are writhing in anger and pain. It’s a downpour of bereavements and mourning. Rules and policy makers might dish out elaborate explanations for what is happening in the length and breadth of Kashmir, but for the people of Kashmir it is a plain case of confronting a killer force. With each fresh killing people’s impression about the current incumbent’s inability to handle the present crisis only deepens.  Not only this, people squarely hold them responsible for all the blood that has spilt. Though in the beginning government tried to discredit the public unrest by calling it the handiwork of ‘vested interest’, but things proved the other way.  Good amount of energy was invested in branding the protesters as ‘miscreants’, creating an impression that it was all engineered, hence unreal. Even police threw its trawl deep into the interiors of Srinagar city, arresting dozens of youth. It was believed that the problem would hit a solution if a few ‘misguided youth’ are interned. What followed was a strident dismissal of government’s explanation. People owned the protests by relentlessly carrying on with them. When the point that it’s all about people was brought home in the most unmistakable way, government tried to assuage the feelings by speaking probe. One after another fell to the bullets and teargas canisters but not a single probe saw any culprit punished. This only exacerbated the situation. Government again saw the solution in policing. Special transfers were ordered. Not only this, the entire separatist leadership was placed behind bars. All these measures fell on the face as things only marched from bad to worse. With the bag of options completely emptied, government finally cried for help. State Law Minister and National Conference leader Ali M Sagar openly talked about CM’s helplessness in front of CRPF.  They don’t listen to him, please come and rein them in, this was Ali M Sagar crying frantically, calling for help form Home Minister, Chidambaram. But instead of any assurances from the central government what came in was a thunderous slap in the face of this government. Everyone stood firmly behind the CRPF. Central Government unequivocally justified CRPF action. It held Separatist responsible for the situation and called the protesters as unruly mobs. When everyone in Kashmir points the finger towards CRPF as the irresponsible agency, Central Government praises them by making us believe that CRPF has been extremely restrained. Did Sagar listen! CRPF too openly defended the action by terming it self defense. Not only this, a day before CRPF Director General Vikram Srivastava had denied that his men opened fire on protesters on Monday. With everyone in power corridors, from Delhi to Srinagar, firmly behind CRPF, and government having openly expressed its inability to control them, what are the options ahead. This is the natural question that bobs up. Creating new administrative units is no way a solution to the crisis. Banning SMS, suspending mobile services, and imposing restrictions are never going to solve the problem. It’s not a matter of a day or day. Even calling in Army is far off the mark when the situation demands reflection along political lines. But for the moment government must find an answer to the question that when it’s helpless on home turf, and Delhi is not interested in rescuing it out, what are its options. What can be the next move when it is checkmated!