Some good sounds

Last year, on the same day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi talked about Kashmir in a similar manner. This time also the emphasis was on embracing people, a reiteration of the stand that the problem can be solved not with bullets or abuses, but by embracing people. PM also invoked Vajpayee and his famous lines about Kashmir. This way, once again, Kashmir found its way through into the national discourse. This goes on to reflect that the problem of, and in Kashmir, cannot be ignored, and the leadership of India feels that a political initiative in finally needed to replace all other means of approaching this issue. In a similar fashion, the governor of the J&K state, in his speech underlined the need of dialogue in the background of this problem. N N Vohra enunciated on the futility of the divisive and confrontational approaches. To him such approaches can never lead to the resolution of any of the problems. So what is required is to undertake dialogue to solve the problems faced by Jammu and Kashmir. It is an established fact that in any political contestation it’s finally the institution of dialogue that paves the way forward. In the past we have seen how when the stakeholders exhibited willingness to enter into dialogue, and solve the problems through talks rather than using other methods, Kashmir witnessed a change in the ground situation. This time around too it’s through dialogue, and by involving all stakeholders, that a positive change can be brought about in Kashmir. The people of Kashmir, more than anyone else, are always in anticipation to such a move from the top. This wish has been expressed by all the political leadership, across board, in Kashmir. Not a single day passes without someone making a statement in this regard. If New Delhi is also ready to embrace people of the state is it time to expect a change for good in the ground situation of Kashmir. Well, hope is always a good thing in human life.