Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik on Wednesday hit out at mainstream politicians for “misleading” people in Kashmir, and asked militants to give up arms and hold a dialogue with the Centre within the ambit of the Constitution.
“If not today, after 10 years you will repent that you hadchosen the wrong path. Take everything from us. We will give our life butthrough dialogue. For that (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi is ready. Come to thedialogue table and take it forward,” he told a press conference where theachievements made by his administration in the past one year were highlighted.
The Governor said militancy in Kashmir was “not the outcomeof unemployment only but it was more than that”. He said people have beenmisled and “shown dreams which can’t be fulfilled”.
“They (the youth) were shown dreams of Aazadi and autonomy.When it didn’t work they were shown the dream of paradise,” said theGovernor.
“I want to tell the youth that they have two paradises. Oneis Kashmir and if they become good Muslims they will get the other onealso,” he said.
Criticizing mainstream politicians, the Governor said theKashmir problem would be solved by talking to youth and not politicians.
“I am often asked to start a dialogue but dialogue withwhom. These politicians have been misleading people for the past 50 years. Theanger, dissatisfaction and radicalisation are in younger generation. We are intouch with them and trying to talk to them,” said Malik who was flanked by hisadvisors and the Chief Secretary during the presser.
He said the youth were being “indoctrinated” and “death wasglorified”.
“These paths will lead to destruction. I want to appeal toyouth to drop your guns and come to Raj Bhavan to have lunch with me and makeme understand what good would you do on the path you have chosen,” he said,adding separatist have suffered but for “wrong reasons”.
The Governor said the LTTE was a powerful organization andhad support of 10 countries.
“You are a handful of children. Those who provoke you Iappeal them to ask you to return,” he said.
He said New Delhi has also acted in “wrong way at time onKashmir” in the past, but he said the leaders in Kashmir have done “morewrongs”.
“They have never told people the truth. I want to tell them(the youth) that nothing will come out of this violence,” said the Governor.
“You have your own constitution and you have a separateflag. Whatever more you want you will get it through the democratic process andwithin ambit of Indian Constitution,” he said.
Malik, however, said that India cannot be bowed down throughviolence.
“Every insurgency passes through a phase of fatigue. Thattime has come in Kashmir also. Everybody knows that nothing is going to comeout of this,” the Governor said.
To a question about Pakistan’s role in Kashmir situation,Malik said the neighboring country was itself in trouble. “There is arealisation in Pakistan there that they can’t fool youth of Kashmir for toolong. There is also demoralisation and fatigue factor in Pakistan but stillthey do not give up. The camps are running there,” he said.
However, Malik, said the security forces were alert and”infiltrators are either killed on LoC or dealt within 10 kilometres of theborder”.
The Governor said recruitment into militancy has gone downin Kashmir. “The main reason for that is we have adopted a sympathetic attitudetowards our youth,” he said.
To another question about challenge to Articles 370 and 35Aof, Malik said promises have been made in the manifestos by some politicalparties to this effect.
“There is a lot of talk about it but there is nothing toworry about on this front,” he said.
The Governor also dismissed reports about delimitation ofassembly constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir. “There are rumours aboutdelimitation. But it is not something that can be done overnight. It is aconstitutional matter. Even Home Ministry has not confirmed that they are doingsomething like this. There are basically rumours and newspaper reports only,”he said.
The Governor said the timing of Assembly polls will bedecided by the Election Commission (EC) in consultation with the Union HomeMinistry.
“It is between Home Ministry and Election Commission. Icannot comment on this. If the security we require for holding elections isprovided to us we are ready to hold the elections,” he said.
The Governor also took a dig at media in New Delhi sayingthey were “so negative” about Kashmir. “They demonise this place so much thatit hurts,” he said.
To a question on presence of Islamic State in Kashmir, theGovernor said these are “ways of destruction”.
The Chief Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam said the EC has saidthat an announcement about Assembly elections will be made after the AmarnathYatra.
In response to a separate question he said a largepopulation of youth was “somehow unhappy”.
“It comes out in various forms. It could be lack of joband education opportunities. A bulk of these youth is in the age group of 15 to25 years. Before end of the month we will be coming out with massive outreachprogram for these youth. We need to touch their hearts and tell them life isabout living and not about dying,” said the Chief Secretary.