The situation of Kashmir over the last three decades has ledmany political personalities to experimentation. With the result they areengaged in some beaten-track exercises and silly ideas. It seems to bebasically a desperation and also an urge to do something that could hold groundin order to move forward. There is always a road available for experimentationand new ideas, but repeating the old ideas and doing a harakiri is in no way awise adventure.
We have two classic cases of the above postulates that canbe cited as examples of this desperation and the urge to do something new. Mostof the times, we fail to understand the implications of such misadventures overthe society and the future generations.
The recent statement of the Mirwaiz Kashmir Umar Farooqregarding the so-called dialogue between India and Pakistan on the non-existentissue of Kashmir is one more attempt to hoodwink the opinion of the people inKashmir. It is the same old theory that has virtually no backers at a crucialtime when elections to the Lok Sabha have already been held. The elections heldin Jammu and Kashmir in which more than 60 percent people took part and byvirtue of which six Parliamentarians are duly elected by the people of thestate is one of the biggest responses tothe Mirwaiz in this context. Those whowould still like to insist on this particular line of argument need also tofind solutions and counter arguments to the scenario that India has been ableto create over the last five years.
The government of India is guided by the doctrine of”zero tolerance against terrorism” and “terror and talks cannotgo together”. Therefore, the position of the government of India is veryclear and vivid. It needs to be reiterated that the State of Pakistan will haveto prove to the satisfaction of the world that it does not allow land under itscontrol being used against India through state or non-state actors forterrorism and subversive activities. Unless Pakistan provides a substantialevidence of its goodwill and right intent, there is no case for any dialogue.Pakistan has recently come up with a number of steps against terrororganisations. These steps need to be taken positively but they are quiteinadequate and meagre. Once the intent is expressed through sincere actions,things will start moving in the right direction. But unfortunately, Pakistanhas many bosses and a final and authorised word about the operations is yetawaited.
Next, it has been observed that some antinational activitiesare going on in various parts of Jammu region under the cover of sham politicaland socio-cultural activities. Recently it was noticed that the Rohangyaillegal immigrants in Jammu region were involved in regular political activityin the state by making them member-activists of a new political outfitunleashed by a former IAS officer turned politician Shah Faisal.
Shah Faesal’s birthday was also celebrated by the partyunder the leadership of Adv. Nazim Qazi with the Rohangyas at Jammu and theseillegal immigrants moreover joined the People’s Moment for their safety,security and welfare. Though it is highly inappropriate and against theconstitutional provisions to involve foreign elements in any sort ofsocio-political activity moreso when their stay in the state in itself is the severemost controversial political issue. Shah should have exercised caution and carewhich he failed to do though knowing the Constitutional, political and legalposition in this regard very well.
A lot of protests have been going on in the Jammu region againstthese illegal and unlawful immigrants over the last more than five years. Itmay not be out of place to mention that these illegal immigrants were broughtto Jammu by the Congress-NC combine during the period 2004 to 2012. There isnear unanimity regarding their detection and deportation and the Ministry ofHome Affairs has passed very stringent orders in regard to their stay,detection and deportation.
It is also a serious issue that a number of governmentdepartments of the state have taken these illegal immigrants on contractualjobs inspite of knowing well about their antecedents. They have not only beenmade a part of the regular socio-economic activity in the state but have alsobeen provided access to enter households and dwelling complexes of the peoplein the city of Jammu under the garb of town development schemes. The people ofJammu region have been complaining about these developments since long. Thegovernment was cautioned many a times regarding these antinational andantisocial developments going on in the Jammu region and also appealed to put astop to this unwarranted illegal business.
Shah Faisal instead should have devised a mechanism to makepeople understand the legal position and ask these illegal immigrants toresolve to move to their historical habitat. In case his party goes ahead withthe involvement of these people in its regular political activity, Jammu isbound to boil and boil to its advisable temperatures. Political harakiri hasbecome a new fashion for the new entrants and probationers in politics andJ&K state also does not lag behind in this neo-adventurism ormisadventurism.
The family-feudalism in the socio-political scenario inJammu & Kashmir state has done enough of damage over the last sevendecades. The existing trend in this regard needs to be replaced by the genuinepolitical activity and leadership, particularly in the valley of Kashmir. Wemay like it or not, India has entered into a transitional sphere of politicalhistory. The new Lok Sabha results will confirm the quantum and quality oftransition. Jammu & Kashmir needs to take advantage of this positivedevelopment and get counted so far as the new India image and idea isconcerned.
Kashmir beckons a new road map sans the beaten tracks ofseparatism, mayhem, death and destruction of the last forty years. Thechallenge is not ordinary, and the hope comes alive once the fearless and bravecome up to expectations and create new chapters of history. But the hard factis that Time awaits none……!