Kashmir — Why its government not in control
For over a year and half I have seen images of stone pelting and pellet guns flashing in the media. The image today that is shown of Kashmir and Kashmiri’s is in no way true to a society that they represent. The young on the streets only to be met with police. The common citizens being either killed or targeted by separatists. Even if we ignore all these today’s image that I saw in Hindu just shook my concisions. And that was of college girls in white dress, covering their face wearing college bags throwing stones and standing up against security force who continuously are seen as a symbol of tyranny and atrocity of India and New Delhi.
But should that be the case, when PDP and BJP came to power there was a hope that the long standing issues that plagued the valley and Kashmir would soon improve and the long awaited dialogue process will finally start which had been highjacked by terrorism and other disputes between India and Pakistan. But forget that the law and order situation in the valley has become bad to worse where the peoples representative, the government servants and even the common man is not safe.
And the youth finds itself increasingly polarised against the government establishment. And it is in this backdrop when I see the recent and past governments that ran Kashmir, the issue becomes blazingly clear. Why is the state leadership not in control of their own state. They are elected representatives of Kashmir and yet when it comes to law and order why they always have to look up to the Center for help. Even the center and the army on its part by playing the terrorism card has not given the mantle of managing the law and order to the state leadership. Even more bad are a slew of legislations which are draconian and takes even the basic right of expressing opposition from its citizens.
Comparing it with the situation during UPA regime the situation even looks more grim. And the reports as to how Kashmiri’s are treated across India it only raises the question where are we heading. Today what we see has been told by many observers as a pressure cooker situation building for years. Rampant unemployment, lack of better future, the climate of fear and regressive legislation and use of disproportionate force to handle protests have only fuelled the discontent that we see today.
When met with such questions to center we only get nationalist rhetoric or knowledge bytes which good for academic discourse not for a burning situation like Kashmir. Lot was achieved in past decade which was lost just because of corruption and complacency and some bad decisions which has let to such a bad situation now. Even the effort of successive central governments to have a weak state leadership has left a power vacuum which is now exploited by separatists and external forces.
Who is loosing
Finally its the people of Kashmir and the youth of Kashmir that is suffering. Their options as so slim, either side with a government which is becoming increasingly powerless or support the separatist uprising. Unfortunately there is no middle ground left where they can live a peaceful life get about building their career.
Its only loss for India where we see so many bright futures of this country getting entangled in the murky battle of militant uprising. It’s for the leaders and people of Kashmir now to stand up and think about the small children and the youth of Kashmir and get their life in control for the state leadership and the center are seen to be mute spectators as they let Kashmir descent into chaos.
