Over a
period of time now, some very serious statements are flowing out from the Lt.
Governor Manoj Sinha's office about the prevailing situation in J&K. He
himself has been seen and observed 'batting' on the front foot with complete
grip, confidence and authority. It is for the first time in the recent
political history of Jammu and Kashmir that any authority with the official
mandate of the government of India would speak with such credence, trust and
reliance about the intent of the State regarding the social-political scenario
in Jammu and Kashmir. Surely, Manoj Sinha
is on fire.
His statement that 'nothing
would be done to purchase peace in Kashmir' is an overloaded statement with a
clear message having different parameters. However, the intent is visible and
stark. He said, ".....that time is now gone. Now the administration is trying
to maintain and establish peace in Kashmir. This is the major shift in the
policy along with a change in the situation in Kashmir. All those involved in
anti-national activities or trying to create hurdles in peace will be strictly
dealt with. No one will be allowed to harm the unity and sovereignty of the
country. We won’t hesitate in dealing sternly with those involved in
anti-national activities and the elements creating hurdles in the path of peace
in Jammu and Kashmir. The Government wants peace and brotherhood to be
maintained in the UT".
He also said "that the
Kashmiri Pandits, who were driven away from Kashmir by Pakistan-sponsored
terrorism in 1989-90, leaving behind their homes and hearths, will get back
their property within a time limit", adding "the Government will help
them to get their property within a timeframe and resettle
them"........."The Kashmir culture is incomplete without Kashmiri
Pandits".
This should give immense
happiness and satisfaction to the nationalist constituency in the Jammu and
Kashmir Union Territory that the government has finally expressed its resolve,
publicly, that it won't buy peace in J&K. LG's statement is a great
reassurance which states unambiguously that there was a time when an attempt
was made to buy peace, but with change in the situation, there has been a shift
in the policy of the government as well in the post August-2019 situation.
LG Manoj Sinha is absolutely
correct, historically speaking. Jammu and Kashmir has a long history since 1947
when in order to maintain law and order, peace would be purchased by the
government of India both internally as well as externally. In fact, the basis
and precedence of it was laid during the pre-accession period when top Congress
leader Pt. Nehru, in the Sopore Convention of the National Conference in 1945,
asked the Hindu minorities of Kashmir to follow the majority community
otherwise there would be no guanrantee of safety and security for them in the
valley.
In the post 1947 era, the
biggest compromise was to deny the status of the past ruler of the state to
Maharaja Hari Singh and force him to surrender all his due rights in order to
have peace. Again, then what followed was the grant of Article 370 singularly
to the J&K state with the so-called political nomenclature of special
status. As if it was not enough, Delhi Agreement between Sheikh Abdullah and
the government of India was inked in 1952 against the wishes of the provinces
of Jammu and Ladakh
When Sheikh Abdullah was
arrested under Kashmir Conspiracy case in 1953, Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad was
given the charge of the J&K state only to be followed by bringing Article
35A of the Constitution, surreptitiously in 1954, even without the knowledge
and approval of the parliament. Bakshi also didn't agree to any dilution of
Article 370 during his regime and instead brought a separate constitution for
the state in 1957 and got it approved by the then Asssembly. And everything was
done in order to purchase peace in Kashmir.
In 1975, Sheikh Abdullah was
again installed as the Chief Minister of the state by asking the duly elected
government in the state to step down thus, presumably, to bring to an end the
past compromises. But the history had compromises after compromises to follow
in order to have peace in Kashmir. Sheikh Abdullah led National Conference's
victory in 1977 Assembly elections founded the pedestal for political barter of
a big magnitude when indoctrination, extremism, communalism, radicalisation and
separatism became the hallmark of the new regime in almost all fields of
governance in Jammu and Kashmir state. Reports after reports from intelligence
authorities, political masters, Governors, media and other authorities about
the impending situation in J&K were thrown into dustbin by the Central government.
And all was done, again, to buy peace in Kashmir.
The agreement between Congress
and National Conference in 1987 was one more bad deal to unleash a violent plot
to 'establish' terrorism as a part of life in Kashmir valley which remains a
challenge till date. The compromise of 1989 exchange of 5 terrorists in lieu of
release of Mufti Sayeed's daughter, Rubaiya Sayeed, 3 terrorists in lieu of
Saifudin Soz's daughter, Nahida Akhtar, 3 dreaded terrorists in lieu of the
passengers of the Indian Airlines aircraft in Kandhar, supply of Biryani etc
and offer of safe passage to the terrorists who had put Hazratbal shrine under
their seige and then having joined with separatist and terrorist leaders on the
same table over tea, lunch and dinners by the powers that be, all were
compromises and purchases in order to ensure the mirage of peace in Kashmir.
The biggest and the most
shameful purchase was to malign Jagmohan, the then Governor of the state, for
the forced exodus of the Kashmiri Pandits and calling it a 'migration' instead
of 'mass-exodus' or 'ethnic-cleansing'. Inspite of National Human Rights
Commission's decision that "acts akin to genocide were committed against
the Kashmiri Pandits in Kashmir ...and a genocide type design may exist against
them...." the powers that be chose to be silent and non-committal about it
and avoided to pursue the issue in the higher judiciary and/or in the
administration just to buy peace with those who mattered politically in Kashmir
including the separatist and terrorist elements like Huriyat and others.
Elements responsible for
killing of Kashmiri Pandits, IAF personnel in the valley and other minority
community members in the Jammu province were allowed to roam free and enjoy the
status of VIPs and have the social status of leaders and activists at the
expanse of the government exchequer. The embezzlements, scams, frauds,
exploitation of the power corridors and authority, hawala exchanges and misuse
of position and status were all ignored only to purchase peace, to be very
honest and truthful.
This story of compromises,
purchases and clandestine deals forms the brazen part of the political history
of Jammu and Kashmir which the past rulers both at the centre and in the state,
right from 1947, wieved, wittingly and unwittingly. In this context, the
statements of the LG Manoj Sinha are tantamount to an absolute thinking
revolution.
His statement that 'there
was need for maintaining strict vigil against the anti-national elements in
Jammu and Kashmir and teaching a lesson to those trying to play with unity and
integrity of the country and that there has been meaningful change in situation
in the Union Territory which is witnessing new dawn of development' is greatly
significant. He rightly said that there had been a meaningful change
during the last 13 months in Jammu and Kashmir and the Union Territory was
witnessing a new dawn of development by overcoming all difficulties.
In a separate statement, he was
categorical that the government won't be allowed to run on the whims and
fancies of some persons. This is definetly welcome and heartening keeping In
view the past & vast experiences of unwanted compromises. The nationalist
constituency in Jammu and Kashmir is surely fatigued of the past
experimentation and failures in Kashmir. In this context, the statement,
position and stance taken by the LG Manoj Sinha are positively reassuring and
inspiring too.
The recent air show by the IAF over the Dal lake is one more positive & representative statement of the government under the leadership of the LG. It is hoped that with this comes to an end the bad chapter of political agreements, deals and bargains in Jammu and Kashmir. 'Peace will be established and maintained at all costs' will be the guiding principle of the State and the powers representing the intent of the State.
By - Ashwani Kumar Chrungoo
(Feedback: ashwanikc2012@
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