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kashmir

Unilateral truce offers a forces are in a position to completely In 2017 alone, pointlessness of such a ceasefire would

be the less time in power remaining for
wipe out the militancy nor the mili-
security forces
the Modi-led government in New Delhi.
tants can hope to win the battle, a fact
bleak hope in Kashmir also acknowledged by the Army Chief, had killed 218 out As a result, there won’t be enough time
General Rawat, in an interview. He said
for any reconciliatory process to reach
he doesn’t attach much importance to
Similarly, there won’t be time
the killings of the militants as “there are of 282 militants its logical conclusion.
fresh recruitments happening.” — the highest enough for a dialogue with Pakistan.
Calling for a unilateral truce to resolve the troubled situation in the Valley, which even if But, would a unilateral ceasefire number in 7 years With both the countries looking for-
make any difference? It wouldn’t except ward to their respective national elec-
implemented, will do little to lessen the raging violence, writes riyaz wani
for the fact that it would help New Delhi — but by the tions — Pakistan in 2018 and India in
to once again humanise its approach beginning of 2018, 2019 — it looks unlikely that there will
n April 9, the main- militants, four security personnel militants are replenished sooner to the state — albeit it might have be substantive efforts to engage each
stream parties in J&K and three civilians were killed. than later. In the past four months already been too late for it. Moder- there were still other. The window is thus fast closing.
went into a huddle to Another development that occa- alone, around 40 local youth have ate Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar 230 militants left Pakistan is already in an election mode
deliberate about the sioned the rare CM-led meeting was joined militancy. Farooq has already termed the call for a circumscribing the chance and the
O worsening situation in the killing of a tourist from Chennai In 2017 alone, security forces had truce a “farce”. space for talks with India. And, by later
the state. At the end of it, the Chief in a stone pelting incident. killed 218 out of 282 militants — the “The all-party meeting of the pro-In- this year, the government in New Delhi
Minister, Mehbooba Mufti, called Incidentally, the meeting was highest number in last seven years dia parties convened by Chief Minister will have an eye on the 2019 polls, dis-
on them to announce a unilateral held ten days before the scheduled — but by the beginning of 2018, Mehbooba Mufti is nothing more than suading it from a troubled engagement
ceasefire in the state for a peaceful visit to the state by the Prime Min- there were still 230 militants left. a farce to mislead people into believing with its neighbour. Or for that matter
upcoming month of Ramadhan and ister, Narendra Modi, on May 19, to Around 117 local youth had taken up that they are serious about addressing with Kashmiri dissident groups. The
two-month-long Amarnath Yatra. inaugurate a few development pro- the gun last year. the prevailing oppressive situation in • Policy polemics There is still the space for period thus will hardly be conducive for
The participants in the meeting, jects and participate in a university So, it is a dead-end scenario in the state,” Mirwaiz said in a statement. substituting the hardline policy on Kashmir a purposeful dialogue.
also, suggested a meeting of all-par- convocation. So, the all-party meet- Kashmir as neither the security Another reason for an apparent with a benign approach There is still the space for substitut-
ty delegation with the Prime Minis- ing is understood to have the cen- ing the hardline policy on Kashmir with
ter, Narendra Modi, to urge him to tre’s blessing too. photo: faisal khan a benign and understanding approach.
review his government’s iron-fist Will the PM, thus, announce An announcement of truce can be sup-
policy on the state and announce a a Kashmir truce? There is every plemented by Confidence Building
political initiative geared to resolve chance that he might, even though Measures like a political outreach and
the deeply troubled situation in his party in the state has gone back the release of political prisoners. End-
the state. on such a demand. But, if a ceasefire ing the use of the lethal riot control gear
“The parties also suggested that announcement does come along, like non-lethal weapons would also
the Centre offer the ceasefire as for- after all, the trigger for it would not send right signals.
mer Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vaj- be the recommendation by the all- This could go some way to address
payee had done in November 2000,” party meeting or its opposition by the deepening alienation in the state
Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti told the BJP, but, the deterioration in the and nuance the public perception that
the reporters after the meeting of all state’s situation despite the centre’s the Modi government is compulsively
regional parties at Sher-i-Kashmir hardline approach towards the mil- antagonistic towards Kashmir. As the
International Convention Centre. itancy in the state in past four years. situation stands, there are fewer takers
Standing by her side was the sen- The figures for the past 40 days in Kashmir that the centre would even
ior BJP leader and the Deputy Chief reveal a grim state of affairs: Sev- be ready to soften its hardline policy, let
Minister, Kavinder Gupta. enty people, including 28 civilians alone embark on a dialogue process.
Three days before the meeting, and a tourist have died. “Is centre changing tack on Kash-
ten people comprising five civil- What is more? The situation mir? Looks like it is. But not quite. The
ians and five militants were killed looks poised for a fresh turmoil. signacenterm New Delhi are still am-
in South Kashmir, in what was the Militancy, which this hardline ap- bivalent,” an editorial in a local daily
second bloody Sunday in less than proach sought to curb is growing said. “One hopes that PM Modi, for once,
a month. Among the slain militants from strength to strength, despite doesn’t talk only about the develop-
was the assistant professor from an ever-increasing number of the ment on his visit to the state but offers
Kashmir University, Mohammad killings of the militants. More local a credible political process. Only such a
Rafi Bhat, who had taken up arms recruitment is taking place com- process can be hoped to make a positive
just two days ago. plemented by the infiltration from difference. There is no other option.”
Earlier on April 2, also a Sunday, across the border. So despite kill-
twenty people comprising thirteen ings, their depleted numbers of the letters@tehelka.com

tehelka / 31 may 2018 34 www.tehelka.com

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