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More noise, less reason

Kashmir Times. Dated: 4/25/2017 10:55:44 PM

Mis-matched rhetoric on Kashmir adds to confusion and further shrinks space for peace

The voices for holding dialogue with Pakistan and people of Jammu and Kashmir inside the state, particularly the Valley have been increasing. The two major political parties of the state, National Conference and PDP, are strong votaries of dialogue and the Congress is also batting for the same. But is the government really serious? PDP's alliance partner in Jammu and Kashmir is BJP, which is also a party in power at the Centre. As opposed to talks, the BJP has been backing a more rigid approach with respect to both Pakistan and Kashmir with a minister in the state government also advocating bullet for stone policy. Nobody in the BJP has so far shown any appetite for dialogue and the prime minister keeps cards close to his chest. His silence on Kashmir is broken by occasional phrases that amount to sprinkling salt over the wounds of Kashmiris. Instead of playing his role as a peace maker, he ends up provoking more outrage. In the light of fresh developments and the meeting between Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbboba Mufti and prime minister Narendra Modi, the moot question is whether this policy would now change. Mehbooba, after her meetings with Modi, on Monday maintained that the latter's response on initiating a dialogue was positive and encouraging. The Centre so far has not endorsed any commitment to start a dialogue.
Whether it is a case of lack of communication or Mehbooba playing to the gallery, her words are in striking contrast to those of BJP's man in-charge of Kashmir, Ram Madhav, who spoke about Mufti being given the deadline of three months to restore calm in the Valley. This sounds more like an ultimatum than a professed commitment to the cause of initiating peace process in the valley. The harsh tone and tenor of Ram Madhav's remarks far from creating a space for process of engagement prop up the vital question: if elected governments and alliance partners are being ticked off in strong words, where is the scope for dialoguing with the lesser mortals? Madhav's rhetoric matches the words of PDP's Muzaffar Hussain Beig, who is having trouble reconciling with his own party's stand, off late. Beig on Monday averred that the possibility of holding a dialogue was bleak in view of the reluctance of Pakistan towards a dialogue. He maintained that while India was eager to open channels of communication, Pakistan was not keen and that instead Mehbooba should set her own house in order first and change her style of functioning. Beig has not only shifted the onus of Kashmir's extremely worrisome situation solely on the state government, he is also a little far removed from the facts. A comparative analysis of rhetoric by leaders from both sides of the borders would reveal that as opposed to the far more belligerent position adopted by New Delhi on dialogue with Pakistan, the latter's tit for tat reactions including bids to embarrass India by raking Kashmir repeatedly at international forums have been punctuated with occasional pleas for dialogue. That the PDP led state government cannot be kept above the board for the present situation of constant descent into chaos, a leader as senior as Beig can't really be ignorant of how power dynamics work in the context of Kashmir. It is not known whether he is simply giving vent to his own grouses within the party or molly-coddling up to New Delhi.
Between Modi's silence and discordant notes struck by Mehbooba, Beig and Ram Madhav on Monday about Centre's mood with respect to Kashmir, instead of paving way for peace, such rhetoric has burdened the existing chaos with more confusion. If the words of seasoned BJP leader Yashwant Sinha, in an interview to a national daily, are to be taken at face value, the Centre has not only responded to his request to meet the prime minister but also has not shown any inclination to respond to the Kashmir situation. Sinha headed a group of concerned citizens who visited Kashmir and released two reports making some recommendations but the centre has maintained cryptic silence over the same. The group had made some reasonable suggestions for calming down tempers in the Valley and beginning a process of engagement through interlocution. Similar suggestions have been made by various political and civil society groups in Kashmir. It is time, Modi plays his role, beginning first by spelling out his policy on Kashmir and pay at least some attention to voices of rationality and reason, rather than encouraging confusing mesh of statements from here and there which only have the potential of stoking the fires in Kashmir.