9/19/2016

Bankruptcyofpolicy|Frontline

THENATION

Published:September14,201612:30IST|Updated:September14,201616:06IST
JAMMU&KASHMIR

Bankruptcyofpolicy

ShowCaption

ThealienationoftheKashmiripeoplehasalreadyreachedapointofnoreturn,butpoliticianscontinue
tomouthplatitudesandtrytohidethehollownessoftheirpolicieswithslogans.ByA.G.NOORANI
ThosewhoconceivedandexecutedthedecisiontosendanallpartydelegationtoJammu&Kashmirshouldnothavebeensurprised
atthefiascothatgreeteditsmembersinSrinagaronSeptember4,2016.Itwasconceivedinevilintentandexecutedwith
characteristicclumsiness.TheGovernmentofIndiahasnoconsidered,realisticpolicytodealwiththeKashmirproblem,whetherin
thisinternalaspectorexternalaspectsithasnopolicytodealwiththeimmediatesituationorthelongtermproblem.Itsrealaimis
tocrushtherevoltintheValleybybruteforce.Inthis,ChiefMinisterMehboobaMuftihasalwaysbeencomplicit.Herremarkson
September6confirmthat.
Theparliamentarydelegationwasadevicetoconcealbankruptcyofpolicyandtodemonstratewedidallwecould,buttheydidnot
respond.Thereafter,aclampdowncouldfollow,andasmokescreenofmetaphorsisfloated.HenceMehboobaMuftisarrogantly
confidentassertiontothedelegationonSeptember4thatthesituationwouldcomeundercontrolsoon(TheIndianExpress,
September5).Sureenough,thefirststepswereannouncedonSeptember6(TheHindu,September7).
PreparationsforaclampdownhadproceededintandemwiththoseoftheMPsvisit.MehboobaMuftiwasinDelhionAugust8fora
day.PresentathermeetingwithHomeMinisterRajnathSingh,verysignificantly,wereDefenceMinisterManoharParrikarand
NationalSecurityAdviser(NSA)AjitDoval.Herspeechesbecamebolder(5percentofthepeople)thereafter.Shecouldrideoutthe
storm,NewDelhiassuredher.
InSrinagar,onAugust25,sheshowedtheironfistinthepresenceofRajnathSingh,asadailyreported:TheCentreconveyedtoher
throughRajnaththatshemustimmediatelyputanendtotheantiIndianslogansandroundupthe80agentprovocateursfuelling
unrestintheValley(MuzaffarRainaandRadhikaRamaseshanTheTelegraphAugust26).
Thatveryday,shedecidedtoinvokethestringentPublicSafetyAct(PSA)toimprison169people.TheTimesofIndiareported
(August27):Centralagencieshaveidentifiedsome400localleadersandhavesharedtheirnameswiththeStatePolice.Itshould
bedonebeforeIdulZuha(September13),ideally.
SankarshanThakurprovidedthedetails:MehboobasthumbsupendorsementofUnionHomeMinisterRajnathSinghssteelfist
prescriptionandherscurrytothecapitaltodemonstratecommoncausewithPrimeMinisterNarendraModihaveearnedherthe
Valleysfavouredanddubioustitlefarmoreswiftlythanmanyofherpredecessors:Delhisstooge.ThatshepetitionedthePrime
MinisterfordialoguewithPakistanisviewedwidelyinKashmirasarhetoricaladmissionthatsheherselfisatalossintherealmshe
rules.
Alongtimeassociateofherlatefather,MuftiMohammedSayeed,toldTheTelegraph:Shehasplacedherselfatthecommandsand
merciesofDelhi.Proof?WhenRajnathSinghvisitedSrinagarlastweek,hehandedMehbooba[Mufti]alistofmilitants(overground
workers,orOGWs)andblackballedstonethrowersthattheCentrewantedarraigned.Mehbooba[Mufti]tookitandpromisedto
comply.thenamesarebelievedtohavebeenhandedtotheHomeMinisterbyBJPs[BharatiyaJanataParty]influentialpoint
persononJammuandKashmir.
SouthKashmirisinfrighteningrevolt,aseniorKashmiripoliceofficersaid.Itisnotaboutafewpeopleasthegovernmentkeeps
saying,itisaboutawholepeople.Whodoyouactagainst,awholepopulace?.Aclassifiedpolicedocumentwrittenatthebeginning
of2016undertheaegisoftheformerIGP(CID)oftheStatePolice,AbdulGhaniMir,notedhowsouthKashmirhadbecomethe
Valleyschiefnurseryofmilitancybyfar.
Ofthe156freshrecruitstomilitancythestudyfocussedon,99belongedtosouthKashmir.Burhanwasamongthoseflaggedinthe
list.ManyothersremainpartofthosethatNewDelhinowwantspursuedandputbehindbars.Simplyput:Mehbooba[Mufti]has
beensternlytaskedtogoagainstherownandfromallthesoundsshesmade,sheswilling(TheTelegraph,August29).
AseniorMinistertoldMuzamilJaleelofTheIndianExpressthatMehboobaMuftiwasontherighttrackbecauseonlyanironfist

http://www.frontline.in/thenation/bankruptcyofpolicy/article9103654.ece?css=print

1/3

9/19/2016

Bankruptcyofpolicy|Frontline

AseniorMinistertoldMuzamilJaleelofTheIndianExpressthatMehboobaMuftiwasontherighttrackbecauseonlyanironfist
canbringnormalcyhere(TheIndianExpress,August29).OnSeptember4,thedaytheMPslandedinSrinagar,theStatePolice
receivedapprovalforimprisoning174peopleunderthePSA.Ithasalreadyarrested1,888protestersandkeptnearly600in
preventivedetention(TheIndianExpressSeptember5).DidYahyaKhannotkeeptalkingtoMujiburRahmaninMarch1971while
planningacrackdown?
Invitationfarce
ThisexplainstheCentresinsincerityontalks.InvitationsaresentdirectlyRajnathSinghdidnotinvite,hetweetedonAugust24an
insultingannouncement:IwillbestayingattheNehruGuestHouse.ThosewhobelieveinKashmiriyat,InsaniyatandJamhooriyat
arewelcome.Anofficialexplained:Therewillbenoseparateinvitationtotheseparatistsbutiftheywanttocomeandtalktothe
HomeMinistertheyarewelcome.Thetalkswilltakeplacewithintheconstitutionalframework(TheHindu,August25).This,to
peopleinimprisonment.Howcouldtheyhavegone?
MehboobaMuftiextendedabelatedinvitationtosixseparatistpartiesonSeptember3inmycapacityasthepresidentofthePeoples
DemocraticParty(PDP),notasChiefMinister.HerBJPcolleagueswereopposedtoit.Shesenttheinvitestosaveface,praisingthe
Centrefalsely.Thecountryspoliticalleadershiphasreachedoutandwithafalsepromiseaswell:Thiswillbethestartofacredible
andmeaningfulpoliticaldialogue.TheMPsweretheretounderstand,nottonegotiateandsheknewthatRajnathSinghsconditions
renderedanydialoguewiththeseparatistsimpossible.TheCentresaimsaredifferent,asshewellknew.Iftheywereatallsincere,
theywouldhavereleasedtheleadersfromimprisonment.EventheBritishdidthatin1945forCongressleaderstoattendtheSimla
Conference.
Here,theHurriyatleaderswereaskedtoputonsackclothandashes,proclaimacceptanceofIndiasConstitutionandVajpayeestriple
slogans,andbegfortheirreleasetopresentthemselvesforanaudiencewithRajnathSingh,ashistweetrequired.Theywouldhave
committedpolitical,perhapsactual,suicidehadtheydoneso.Theyhadpubliclydeclaredthattheywouldnotmeetanyonefromthe
parliamentarydelegationbecausetheirinstitution,Parliament,hadjustpassedaresolutionshuttingthedoorsoncompromise.
NoneoftheMPswhowerethusrefusedcriticisedthem.AsaduddinOwaisievenexpressedunderstanding.ItwaslefttoRajnathSingh
tomakeasonganddanceoveritthenextday,citingviolationsofVajpayeestripleslogans.Letalonetheleaders,eventhetraders
refusedtomeettheMPs.Thewholeexercisehadexplodedinhisface.HetriedtosavefacebycontrivedfurybeforeTVcamerason
September5.KofiAnnanwasjeeredinMyanmaronSeptember6.TheUnitedNationsdidnotcensureMyanmar.
Riotofmetaphors
Allwehavewitnessedisariotofmetaphors.Politiciansarepronetousethemtoconcealtheirpurposeorlackofitanddeceivethe
people.L.SusanStebbingexposedthistechniquedevastatinglyintheilluminating1938PelicaneditionofThinkingtoSomePurpose.
(Itcansurelydowithareprintnow.)Shedebunkedpoliticianstechniqueofpresentingananalogy,orevenametaphor,underthe
guiseofprovidinguswithareasonedargument.A.P.HerbertmadefunofthehabitofpoliticianstousenauticaltermstheShipof
Stateindireperil.Theysoughttoarouse.IndiasleadersandtheonestheyinstalledinpowerinKashmirusemedicaltermsinorderto
evadeanddeceive.
WhentheMuftis,fatheranddaughter,spokeofthehealingtouchtheystudiouslyrefrainedfromindicatingwhatthemaladywasand
howtheyproposedtohealit.Thesimplepeoplewhohadsufferedalotunderstoodittomeanalleviationoftheirlotandwere
deceived.ThesameistrueofMehboobaMuftisoftpromisedbalmtothewounds.Sheknowspreciselywhatthewoundsareand
howtheycanbehealedbutshewillnottellthepeoplewhatmeasuresshewilltaketosatisfytheirurges.Doesshesuggestareturnto
the1947setup?Orto1952?Noneofthese.Shewillusethemailedfist.
Ifthevaguetermstakeholdersisusedpersistentlywithoutindicatingwhotheyare,itistoavoidacommitmenttoparleywiththe
leadersoftheHurriyat.TheChiefMinisterrelentedreluctantlyinherinvitationtothemonSeptember3fortalkswiththe
parliamentarydelegationontheverynextday.
Themostmisleadingisthetermdialogue,usedalsobywellmeaningleadersoftheopposition.Nodialoguecanresolveadisputeor
deadlockbyitselfitmightevenhardenpositions.Theremustbesomeunderstandingona)theparticipantsb)theissuestobe
discussedc)preparatorysoundingstoensurethatthereissomecommongroundtobuildond)awillingnesstocompromiseonboth
sidesande)abilityofbothtocarryouttheagreementarrivedat.BothAtalBihariVajpayeeandNarendraModiarepastmastersin
thisgameofdeployingslogansandmetaphorstoevadeanddeceive.Vajpayeesfamouswordsinsaniyat,jamhooriyatand
Kashmiriyatwereusedoutofcompulsionasasmokescreenforaclimbdownfromapetardonwhichhehadfoolishlyhoistedhimself.
Policyofevasionanddeceit
ModisharesVajpayeespenchantforslogansandmetaphors.Theymarkhisstyleofgovernance.Sabkasaath,sabkavikas.
Dalits,ChristianandMuslimsknowbetterbynownottooverlookhisdepredationsintoculturalandeducationalbodies.IfonKashmir
heexcelledhimself,itisbecausehehasnodesiretoconciliatebutonlyapolicyofevasionanddeceit.InhisradiobroadcastonAugust
28,Modisaid:FromtheinteractionsIhadwithallpartiesonKashmir,onethingemergedanditcanbeputinsimplewordsasekta
[unity]andmamta[love].Thesetwothingswerethebasicmantras(DNA,August29emphasisadded,throughout).Hehadnotmet
allthepartiesonlytheunionists.Theyaremarginal.TheHurriyatanditssupportersconstitutethemainstream.Unitywithwhom
hasheinmindandonwhat?Lovewasnotinevidencewhenheapparentlycondonedtheuseofpelletgunsandotheroutragesbythe
securityforces.TherewascertainlynoattemptatunitywiththeHurriyat.Mantrascannotindicatepolicy.
InhisTVinterviewonSeptember2Modiexcelledhimself:Kashmirneedsvikas[development]andvishwas[trust](AsianAge,
September3).
Ifthisisallwhathehastooffer,Kashmiriscannotbeblamedforretortingbakwas(rubbish).EventhefaithfulOmarAbdullahhad
warnedhimthatdevelopmentisnosolution.WhathasIndiadonetoearnthetrustofKashmirisexceptsetarecordofperfidies1947,
1952,1953,1978,1987,1989andthefouldeedsofthesecurityforceswhichcontinuetothisday?
Isthisrhetoricdesignedtocoveruparepressionthatisplannedaftertheparliamentarydelegationreturns?Wedidourbestthey
wouldnotlisten,hencethecrackdown.Onehopesnot,fortheconsequenceswillbegraveandweshallhavepassedthepointofno
return.
TheIndianstatehasaremarkablecapacityforrefusingtolearnfromitsmistakes.ThesituationinthemonthsbeforeJuly8,2016,
whenBurhanWaniwaskilledpursuanttoadecisionatthehighestlevelinNewDelhimonthsearlier,gaveoutallthewarningsignals
thatscreamedloudandclearsinceuseofpelletssurgeinsouthKashmirswellingoftheranksofmilitantsbylocalpeopletheir
desperateuseofPakistansflagsandincreasingdespairamongthepeople.TheBJPPDPpactofMarch2015providedthefirsttrigger
BurhanWaniskilling,thesecond.TheabjectsurrenderofChiefMinisterMuftiMohammedSayeedtoNewDelhionahostofissues
MusaratAlam,useoftheStatesflag,andsoondemonstratedtothepeoplethatapartywhichtheyhadexpectedwouldspeakupfor
themhadbetrayedtheminitsleaderslustforpower.
RamMadhav,theRashtriyaSwayamsewakSangh[RSS]pracharaksecondedtotheBJPasitsgeneralsecretary,boastedthatOur

http://www.frontline.in/thenation/bankruptcyofpolicy/article9103654.ece?css=print

2/3

9/19/2016

Bankruptcyofpolicy|Frontline

RamMadhav,theRashtriyaSwayamsewakSangh[RSS]pracharaksecondedtotheBJPasitsgeneralsecretary,boastedthatOur
majorworrywasthatwemaybeabletostitchthisalliancebutwouldtheValleyacceptit?IusedtodiscusswithMuftiSahebthatonce
wedothis,youshouldbepreparedforthreemonthunrestbecausepeoplewouldrevolt.Buttooursurpriseitwastakenasanatural
corollarytothemandate(PrashantJhaHindustanTimesAugust30).Eventshaveprovedhimwrong.Butthedisclosureprovesthe
Muftiandhiscolleagueslustforpowerhewentintothedealwithfullawarenessofhispeoplesoppositiontoit.Hehadfoughtthe
electioncampaigntokeeptheBJPoutoftheValley.Heembraceditasapartnertocapasordidrecord(seePraveenDonthiCaravan
January2016).
Therewasabriefintervalinwhichheheldoutpromiseofreform.InOctober2008,thePDPpublisheda40pagepamphlet,Jammu
andKashmir:TheSelfRuleFrameworkforResolution.In2014,itselectionmanifestoAnAspirationalAgendasaid:TheSelfRule
documentwillbetheguidingframeworkforResolutionmakebordersirrelevant.OnArticle370,denudedofallcontent,it
promisedtouseArticle370itselftorestoretheoriginalspecialstatusoftheState,thatis,asof1947.
HollowingoutofArticle370
ButthePDPBJPAgendaoftheAlliance(March2015)frozeArticle370initsdenudedstate:Thepresentpositionwillbe
maintainedonalltheconstitutionalprovisionspertainingtoJ&KincludingthespecialstatusintheConstitutionofIndia.Itsauthor
knewverywellthatArticle370hadbeenreducedtoanemptyshellbythe47OrdersunconstitutionallymadebythePresidentofIndia
for50years.Twohundredsixtyoutofthe395ArticlesofIndiasConstitutionwereextendedtoJammu&Kashmir.Sowere94outof
the97entriesintheUnionListleavingabalanceofthreefortheStatetoenjoy.Twentysixofthe47entriesintheConcurrentList
werealsoextendedtotheState.Sevenofthe12Scheduleswereapplied.
ItwasasystematichollowingoutofArticle370forMehboobaMuftitoflauntnowasabadgeofhonour.Farfromenjoyinga
preferredstatusovertheotherStates,Kashmirhasbeenputinapositioninferiortothem.ForKashmir,mereexecutiveordersunder
Article370sufficedforPresidentsruletobeimposed,fromJuly18,1990,to1996.TheyweredatedFebruary24,1993,andFebruary
19,1994.Elsewhere,aConstitutionalamendmentwasrequired.
TheManifestosaid:Article370impactseverythingfrompoliticaldiscoursetopersonalresponses,fromeconomytoemotions,from
societytosensibilitiesandfrominstitutionstoideologies.ThePDPssurrendertotheBJPonamatterlikethisexposedthetrue
natureofthedeal.ThefloridproseandtheidiomrevealthatitisoneandthesamepersonwhodraftedallthreeHaseebA.Drabu,
nowFinanceMinister.
OndialoguewiththeHurriyat,thealliancewassignificantlyweak.TheearlierNDA[NationalDemocraticAlliance]governmentled
byShriAtalBihariVajpayeehadinitiatedadialogueprocesswithallpoliticalgroups,includingtheHurriyatConference,inthespirit
ofInsaaniyat,KashmiriyataurJamhooriyat.Followingthesameprinciples,thecoalitiongovernmentwillfacilitateandhelpinitiatea
sustainedandmeaningfuldialoguewithallinternalstakeholders,whichwillincludeallpoliticalgroupsirrespectiveoftheir
ideologicalviewsandpredilections.Thisdialoguewillseektobuildabroadbasedconsensusonresolutionofalloutstandingissuesof
J&K.
Reactionwasswift.ThecoalitionwassworninonMarch1,2015,andbeataretreatonahostofissuessuchasMasaratAlamsrelease,
theStateflags,andcoloniesforKashmiriPandits.OnApril18,TheHindureported:TheValleyappearedteeteringonthebrinkof
anotherboutofvolatility.Aboyof16lostvisioninhisrighteyewhenhewashitbyapelletthatpiercedhisskull,jaws,lips,noseand
brains.Thepolicefiredduringaprotestinhisvillage,Palhannotinselfdefence(TheHindu,May25).
StateMinistersfromtheBJPbrokeprecedentbyrefusingtoobservetheMartyrsDayonJuly13.Reportscameinofyoungpeople(in
the1724agegroup)joiningmilitantseverymonth(AsianAge,July30).JosyJoseph,adistinguishedcorrespondent,wastoldbya
seniorofficialinthesecurityestablishmentthattheoverallsituationintheStatehasdeteriorated.Ithastobeblamedoninternal
issues,notmuchtodowithPakistanViolenceandstrifearegoingup,notinfiltration.Simmeringtensionshaveemergedinpublic
sincethechangeofgovernment(TheHindu,October21,2015).
Abusesbysecurityforceswerealsoontherise.In2014astudybydoctorsofSrinagarsSMHSHospitalconcludedthatpelletrelated
ocularinjuirieswerebecomingcommoninKashmir.Around200patientswereadmittedbetween2010and2013,thatisduringOmar
Abdullahstenure.OnlylastApril,agirlstudentinAnantnagtoldNirupamaSubramanianandBasharatMasood:WhentheArmy
doesanencountertheycomeinhundredsforonemilitanthidinginahouse.Thentheydestroythathouse(TheIndianExpress,April
22).Aseniorofficialtoldthemthatofficialsfoundgatheringsofthousandsasintimidatingasaterroriststrike.Thatexplainsit
theyfireeveniftheirlivesarenotindanger.Protestingcrowdsstrikefearintheirhearts.
ThecorrespondentsreportedalsothatSouthKashmirsfourdistrictsPulwama,Shopian,KulgamandAnantnaghadinrecent
monthsandweeksseenspontaneousoutpouringsofsupportformilitantsandangeragainstsecurityforces.Therewereonly200
activemilitantsintheValley.Butitisnotthenumbersthatareworryingtheagenciesbutthegrowinglocalsupportformilitantsin
theirstrongholds(TheTimesofIndia,May2,2016).
ItisagainstthisbackgroundthatBurhanWaniwaskilledonJuly8,2016,withconsequencesthatarethereforalltosee.Allthesigns
weretherebeforesurgeinlocalmilitancyriseinpopularprotestssouthKashmirasdangerzonedisplayofPakistansflagsanduse
ofpelletguns.Withonedifference:funeralprocessionsofslainmilitants,alwayslarge,nowbecamemassive.Thepeopleshedallfear.
Nocrackdownwillbringitback.Itwillcongealthepointofnoreturntowhichpopularalienationhasalreadyreached.
Wherethendowegofromhere?Therehastobeadialogueandweneedtofindapermanentandlastingsolutiontotheproblem
withintheframeworkofIndianConstitution,ModitoldthedelegationofKashmirsoppositionleadersonAugust22,adding:All
politicalpartiesshouldreachouttothepeople.WhydoeshenotpullthestringstoensurethathispuppetsinpowerinSrinagardance
tothisinspiringtune?Hecannot.Thepuppetsdreadthepeople,MehboobaMuftiespecially.Sheknowsthatinaveryshortperiodshe
hassucceededincarvinghernameindeliblyinKashmirsannalsofinfamy.
Printableversion|Sep19,201611:35:11AM|http://www.frontline.in/thenation/bankruptcyofpolicy/article9103654.ece
Frontline

http://www.frontline.in/thenation/bankruptcyofpolicy/article9103654.ece?css=print

3/3