Beyond militarism
Unabated violence in Kashmir is indicative of the unfortunate reality that all is not just as fine here as people otherwise are expected to believe it is. With certain sections in the political establishment seemingly believing that they can resolve Kashmir at the back of its military onslaught on the militants, as could be made out from some recent political statements, one can’t help but laugh at these assertions. The question that must be asked is: are killings the answer to Kashmir’s woes? If it had been, then this place has already made a huge investment of the kind during past three decades and yet neither of the sides have reached anywhere near to their desired and pronounced goals – a reality which Army chief has also alluded to recently. Neither has New Delhi been able to stem the recurring tides of popular anger and resentment here, nor have separatists any worthwhile achievements under their belts. Despite heavy physical and material investments by both sides, the conflict in Kashmir is so badly stalemated that there is no possible headway in sight that would lend any hope to anybody here!
This should also explain why even the boastful claims of different sides and shades are not able to amuse and enthuse people here, even a bit. They are not moved even when Prime Minister talks about solving Kashmir by “embracing its people”, which they know does not go beyond speechifying – as they have seen happening with similar such assertions in the past. And, they are also not impressed when separatists talk about their “initiatives”, which at the end only yield calls for some more shutdowns.
As for the governments in Srinagar and New Delhi are concerned, they must understand that the conflict in Kashmir goes beyond its international dimensions. Both at political and administrative levels, it is also a manifestation of peoples’ anger against and alienation from New Delhi. It is also in part the popular resentment against the successive inefficient and corrupt (state) governments, lack of employment and other developmental avenues. More importantly it is also sustained by anger against continued “denial of democratic rights” to the people, which has been the major cause of recurrent spells of violence in the state, ebbing and peaking alternatively.
But here too, as if unmindful of all these dynamics, government has so far tackled the situation in Kashmir through its military and managerial skills, bereft of any humanitarian and emotional considerations, and without proper momentum and motivation for the resolution of issues on a sustainable basis. Right since the beginning of the political turmoil and subsequent armed struggle in Kashmir, there have been attempts at containing it primarily through police/military means. Though government has largely succeeded in containing the violent uprisings, however, it has not been alive to the needs that go beyond military means, or as they say ‘law and order’ challenges.
Owing to varied factors, dynamics of the situation in Kashmir have changed considerably over the years. But the governments have continuously refused to go beyond claims and speeches, which at times talk of certain initiatives, which it never really intends to implement, while at the same time it also continues using its military machine and legal and administrative dragnets to coerce political dissent into silence. Now all this cannot go on forever. Continued belligerence, refusal to heed desperate and angry voices in Kashmir, and complacence that one could for-ever play politics on and with Kashmir for the sake of its political calculations elsewhere in the mainland India, is very dangerous. And a sure recipe for continuation of bloodshed here!
