Why Kashmir is volatile?
- Jammu & Kashmir, then ruled by a king, acceded to India in 1947 through Article 370 of the Constitution of India.
- Over the years, that Article has been breached many times.
- Kashmir Valley, home to seven million people, is the centre of the conflict.
- The people of the Valley have reacted aggressively to the denial of the autonomy that was promised when J&K acceded to India.
- A small number wants the Valley to become part of Pakistan.
- An overwhelming majority demands azadi.
- Every government in J&K and at the Centre has responded to the challenge with more warnings, more troops and more laws.
What is the reason for recent conflicts?
- The people of the Kashmir Valley have alternated between hope and despair.
- The current slide to chaos began in July 2016 with the killing of Burhan Wani.
- The state government has remained passive and helpless while the armed forces have implemented a muscular policy to quell dissent and disturbance.
- Since July 2016 and up to January 20, 2017, the violence in J&K claimed 75 lives.
- Besides, 12,000 people were injured, 1,000 lost vision in one eye due to pellet injuries and five were blinded.
What is the present situation?
- There were two by-elections — in Srinagar and Anantnag constituencies. Srinagar constituency, spread over three districts, went to the polls on April 9.
- The voter turnout was 7.14%, the lowest in 28 years. There was widespread stone-pelting.
- Re-polling in 38 booths took place and no voter turned up in 20 of those 38 booths, and the voting percentage in the re-poll was 2.02%.
- Meanwhile, polling in Anantnag constituency was postponed to May 25.
- The non-vote is actually a vote of no confidence against the state government and the Central government.
- The situation cannot be retrieved through a ‘muscular’ policy — tough talk by ministers, dire warnings from the Army Chief, deploying more troops or killing more protesters.
What should be done?
- The core issue is not holding territory, it is giving people confidence in the Indian project.
- The border with Pakistan should be defended by all means, taking deterrent action against infiltrators but ‘counter-terrorist operations’ in the Valley should be put on hold.
- The presence of the army and paramilitary forces should be reduced and the responsibility of maintaining law and order in the Kashmir Valley should be handed over to the J&K police.
- Interlocutors should be appointed to pave the way for talks.
- The Central government should begin a dialogue with all the stakeholders including civil society groups, student leaders and eventually the separatists.
Source: The Indian Express
