Kashmir Parleys :Time for Going forward Pragmatically !

The Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s   invitation to Jammu & Kashmir leaders is a timely and far-sighted initiative. Though the  Central Govt has called 14 leaders of 8 political parties from Kashmir valley, who among them are keen to come on discussion table, is a moot question. Among the invitees are 4 former CMs of the state, two of whom are known hardliners, three among them being confused ‘or projecting themselves so’,  nevertheless it is a  very significant  chance to  settle the historical  knots of Indian politics  and to move Forward, to fulfil the aspirations  of Kashmiri residents.

The invitation has been extended to NC’s Dr Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah; Congress’ Ghulam Nabi Azad, Tara Chand and G.A. Mir; PDP’s Mehbooba Mufti;  Peoples Conference’s Sajad Gani Lone and Muzaffar Hussian Baigh; Apni Party’s Altaf Bukhari; BJP’s Ravinder Raina, Nirmal Singh and Kavinder Gupta;  CPI(M)’s M. Y. Tarigami, and National Panthers Party’s Prof. Bheem Singh.

The GOI has forgotten  to invite two important entities of the state: the  former Yuvaraj of J&K  Dr Karan Singh and Representatives of  Displaced Kashmiri Pandits, who had been uprooted from their roots in 1989 and are living in Refugee Camps, with a hope to see their place of birth.  They have been dreaming of  returning back to the valley and get back their  properties and traditional livelihood. Though the GOI has initiated the process of discussion with a great hope, results will depend largely on the  pragmatism from above leaders mainly, the recently formed  ‘Gupkar Group.’

Though the NDA Govt. has nullified the disputed Sections  370 and 35A (on August 05, 2019), which were basically temporary  reprieves, inserted in 1948-49, but were kept alive for almost 70 years, by crafty politicians of the valley.  The process of  merger of Jammu & Kashmir state with Indian Union, has left  indelible spot  over history-books;  with prominent leaders like  then PM Nehru, Sardar Patel (the architect of Indian Unity, post Independence), Sheikh Abdullah and  Maharaja Hari Singh, Viceroy Lord Mountbatten, shuffling the files helter-skelter  and delaying  the issue.  These delays resulted in Pakistan’s  occupying  large part of Kashmir, gifting  big territory (38,000 sq.km. of Aksai Chon area) of POK to China illegally and creating  bleeding scar in the body of Indian state, which  shed limitless blood from of Kashmiri youths and patriotic Indian youth, including thousands of  soldiers.

Among the likely points of agenda would be i)  delimitation of Assembly segments, increase from 83 to 90 seats ii)  allowing 7 extra seats to be added to include representation to about  60,000 displaced Kashmiri Pandits and over 400,000 Kashmiris  from POK, iii) to conduct elections in the State and  iv) Restoration of  Full state status, as it existed before August 2019.  Although Ladakh  region was also part of J&K State, it may remain a separate  Union Territory for some more time.

Keeping the past aside,  this is the time for all to sit together and  use this  opportunity to  create a bright future for the youth of the J&K state and  usher in a  fresh air from the valley to  the mainland India.