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THE NATION: KASHMIR
Invitation Sends A Wrong Signal
The invitation to
Musharraf has only given currency to this impression. Despite Defence
and External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh's assertion that Kashmir was
an integral part of India, the view in the Valley is that the Pakistani
leader has been invited because India has failed to bring any semblance
of peace either through its security apparatus or through the cease-fire
move. And so, while Pant is seen as "Delhi's man", it is Musharraf's
visit that everyone is waiting for.
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| FOR THE CAMERA: Pant (right) has achieved little
success in building bridges with the separatist leaders except Shabir
Shah, who too has upped the ante |
"One of us," is how the general is
being described by many in the Valley. Unlike Pant whose dialogue is being
dubbed as another "political stunt". Asserting that they will
talk only to Musharraf and Vajpayee and not Pant, Hurriyat Chairman Professor
Abdul Ghani Bhat says, "What is the point of talking to someone who
is eliciting the views of boatmen and sweepers? The issue is the resolution
of the Kashmir dispute, not development and employment."
The Hurriyat, even Governor G.C. Saxena concedes,
"represents a certain section that cannot be ignored". By refusing
to play ball with Pant, they have not only queered the pitch but also
ensured that the exercise remains largely futile. Even Shabir Shah, a
Hurriyat opponent, says, "Pant can only listen to us and put our
views across to the prime minister. He cannot solve the Kashmir dispute.
That can only be arrived at with Pakistan's help, and Vajpayee has proved
this by inviting Musharraf."
The impression that Pakistan would have a role
to play had been gaining ground through the cease-fire phase. Says a senior
police officer: "People had started telling us that there was no
point in their talking to us because now 'their children' would talk to
them."
The "children" are the jehadis or
foreign mercenaries who moved around towns in large numbers and through
successive attacks gained not just the upper hand against the security
forces who had instructions not to launch combat operations but also a
degree of respectability among the masses. The people were not only willing
to give them shelter but also took to the streets each time a militant
was killed, demanding that his body be handed over to them. Says Director
General of Police A.K. Suri: "Foreigners have taken complete control
of the insurgency. If 35 per cent of the militants being killed earlier
were foreigners, the figure shot up to 65 per cent during the cease-fire."
The security forces-be it the local police,
the Border Security Force (BSF) or the army-are making no bones about
the fact that they are in for a hot summer in the Valley. The cease-fire
boomeranged on them and resulted in a major degradation of their fighting
capabilities. Militants targeted their key informers apart from conducting
daring attacks on nerve centres demoralising personnel. "We are now
preparing for casualties,'' says a BSF officer, adding, "It takes
time to get the troops into a fighting mood especially after they have
virtually spent six months in barracks."
It is in this environment that the Centre is
trying to keep the peace initiative moving. The cease-fire was called
off on the ground but as a senior police officer says, "The people
see it as a militant victory. In Kashmir, they side with whoever they
think is powerful.'' And if they are ignoring Pant and looking forward
to Musharraf's visit it is because of his constant insistence on Kashmir
being the core issue.
"It is better to talk to Pakistan directly
rather than through their proxies (Hurriyat),'' says Abdullah who is also
ensuring that he remains one of the movers through his call for an early
election. It is not a sentiment shared by his party, for as one senior
minister says, "What will we tell the electorate, that we failed
on all our promises? This is only his way of telling Delhi that once they
are through with all the players and their games, they will have to turn
to him." The hookah smokers will have a lot to talk about. Now and
after Musharraf's much awaited visit. That is something the players in
Kashmir will continue to ensure.
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