The roundtable conferences on Kashmir with the attendant hype are increasingly becoming a "tamasha" replete with disastrous consequences for the nation. Though the Prime Minister has rightly stressed the need for a "constructive dialogue" to address the J & K problem, one really can't appreciate the cosmetic manner in which he is going about realising the same. There may be some merit in the argument that ushering in lasting peace and prosperity remains the real motif of these deliberations but at the same time one needs to look at the bigger picture. Tuesday's roundtable conference has given enough indications that the "Consensus" the PM is talking about has more to do with the relief and rehabilitation of the perpetrators of violence rather than its victims. With the Congress's vision of J & K revolving round the ways and means to pander to terrorists and their ring masters the very significance of holding these talks for the sake of talking only seems to be irrational.
Indeed all the three roundtable conferences so far have fallen short of expectations as far as the real issue of Kashmir problem is concerned. They have been reduced to farcical rituals that have yet to find a key to lasting peace and prosperity in the state. The government would do well to step out of its make believe world and look beyond catering to every whim and fancy of the anti national elements who have been entrusted with deciding the fate of India in general and Kashmiris in particular. The third round table conference also fell flat without achieving any tangible results. The recommendations of the four working groups merely clamoured for demilitarisation, withdrawal of anti-terror laws and soft borders but did not address the basic problem of alienation of Kashmiris. There was also no mention of looking into the long pending problems of refugees from west Pakistan and PoK. It is also surprising that the working groups remained significantly silent over the Kashmiri Pandit issue in relation to their human rights, an issue that has been deliberately sidelined in all dialogues so far.
It is nobody's case that these evicted properties will either be forcibly taken over by the locals or worse become safe hideouts for dreaded militants who will be coming in hordes to the Valley once snow starts melting. As if living in appalling conditions in the refugee camps was not enough misery, the loss of homes for these exiles would nip in bid any future hopes of return to their ancestoral land. It almost looks like the Congress is in collusion with the secessionists to banish the KPs from the Valley for ever.
Interestingly, the BJP has distanced itself from the roundtable initiative on the grounds that it is drifting away from the original agenda. "The RTC does not address the long pending problems of refugees. It also does not speak about human rights of KPs but assuages the feelings of militants", BJP spokesman Mr Javadekar is reported to have said. The NC also has been on the forefront for boycotting these working groups. The Ladakh union Territory Front is on the other hand demanding the acceptance of its UT status. There was also a march by the displaced persons from the occupied territory and Pakistan to make known their grievances. All these issues are also critical to the roundtable process.
Having said that, the centre needs to bear in mind that the Kashmir Problem needs to be viewed in totality rather than in piecemeals if tangible results have to be accrued. Moving away from plurism and giving in to political blackmail will only fan the fires of secessionism.
[The views expressed in this article are of the author only. – Editor ]
