KASHMIR UNREST: Opposition leaders meet President

Omar-led delegation says solution to Kashmir crisis lies in political process

KASHMIR UNREST: Opposition leaders meet PresidentGK Photo
J&K opposition leaders led by former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday called on President Pranab Mukherjee, stressing that solution to ongoing Kashmir crisis lies in initiating political process rather than treating the problem administratively.
“The failure of the central government to acknowledge that the issue in Kashmir is largely of a political nature has worsened the already volatile situation,” reads the memorandum submitted by the Omar-led delegation to the President in New Delhi, during an hour-long meeting. “We request your good self to impress upon the central government to initiate a credible and meaningful process of political dialogue without any further delay involving all stakeholders to address the political issue in the State.”
Kashmir has witnessed 66 civilian killings and injuries to around 7500 people in action by security forces during past 43 days of uprising and continued curfew, post Burhan Wani encounter on July 8.
“The central Government’s refusal to deal with the situation through a political approach is disappointing and can have serious long term implications on peace and stability in the State,” reads the memorandum.
Omar, who is working President of National Conference, headed 20 member delegation including State Congress President GA Mir, CPI-M State Secretary MY Tarigami, Peoples Democratic Front (PDF) Chairman Hakeem Muhammad Yasin, former minister and DNP Chairman Ghulam Hassan Mir and several senior leaders of the opposition parties.
The memorandum talked about the unchecked use of “lethal force” against civilians which has “maimed and blinded” hundreds of young boys and girls.
“The use of such weapons, particularly pellet guns continues unabated while as repeated appeals to ban their use has yielded no results,” reads the memorandum. “…the current unrest in Kashmir has claimed more than 60 young lives till now and resulted in injuries to thousands with many of them being maimed and blinded for life. This is a grave, heart-rending tragedy”.

Apart from killings, over 500 persons including teenagers have been hit by pellets, fired by the forces, in their one or both eyes with doctors fearing that most of the injured wouldn’t be able to regain the normal vision again. While 25 of the total patients have both of their eyes badly damaged by the pellets, at least 12 persons have totally lost one of their eyes due to the pellet injuries.
“A continued delay to engage with people of the State through a comprehensive and sustained political initiative will further deepen the sense of alienation in the Valley and cast a shadow of uncertainty on its future generation,” reads the memorandum.
Talking to media later, Omar said their meeting with the President symbolized the deep concerns that they have for the prevailing situation and also their disappointment at the way the matter has sought to be handled, both by the centre as well as the State Government.
Asserting that the uprising in Kashmir has stemmed from a political problem, Omar said the situation cannot be handled administratively or by creating a humanitarian crisis.
“Jammu and Kashmir is a political problem. It cannot be handled administratively,” Omar said.
Omar regretted that whatever measures Governments in the State and New Delhi should be taking for normalization of situation were being taken by the opposition parties.
“This is the first time in our memory that we have found that initiatives that should have been taken by the Government are actually being taken by the opposition. Whether it is at the central level, where if any discussion was initiated in the parliament, was initiated because of the opposition. Similarly, if any moves have been made in the State Government, it only followed from opposition pressure and not as an initiative of the Government,” Omar said.

With no signs of peace returning to Kashmir, Omar hit out at the Modi Government for its “failure” to acknowledge that the issue is largely of a political nature.
Omar also expressed concerns that the Kashmir uprising was spreading to all parts of the State.
“The fire that has been raging in Kashmir for last 42 days has already started spreading across Peer Panjal and Chenab Valley in Jammu region and Kargil area,” Omar said. “I wonder when they would wake up as the situation is grave. (But) the State and Central Governments are trying to crush the agitation by using administrative measures like stopping sale of petrol and other essential commodities”.
Omar warned that a “continued delay to engage with the people of the State through a comprehensive and sustained political initiative will further deepen the sense of alienation in the Valley and cast a shadow of uncertainty on its future generation”.
Omar said people who are under 43rd day of restrictions and curfew are having further restrictions placed on them, increasing their misery.
“You see, we are having curfew for last 43 days. Now sale of petrol has been stopped which means it will also affect movement of ambulances. With stringent curfew measures being enforced, more and more people are being driven out onto the streets and the problem is getting worse,” Omar said, adding having further restrictions placed on them only increases their misery.
“I wonder when they would wake up as the situation is grave,” he said, alleging that the State and New Delhi were trying to “crush the agitation by using administrative measures”.
Blaming Mehbooba Mufti-headed PDP-BJP government for having failed on all fronts to normalize the situation, Omar said the Chief Minister was directly responsible for the deteriorating situation.
“Her (Mehbooba’s) administrative capabilities have continuously failed and so has her ability to deal with the situation. It’s administrative anarchy in the State. One ruling is announced in the morning and by evening, another,” he said.
Omar, however, made it clear that there was no demand for imposition of Governor’s rule. “We have not come here to overthrow the government, even though the Mehbooba Mufti Government is responsible for the deteriorating situation,” said Omar.

“I feel sad that what we wanted to hear from our political leadership is unfortunately coming from Army leadership. Northern Commander today thinks that there should be talks with all people who have a different mindset. So the question is, why our political leaders could not do this,” Omar said.
Admitting that situation in Kashmir was far from normal, the Army had on Friday sought support from “separatists and everybody” for restoring normalcy in Kashmir.
Asked whether blaming Pakistan for the current crisis in the State was correct, Omar said, “Look what happened immediately after killing of Burhan Wani had nothing to do with Pakistan which stepped in later only to pour more petrol in the fire that was raging in the Valley. Pakistan has been trying to destabilize peace in the Valley for last 25 years. But if you ask me if the situation created after Wani’s killing was due to Pakistan, I will have to say no.”
To a question about New Delhi’s assertion to “bring back areas of Kashmir under illegal occupation of Pakistan,” he said, “If they can, let them. I am not here to comment on the foreign policy of the government. I am here because my house (Kashmir) is on fire and I need immediate attention before this fire spreads.”
Flagging the issue of use of pellet guns that resulted in grievous injuries to people, he said problem was that the guns were being given to people who did not know how to use them.
“I’m stunned that 1.3 million pellets were used against our people. If such power and force had been used in any other State in our country, would people remain silent? When such things happen in Jammu and Kashmir, people don’t seem to care. Not only is the problem with the use of the pellet guns, the problem is that those guns are being handed over to those people who are not adequately trained in the use of weapons,” he said, adding “it is not just the use of the weapon. Any weapon is a lethal weapon. It depends on how you use it.”
He said the delegation also requested the President to use his “influence” on the State as well as Government of India to stop the use of lethal force against civilians in Kashmir.
CPI-M State Secretary MY Targami said they told the President that the present uprising in Kashmir was not due to anger against one incident (Burhan encounter) but the outcome of the denial of the ground realities.
“We told the President that the alienation in Kashmir is huge and the pellets and lethal force was no answer to it,” said Targami, adding the delegation stressed that the uprising was much bigger problem than asking for the dismissal of the Government.
The delegation, Targami said, told the President that the situation in Kashmir was not the creation of Pakistan though the country may have a “role” in it. “The reasons for the present situation are indigenous and it isn’t a handful of people but entire population in Kashmir that is involved in it.”
“I told the President that there was an uprising in Kashmir and if it was not handled with care, it will not only engulf the entire country, but the entire subcontinent,” Targami said.
“The president listened to us patiently,” he said.
The delegation has also sought time from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss the situation. It would also be meeting leaders of other political parties including Vice-President of Congress Rahul Gandhi and CPI-M General Secretary Sitaram Yechury. (With PTI inputs)