flag at Lal Chowk: brinkmanship BJP style

BJP's anger is understandable, so is its frustration. But it is doing itself little good by the tokenism called flag hoisting at Lal Chowk on the Republic Day. It is good that terrorists have so far ignored the provocation, and the government is being firm.

What BJP wants to score with this act is to show itself in the bold nationalist frame - and it feels it will give the party some lost ground. The party perhaps feels that stopping it or allowing it to succeed, both will make BJP a champion of Indianism and show Congress as a weak party afraid to take on terrorism for fear of losing Muslim votes [since terrorists in this part of the country belong to Muslim religion and the UPA has been dilly-dallying hanging Afzal Guru, the terrorist sentenced to death in Parliament bombing case].

And what BJP is most likely to gain is a self goal if it does not listen to sanity now. Till now, BJP yatra has been peaceful and it has achieved its purpose in a limited sense. BJP must now take a high moral ground and call off hoisting of tricolour at Lal Chowk in Srinagar.It should listen to its ally, Nitish and saner voices within the party, if there are any. It must recognise that politically too, stretching the issue will only hurt its own interest because -

• Its core constituency of nationalist Indian is thinning in spread as well as in intensity of ferver. The upwardly mobile, neo-urban and moderate among the 'patriots' may not like it if the issue goes out of hand;
• The focus of BJP's fight on corruption and price-rise will get severely dilutes as it will lose space to Kashmir, it will alienate other opposition parties presently with BJP in fighting corruption, it will take away the energy and focus within BJP from more pressing issues;
• Kashmir, at least at present, is not a bigger issue than price-rise and corruption -- the twin issues on which the ruling UPA is on back foot. Raising Kashmir will only allow the UPA to breathe comfortably without giving BJP any political dividend;
• It will also alienate its allies like Nitish, and make other regional parties avoid it during the coming assembly and later general elections.

If BJP is really serious about India, India News Today would advise it to focus on price-rise and corruption, and also put its own house in order in Karnataka. Be bold there, not in Kashmir, where peace is getting a faltering chance again.

You can see all BJP related posts here.

arundhati, geelani, kashmir and freedom of speech

Yesterday, P. Chidambaram announced that Delhi Police would not take any action against Arundhati Roy for making remarks about Kashmir not being an 'integral part of India' a line India keeps close to its heart. BJP has been demanding strict legal action for 'seditious' remarks made by her. Law Minister Moily has slammed Arundhati and Hindu Pandits from Kashmir have been demanding her arrest.

Arundhati made these remarks in a seminar at Delhi in which Syed Geelani - the avowed India hater - also spoke. He has been arrested a few dozen times, only to evoke more anti-India feelings in Kashmir.

What the two said has been discussed threadbare in the media, both traditional and web media. But that is not the issue here. The issue is, whether it makes sense for the government to react to expressions of the type Geelani and Arundhati make? Well, to say that the Government should act mature and ignore them sounds liberal but here lies the dilemma. To what extent should the liberty be given? If action is to be taken, what type of action?

I think, though the middle path is often the best path in such cases, the Government should not directly be a party. Never. Nor should its Ministers / spokespersons get dragged into what is right and what is wrong. In fact, P Chidambaram's trying to show Government's magnanimity was also uncalled for. Government should let its wings - administration and police - to do their job [and this job should be mature and well-considered, keeping in view all its implications] and if the decided job is to deal with rubble-raisers firmly, take the stand that law would takes its course. No apologies after that.

Coming back to Arundhati and Geelani, their speeches in seminars or articles in Outlook or some other magazine would not destabilise a country like India. And what did she say? Even the government appointed interlocutors said almost the same thing.

As for Geelani, his life-long India baiting in Kashmir has done India hardly any harm; it is our mis-handling of the situation in Kashmir that is the real culprit.

Quote-unquote
"Kashmir has never been an integral part of India. It is an historical fact. Even the Indian Government has accepted this...": Arundhati in a seminar, "Azadi - the only option" at Delhi on October 24, 2010

“I said what millions of people here say every day... I spoke about justice for the people of Kashmir who live under one of the most brutal military occupations in the world; for Kashmiri Pandits who live out the tragedy of having been driven out of their homeland...It's a pity the nation that needs to jail those who ask for justice while communal killers, mass murderers, corporate scamsters, looters, rapists, and those who prey on the poorest of the poor, roam free.” : Arundhati in defence of her stand on Kashmir

kashmir interlocutors, who and what for?

The three interlocutors appointed by the Centre for talking to Kashmiris have one good thing: they are non-political persons. But the goodness almost ends there. They are hardly the ones that carry weight and will have hardly any goodwill with Kashmiri hardliners, politicos, moderates, commoners, even civil society. None of them can claim to understand the complex sensitivities of the Kashmiri people. None is a Kashmiri and none has passed through the hell in Kashmir.

Come to the names: Dileep Padgaonkar – distinguished journalist, Radha Kumar – an academician, MM Ansari – CIC chief and a Muslim.

Now that the interlocutors are in place, let them be. Let us assume that they have full brief on behalf of the government, PM and Home Minster will lend them access and ears all the time, and that they all speak in the same voice. What the government must also do is to send feelers to the Kashmiris that the Centre is damn serious about solving their problems and addressing their genuine grievances, and that the interlocutors have full government backing. The latter is essential so that they can take firm stand, especially when talking to tough hardliners. By appointing such interlocutors, the Centre has given the impression that it is not too serious; this impression must be wiped out immediately.

What is very necessary is that the government does not get complacent after appointing the interlocutors. Even if it does not tell it to the people, it must have a time-bound plan to solve the Kashmir problem from Indian perspective, if not from all angles and for ever. Only holding meetings, making statements, calling for action-taken-reports, PR gimmicks and playing politics will not do. Use the lull in violence, which may not last long the way Gilani et al are provoking the people to 'act', to find solutions, not buy time.

omar's puppet speak: childish, boorish, stupid

Omar, the junior Abdullah of Jammu & Kashmir spake this time, and he made an ass of himself.

He said, he was not a puppet of Delhi and recalled J&K's special way of accession to India in 1948. After playing like an immature and unconcerned politician, manager and administrator and letting dozens be killed by security forces and giving the inimical neighbour Pakistan a stick to beat India, he is telling us that he is a strong, no-nonsense man.

The damage this ungracious talk of Abdullah has done is quite a bit, but not unsurmountable. New Delhi must act with great maturity and let this not become a one-upmanship game either with Abdullah or BJP. Home Secretary, Pillai, is also known for unnecessary talk in the media. He must be made to shut up. That will help Kashmir, Naxalim and such other issues.

The way Abdullah behaved is typical of such politicians: Manmohan also does the same. Show indecision, be seen as all-accommodative, and when media and people seem to be branding you as a weak guy, speak nonsense. In fact, he is behaving exactly like a puppet that he is posing not to be. Hope, somebody teaches him and his old father to act mature, especially because Kashmir is a sensitive state. If the two have used the talk deliberately, to score a point, then also they must be advised that this type of statements do not pay in the long term.

central government's 8 steps towards kashmir peace

The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) met in New Delhi on 25th September. CCS decided to take the following steps to restore peace and normalisation in Kashmir:

1. Appoint a group of interlocutors under the chairmanship of an eminent person to begin the process of a sustained dialogue with all sections of the people of Jammu & Kashmir, including political parties/groups, youth and student organizations, civil society organizations and other stakeholders.

2. Advise the State Government to immediately release all students and youth detained or arrested for stone pelting or similar violations of law and to withdraw the charges against such students and youth.

3. Advise the State Government to immediately review the cases of all PSA detenues and withdraw the detention orders in appropriate cases.

4. Request the State Government to immediately convene a meeting of the Unified Command and to review the deployment of security forces in the Kashmir Valley, especially Srinagar, with particular reference to de-scaling the number of bunkers, check-points etc. in Srinagar and other towns, and to review the notification of areas as ‘disturbed areas’.

5. Grant ex-gratia relief to the families of the deceased persons at Rs. 5 lakhs per person killed in the civil disturbances since June 11, 2010.

6. Appoint two Special Task Forces, one each for Jammu region and Ladakh region, to examine the developmental needs of the two regions, with particular reference to deficiencies in infrastructure and make suitable recommendations.

7. Request State Government to take steps to immediately reopen all schools, colleges, universities and other educational institutions; hold special classes/lectures, if necessary; and to ensure that the examinations for the current academic year (2010-11) are conducted.

8. Provide to the State Government a sum of Rs. 100 crore* as Additional Central Assistance (ACA) in order to make grants to schools and colleges for improvements and additions to the existing infrastructure such as class rooms, auditorium, laboratory, library, play ground, toilet complex etc.

*= Rs 1 billion

new steps for Kashmir, new hope

The Centre government has announced eight confidence building steps for the people of J&K, the state in turmoil for most parts of this year.

Like the government arose only after a lot was lost in preparations for the Commonwealth Games, the government has finally arisen and though belated, these should be welcomed. The state government’s first response has been that they are happy and will implement the measures announced by the Centre.

These steps will need to be supported by:

• The state government implementing them and adding something from its side.
• The state government implementing them in letter and spirit, without letting the rotten bureaucracy and political class make hay at the cost of the people. Also monitoring by the central government.
• Well thought-after sops for tourism and other local vocations to let them recover from a long period of inactivity.
• Continuing with efforts to engage PDP, local intelligentsia and separatists with dialogue and it should be with a flexible give-and-take approach.
• Improving security along the border and finding a dignified and less obtrusive way to muzzle terrorism. Military should be strengthened in border areas, not weakened, but its role should mostly be what a professional army is supposed to do and is good at.
• Not getting provoked to fire. Even if cases of arson and hooliganism take place, and these will not die down overnight, the police/ CRPF should innovate ways that are effective but not lethal.

The Centre's steps are listed here.

AFSPA: armed forces special powers act

Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act 1958 or AFDPA is in the news for wrong reasons. It has become a serious issue and even the union cabinet is divided on whether the Act should be diluted in the context of recent disturbances and killings by security forces in Jammu & Kashmir.

The government, armed forces and some political parties and a section of citizens feel that once army has been drawn in disturbed areas, there is no escape from giving the forces the necessary legal protection to deal with the extraordinary situation. On the other hand, civil society is generally against such a ‘draconian law’ that gives excessive powers to the armed forces, which are misused and abused.

In this post, I am giving the text of the AFSPA. The Act was first enacted in 1958 for Assam and Manipur. It was extended in stages to other north-eastern states and in 1990 to Jammu & Kashmir. The wordings of the act as it applies to the north east and J&K is the same. For the sake of clarity, I have removed certain technical references to amendments etc.

Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958

An Act to enable certain special powers to be conferred upon members of the armed forces in disturbed areas in the State of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura.

BE it enacted by Parliament in the Ninth Year of the Republic of India as follows:-

2. Definitions

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,-
(a) "armed forces" means the military forces and the air forces operating as land forces, and includes any other armed forces of the Union so operating.

(b) "disturbed area" means an area which is for the time being declared-by notification under 3. to be a disturbed area;

(c) all other words and expressions used herein but not defined, and defined in the Air Force Act, 1950-, or the Army Act, 1950-, shall have the meanings respectively assigned to them in those Acts.

3. Power to declare areas to be disturbed areas.

If, in relation to any State or Union Territory lo which this Act extends, the Governor of that State or the Administrator of that Union Territory or the Central Government, in either case, is of the opinion that the whole or any part of such State or Union Territory, as the case may be, is in such a disturbed or dangerous condition that the use of armed forces in aid of the civil power is necessary, the Governor of that State or the Administrator of that Union Territory or the Central Government, as the case may be, may, by notification in the Official Gazette, declare the whole or such part of such State or Union Territory to be a disturbed area].

4. Special powers of the armed forces.

Any commissioned officer, warrant officer, non-commissioned officer or any other person of equivalent rank in the armed forces may, in a disturbed area,-

(a) if he is of opinion that it is necessary so to do for the maintenance of public order, after giving such due warning as he may consider necessary fire upon or otherwise use force, even to the causing of death, against any person who is acting in contravention of any law or order for the time being in force in the disturbed area prohibiting the assembly of five or more persons or the carrying of weapons or of things capable of being used as weapons or of fire-arms, ammunition or explosive substances;

(b) if he is of opinion that it is necessary so to do, destroy any arms dump, prepared or fortified position or shelter from which armed attacks are made or are likely to be made or are attempted to be made, or any structure used as training camp for armed volunteers or utilised as a hide-out by armed gangs or absconders wanted for any offence;

(c) arrest, without warrant, any person who has committed a cognizable offence or against whom a reasonable suspicion exists that he has committed or is about to commit a cognizable offence and may use such force as may be necessary to effect the arrest;

(d) enter and search without warrant any premises to make any such arrest as aforesaid or to recover any person believed to be wrongfully restrained or confined or any property reasonably suspected to, be stolen property or any arms, ammunition or explosive substances believed to be unlawfully kept in such premises, and may for that purpose use such force as may be necessary.

5. Arrested persons to be made over to the police.

Any person arrested and taken into custody under this Act shall be made over to the, officer in charge of the nearest police station with the least possible delay, together with a report. of the circumstances occasioning the arrest.

6. Protection to persons acting under Act.

No prosecution, suit or other legal proceeding shall be instituted, except with the previous sanction of the Central Government, against any person in respect of anything done or purported to be done in exercise of the powers conferred by this Act.

all-party meet on Kashmir: will it find solutions or end in hogwash?

The solution to Kashmir problem has to be found fast and with full political resolve. The way even the cabinet is divided on AFSPA, the overpowering armed forces law, and on the fate of Omar Abdullah, hectic multi-lateral political parleys must be on in Delhi and Srinagar to find a way out of the mess.

However, somebody must remind the Union Government that a tough stand is not always the best answer to emotional and highly sensitive issues. Government’s flexibility in the all-party meet called today will show whether the government is interested in involving opposition only for the sake of dragging them into the issue [as often is the case] and in furthering the cause of Congress in the state, or is sincere about finding a solution with wider appeal. If the meet fails and generates more cacophony, the blame will lie on the Government and not the opposition.

We the ordinary bystanders are likely to see angry ‘bites’ on TV, of leaders from BJP, PDP and if Omar is to asked to resign, National Conference. Inside, the PM will, with a sad and innocent face, appeal to all his brothers and sisters to eschew violence and to the opposition to help the government in finding solution to a gigantic problem.

Kashmir problem is a state creation

I approached this issue earlier too, and the present one is in response to PM’s all-party meet.

There should be no doubt in the minds of policy makers in New Delhi that Kashmir problem of today is largely a creation of state: the state government, the centre itself and the military.

Yet, Delhi behaves like the monarchs of yesteryears who would install a friendly satrap in a remote province and watch disinterestedly if that satrap made a mess of his kingdom.

Consider these:

The Prime Minister woke up only after two months and 50 youths’ death. And he woke up only to utter something that does not make any impact on the listeners – it is like a long yawn from a distant aunt on a visit.

The Chief Minister has mostly been aloof from the ground. When there was peace, people didn’t notice but he remained aloof when boys were killed in cold blood.

Look at the callous responses from the central government: ‘stone pelters have to be tackled and such mistakes [killing of the innocent by security forces] are bound to happen.’

There is polarization in the available political space, between PDP and NC. Local Congress leadership seems to be happy with this situation.

There seems to be no sincere effort to attend to Kashmiri people’s psyche, which due to historical, geo-political and communal reasons is very sensitive. There is no appreciation that Kashmir’s problem is not merely an expression of economic frustration or Pakistan’s gameplan or separist-induced outburst of emotions.

It is not that policy makers and governments’ thinking hats have lesser understanding of the issues than this lay blogger, but there is complete lack of positive, sincere and dispassionate intent to attend to Kashmir.

what all is happening in Kashmir?

Kashmir is on boil again. Like earlier, this time too it is the foolish handling of the political situation by the CM [ Omar Abdullah ] that first angered and now alienated the local population. The intelligence outfit of our too friendly neighbour, Pakistan, has only to stoke the fire with the help of disgruntled local youth and opportunistic politicians to make the locals feel that the Indian 'occupation' forces and their 'stooges' in power in Srinagar are out to crush their 'azadi'.

One after the other, the CMs have been blaming propaganda from Pak for the mess. They have been pushing local politicians into prisons now and then. They have brought in 'developmental grants' of massive proportions from the Indian government. Still, people come to the streets to show their disenchantment. Why?

Soplutions are not simple, every sane person knows. But what lacks is a sincere political will to solve the problem. CMs and Kashmiri politicians sitting in Delhi, not to speak of lesser breed, are busy nurturing their little fiefdoms. They must work against others and indulge in intrigue to save their political territories. When they are not in power, they must create problems for the ruling party/ parties even if it means invoking the djinn that Kashmir is in danger. They need to internationalise the issue so that there is more trouble for their adversary. They must look after political future of their progeny. They and all their kins must live a lavish lifestyle....

As it happens everywhere in such situations, sincere Kashmiris and their wellwishers are not able to stand up. They can debate issues ad nauseum on TV channels but cannot provide leadership. I am not including all debaters and orators in sincere group; a majority of them are likely to go with the wind.

Whoever the culprit, we have landed Kashmir into such a hapless situation. Only the Central Governement can take it out. Manmohan Singh should show statesmanship if he is sincere towards bringing order into the Kashmir chaos.