Kashmir is boiling. After the killing of Burhan Wani, the poster boy of militancy, unrest has erupted at an unprecedented scale claiming 21 lives including that of a policeman’s. The simmering tension has brought back tension and the fear is that Kashmir may be pushed back into its dark days once more.
Who is responsible for things coming to such a pass? While there are different long term factors like Kashmir’s deep historical disconnect with the rest of India, Pakistan’s nefarious designs, radicalisation under wahabi Islam, but the more immediate cause that underscores the trouble is the incompetent rabble rousing nature of the Modi government.
Let me elaborate how.
The hopes of development that Modi wove during elections have proved to be false and J&K, more than any other places, proves how dangerous broken hope is.
The youth feel they have been used and thrown once again, filling them with anger. The poor rehabilitation after flood by BJP-PDP government also led to much disgust with the Indian government.
Like elsewhere, Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised a large relief package and efficient implementation, but two years after the floods the relief effort has been a spectacular failure creating further disillusionment with the rest of India as the country came out as not caring enough for the grief of Kashmir.
Also the majoritarian agenda of the ruling regime has caused much fear and hatred among Muslims, more so in Kashmir where the trust deficit was already large. Whenever elements of BJP indulge in their different anti minority campaigns such as beef ban, ghar wapsi, love jihad etc, enemies of India have a field day in the valley spreading the propaganda among Kashmiris and how they have no future with India, which is essentially a Hindu nation.
Also the government has been particularly inept in gathering intelligence and preparing accordingly. After Wani’s death, the administration was found sleeping as it failed to anticipate the anger that was waiting to boil over.
Also the government flip flop over dialogue with Pakistan has taken its toll over Kashmir’s peace, where the indian government is seen to be untrustworthy.
So we can see how the BJP is responsible for Kashmir being in its worst condition in over two decades.
But our prime minister, instead of leading from the front in this difficult time, is as usual busy with his sight-seeing programme. Another shining example of Nero fiddling while Rome burns.
First this truth must be acknowledged. But let alone acknowledging the truth and taking reconciliatory measures, the BJP is busy fuelling the fire.
It is using the disturbance to further its divisive agenda and fan more hatred and anger by chest thumping and showing Kashmiris down.
So, while the situation is causing everyone worry our prime minister couldn’t care less. It has led to a situation where the precarious peace of the strategically important state may be endangered.
It will also strengthen Pakistan’s position vis a vis india as the disenchanted youth of Kashmir will again come under Pak influence. Thus providing it manpower as well as local and logistical support for staging attacks in india.
This will seriously undermine the peace, safety and stability of entire india as we will be more vulnerable to terror attacks and riots. Moreover, it will also reduce india’s grip over Kashmir, thereby undermining the unity of india.
And as the dangerous situation will require india to pump in more security forces, there will be more loss of lives. This will also lead to immense damage to india’s international image as a nation whose provinces are boiling.
Also if the trouble really gets out of control, investors’ confidence in india will be diminished.
The mishandling of the critical situation by the BJP government has done extraordinary damage to national interest. Thus what we are seeing in Kashmir should be alarming for any government that cares about India’s welfare.
Instead we have an arrogant, uncaring, stupid, rabble rousing and incompetent government, which is even now not ready to wake up from its slumber.
The latest episode leaves one with the conclusion that the current regime has committed a mistake of monumental proportion. Disturbingly, the harm it is doing may haunt us long after india has got rid of this regime.
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