An olive branch from

position of strength

Zafar Choudhary
Jammu and Kashmir, India, Oct 31, 2009

After months of mistrust and confusion, Prime Minister Manmohan

Singh has again warmed up the atmosphere for peace politics in
Kashmir. Along with Congress President Sonia Gandhi, his two-day
visit to the Valley has certainly put into motion a process to shorten
distance between New Delhi and Srinagar. The ball is now seen to
have rolled down in the court of separatists.

Independence Day addresses of Indian Prime Ministers are heard with rapt attention
in Kashmir. It was the historic speech of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on
August 15, 2002 that that turned around the political landscape in Kashmir. Vajpyee
recognized space of all shades of political opinions and promised free and fair
elections. He lived up to the expectations. The following months of 2002 saw most
credible elections in the history of Jammu and Kashmir and then began rounds of
dialogue with separatists. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh too carried forward
legacy of Vajpayee and always addressed key issues from the ramparts of the Red
Fort except for this year’s Independence Day address which left the Kashmiris,
particularly the separatists stunned. The Prime Minister said that successful two
rounds of elections in Jammu and Kashmir –Assembly polls in late 2008 and Lok
Sabha polls in early 2009 –with vigorous public participation is a proof that there is
no space for separatist thought in the state. It was quite significantly different from
Dr Singh’s speeches in the last over five years as he had repeatedly stated that his
UPA government believed in talking to all sections of opinion, including the
separatists. While his unexpected statement made the separatists to accuse him of
speaking in the “language of power”, the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah too was
seen in a spot as on the same day he had called for a dialogue with separatists. PDP
leader and former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, a strong votary of
dialogue, was blunt enough in disputing Prime Minister’s interpretation of the
massive public participation in elections.
Observers believe that Prime Minister’s statement was not quite out of place as he
sought to underline the significance of electoral democracy and honour the people
who participated in elections against all the risks involved. However, for separatists
the Prime Minister’s statement marked the end of the road to dialogue before Home
Minister P Chidambram rekindled hopes in the middle of October. Chidambram’s
announcement of quiet diplomacy opened a new chapter in the peace process
which earned an across the board welcome in Kashmir. Separatists have always
been averse to the large assemblies of dialogue (like the roundtable conference
which they boycotted); Chidambram’s statement in Srinagar on October 14 allayed
those fears. Much to the pleasure of separatists he said the dialogue will be on one-
to-one and two-to-two basis and its results shall be known only after some
conclusions are arrived at. Even if the talks fail, such exercise gives face saving to
the parties engaged in the process.
As Prime Minister unveiled his mind during his two-day visit to Kashmir, it appeared
that Chidambram’s visit, a fortnight back, was ground preparation exercise. Had
Chidrambram not unveiled the dialogue blueprint in Srinagar, Prime Minister’s
would have landed in a Valley of mistrust and confusion as it was since August 15.
Responding to Chidambram’s offer of dialogue, the separatists, particularly the
Hurriyat Conference headed by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq had set some conditions –
downsizing of troops from the civilian areas, release of political detenues and
recognition of Kashmir issue as a political problem. Half of it was done by
Chidambram during his October 14 Press Conference when he said “there is a
political problem in Kashmir and it has to be solved through dialogue”. Perhaps first
such statement from any Indian leader in several decades. In the time between
Chidambram’s departure from Srinagar and Prime Minister’s arrival on October 28,
two formations of Indian Army had been pulled out of Kashmir Valley, a prominent
separatist leader Shabir Ahmed Shah was out of the jail after 14 months and the
unrelenting hardliner Syed Ali Shah Geelani was seen roaming about freely, first
time since March this year. Then comes the Prime Minister’s visit who invites all for
the dialogue who have some meaningful ideas. His olive branch extends to
separatists as it also goes to Islamabad. “I call upon the people and government of
Pakistan to show their sincerity and good faith. As I have said many times before,
we will not be found wanting in our response”.
Exhibiting the sincerity to initiate dialogue on Kashmir at both levels –with
separatists and also with Pakistan, the Prime Minister appeared quite concerned
about the question of governance in Jammu and Kashmir. He made a specific
mention of local governance and the development process. “I would urge that time
has come for elections to local bodies be held quickly. This will increase the
people’s participation in the process of development”, said the Prime Minister in his
speech on inauguration of Anantnag-Qazigund rail link. Refusal to empower the
peoples at grassroots has of late become a hallmark of flawed governance in Jammu
and Kashmir. Last Panchayat elections were held in the state in 2000, after a
staggering gap of more than two decades but Panchayats were never constituted or
empowered. Next elections were due in 2005 but never held. It was widely believed
that denial of democracy at the grassroots is also a potential alienator. Chief
Minister Omar Abdullah recently said that Panchayat elections will be held in next
few months.