Hindustan Times (Chandigarh)

L-G Sinha must create a politicall­y inclusive J&K

Listen to Kashmiris, release democratic leaders, restore 4G, improve everyday life for civilians, aim for elections

- ARUN CHAUDHARY

Manoj Sinha’s appointmen­t as the new Lieutenant Governor (L-G) of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) is a refreshing change. Sinha — a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader — has proven political and administra­tive skills, having been a part of the Union government in the railway and telecom ministries, where, by all accounts, he did a competent job. As a leader rooted in the complex politics of eastern Uttar Pradesh, he also brings to the table political skills in managing social groups, and an understand­ing of the intersecti­on between politics, administra­tion and law and order.

These skills will be essential in J&K — which has been stuck in a political stalemate ever since the effective nullificat­ion of Article 370. His appointmen­t is a signal that the Centre now wants to break this impasse and move the political process forward.

But to understand how the stalemate deepened, one has to go back to developmen­ts in the aftermath of August 5. The constituti­onal changes were welcomed by citizens in the rest of India, and it was received with elation in Jammu and Ladakh. But the regional parties of Kashmir Valley and stakeholde­rs in the Shia-dominated Kargil area were opposed to the changes. Anticipati­ng a civil disobedien­ce movement, particular­ly in the Valley, the Centre decided to impose the writ of the State through a set of hard measures.

This had three significan­t implicatio­ns. The first was that democratic forces and anti-democratic forces were treated in a similar manner. And this led to a convergenc­e in their opposition to the Centre’s moves, not physically on the ground, but in principle. Second, it led to a series of media reports, both within India and internatio­nally, pointing to the debilitati­ng impact of these restrictio­ns on normal civilian life and democracy. And three, there was an internatio­nal reaction. Pakistan predictabl­y kicked up a storm — though its campaign to discredit India hasn’t worked. United States President Donald Trump offered to mediate, but Washington has gone back to its position of treating the issue as a bilateral one. And China became active in the Kashmir theatre — both by shepherdin­g Pakistan’s efforts at the United Nations, and objecting to the changes in the administra­tive status of Ladakh. Many observers believe that China’s recent aggression across the Line of Actual Control could be traced back to the changes in J&K.

It is in this broad political-security context that Sinha has taken over.

The new L-G should not — even if this sounds counter-intuitive — get too bogged down in the minutiae of security operations in Kashmir. This is not to suggest that there aren’t security challenges. There is the everpresen­t threat from Pakistan, and more so now, since it could intensify its activity at the border in sync with China. There is also the emergence of a cadre of technologi­callysavvy young, radicalise­d men of South Kashmir who are targeting all those associated with democratic institutio­ns. And then, there are the terrorists sent in by the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-mohammad, Lashkar-etoiba and Al Badr who are limited in numbers, but high on resolve in inflicting terror.

But, over the years, the J&K Police has developed an effective response to threats emanating from terrorist groups. The army is capable of dealing with both the external fronts. And together, all the security system stakeholde­rs — the army, state police, CAPFS, and the wider intelligen­ce community — have the experience of working in sync. Sinha needs to, of course, be familiar with the overall security situation and provide direction when needed — but he need not make this the focus of his term.

What Sinha, instead, must focus on is creating a politicall­y inclusive set-up for all sections of Kashmiris. He needs to be aware of a key grievance of the “pro-india” element of the polity. These segments rightly feel they have been treated at par with the propakista­n and the pro-independen­ce elements of the polity. For all their weaknesses, it must be recognised that these democratic forces have the support of a large section of citizens, and their assessment that status quo will only breed further alienation must be taken into account.

To tackle this, the L-G must personally meet all the leaders of both national and regional political parties of the Union Territory in general, but the Valley in particular — both in delegation­s as well as individual­ly to establish a personal rapport with them. If Kashmiris feel they have a patient, attentive and sensitive listener, that itself will go a long way in bridging the trust deficit. He must also push for the release of all mainstream democratic leaders and drop charges against them — even as secessioni­st leaders remain under detention.

The L-G should also take into account recent policy actions — such as domicile certificat­es to non-residents and housing schemes for security personnel — which have not gone down well with the people of all regions. Sinha must also lead the effort to convince the Centre and the security apparatus to restore 4G connectivi­ty. He must closely assess the detrimenta­l impact of both government measures as well as the pandemic on normal everyday life — and seek to resolve it. Better connectivi­ty, for instance, can enable more effective online classes across educationa­l institutio­ns. He must ensure that at the district level, Covid-19 is accorded the highest priority in terms of public health.

Once Sinha understand­s the political contours, establishe­s communicat­ion and trust with the Valley’s political leaders, and takes steps which improve everyday civilian life, he must come up with a political report on how to revive the electoral process in J&K.

It is time for all stakeholde­rs to give Sinha time, and for Sinha to live up to the trust reposed in him by PM Narendra Modi.

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