‘Kashmiris shouldn’t worry about 35A’
Satya Pal Malik is the first career politician in five decades to be Jammu & Kashmir governor, that too at a time when the state has been under Governor’s Rule after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) withdrew support from the Mehbooba Mufti government in June. As Malik tries to reach out to the alienated people of the Valley, he spoke to Harinder Baweja about the situation on the ground, the Hurriyat Conference, Pak-sponsored terror, J&K’S special status, and the way forward for the strife-torn state. Edited excerpts: and 35-A; come to the table, and we are ready to give you anything under the Indian Constitution. Based on my discussions with the youth, I can tell you that they are disappointed with Pakistan too. The Hurriyat leaders must abandon Pakistan. They do have some influence but they don’t even go to the toilet without Pakistan’s permission. My appeal to the Hurriyat is to take an independent stand. I don’t consider Pakistan a stakeholder, rather, I’d say they are trouble makers. Let me clarify that it is not my mandate to meet the Hurriyat leaders but I will work towards creating the environment for an outreach. Let me tell you, (President Parvez) Musharraf had told the Hurriyat leaders that India is a superpower and that he cannot break India. He told them he would not be able to change the Line (of Control). He had told them that neither India nor Pakistan can afford a war and that they should negotiate concessions for Kashmir. My blueprint has already worked. I am trying to change the narrative and striving to make the youth feel that we are not at war with them. I am not asking the security forces to hunt them down, but if the terrorists engage the security forces, they are not going to get bouquets in return for bullets. Not one youth has joined militancy in the two months since I took over. Earlier, at least five to six boys were joining their ranks. Stone-pelting, too, has reduced. Of course, we had an unfortunate incident last week when an army jawan died after being hit by stones. encounter sites. Who do I blame for the 60 deaths on a railway track in Amritsar? The public should not be careless. We have now decided to place advertisements in newspapers asking people not to go near encounter sites for at least 48 hours. Kashmir’s political parties should also tell the boys to avoid encounter sites and stone-pelting. Omar (Abdullah) and Madam (Mehbooba Mufti) have agreed with me on this privately but are not willing to say it openly. After the Kulgam deaths, they condemned us. They say something else in Delhi and something else in Srinagar. week, an army jawan was killed. The army is doing a very difficult job. They are the same people who rescued locals during floods. They treat locals in medical camps and yet they are targeted. We can’t even have a discussion on AFSPA, leave alone diluting it. In my opinion, the people of the state should not worry. I don’t think any changes will be made. Some private persons have taken it to court. They neither represent the BJP, nor do they represent Modi. Nobody is batting for its removal. The Prime Minister is not responsible for these cases. That was an aberration. I have told the police chief not to detain anyone even for two hours. My orders are clear. I told him, your force will either take money to release, or beat them up before letting them go; and in both instances, the youth will only veer towards militancy.
My effort has been convert the governor’s house into the people’s home. Anybody who wants to meet me can even come without an appointment. Recently, some students had cleared exams for enrolment in the J&K Bank but were not selected because politicians had given their own list of recommendations. I have now ensured that the 582 candidates, who cleared the exams but were not selected, will be getting appointment letters. The state has its own constitution and its own flag. Each time I sit in my car, there is a second flag along with the national flag. The state has a special status. They already have so much. I have asked for the autonomy resolution that was passed in the state assembly.
I will study it. The most difficult moment for me was when sedition cases were filed against two Kashmiri students studying at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU). The students were trying to hold a prayer meet after the death of Hizbul Mujahidin militant commander Manan Wani. The police came into the picture after slogans of azadi were raised. Nearly 1,200 Kashmiris studying at AMU threatened to return and that was a tense moment for me. What message would these 1,200 students bring to the Valley?
I managed to speak to Prakash Javadekar (Union human resource development minister) and the proctor to contain the damage. I have decided now that colleges and universities across India, with more than 12 Kashmiri students on their campuses, should have liaison officers. The students shouldn’t feel that they are on their own.