Army not solution to Kashmir problem, say defence experts
CHANDIGARH : Kashmir can be brought back from the brink even though homegrown militancy has never been this strong.
The army has done its job, but politicians have failed it. It is time for the political leadership to do its part both by engaging at the grassroots and by scripting a national strategy on security.
These were the twin messages that panellists delivered at a discussion on ‘Kashmir quandary: Diagnosis and remedy’ on the concluding day of the Military Literature Festival on Sunday.
The discussion moderated by Lt Gen Ata Hasnain (retd) who commanded a corps in the valley, dwelt on the ebb and flow of militancy in Kashmir.
Calling Kashmir a political, ideological and psychological problem, AS Dulat, former chief of RAW, recounted an incident from June 2016. “I remember Lt Gen DS Hooda, the then valley army chief, saying that there is nothing the army can do when entire villages support militants,” said Dulat.
THE MISTAKES
Calling the rise in insurgency a fallout of the army vacating south Kashmir in 2012, Lt Gen Satish Dua, the present chief of integrated defence staff, said, “We claimed premature victory and left it with only a couple of units. We ceded space, then came elections and people felt let down by the alliance that came to power.”
Burhan Wani, added Dua, was a cleverly crafted phenomenon of the social media.
Tavleen Singh, author of ‘Kashmir: A tragedy of errors’ said although the Kashmir issue was born out of mistakes committed by political dispensations in the past, the Modi government had started with a clean slate. She accused Modi of vacillation.
Lt Gen Gautam Banerjee (retd), senior fellow, Vivekananda International Foundation, traced the genesis of the problem to independence when the central government outsourced political process to petty local politicians.
Lt Gen Mohan Bhandari (retd), a defence strategist, blamed the lack of a defined national security strategy.
WHAT KASHMIRIS WANT
The Kashmiris, said the panellists, were angry and disgruntled but they know that ‘Azadi’ is not an option. As Banerjee said, “They know that they will never get separated from India. Why are they throwing stones? That has become the culture, such people are lionised.”
The panellists also underlined the change in the Sufi complexion of Kashmiri Islam. All 800 mosques in Kashmir have attained a Wahabi colour, said Hasnain.
Saying that radical Islam is running the narrative in Kashmir, Tavleen asked, “Why have women started wearing the hijab? Why are there no pubs or video parlours in Kashmir any longer?”
THE SOLUTIONS
The panellists agreed that military was not the solution. Dulat said the Vajpayee way of dialogue is the only way out. “The best way to deal with your adversary is through our ears, we have unfortunately shut our ears.”
While everyone agreed on the need to initiate political engagement at the grassroots, Lt Gen Hasnain suggested an information campaign to correct misperceptions.
Saying that Article 35-A does not exist in the Constitution, Lt Gen Bhandari declared, “Negotiate from a position of power.” Lt Gen Dua called for giving hope to the Kashmiris. “Capture mind space, specially of the youth.”
On Kashmiris feeling threatened by Jammu, Lt Gen Hasnain said, “Let the two sides allay each other’s fears, let Samba adopt Baramullah and so on.”