Wasim Khalid
Srinagar, Oct 27: Asserting that militancy was a direct offshoot of people questioning India’s legitimacy to hold on Kashmir, eminent scholar, Partha S Ghosh said as a part of diplomatic offensive, India should have offered a plebiscite in valley to solve the intricate issue.
“I suggested to conduct plebiscite in Kashmir on exact terms laid down by the United Nations,” Ghosh said on the concluding day of a seminar “Challenges After Elections in J&K” organized by Institute of Peace Research and Action (IPRA) and Jammu and Kashmir Initiative For Peace (JKIP) at DPS School, Pantha Chowk.
“My logic was that it would be extremely difficult for Pakistan to agree to the suggestion thereby blunting its case for plebiscite,” he added.
Ghosh said even after 50 years of democratic and federal experimentation if India did not have courage to risk vote in Kashmir then it had no business to claim loyalty of Kashmiris.
He said Kashmir is a political problem and needs to be addressed.
“The strike on October 27 has clearly pointed towards that thing,” Ghosh added
Dean Social Science at Kashmir University, Prof Noor Ahmad Baba said, “Kashmir is a political problem which has to go if the militancy has to vanish.”
“The violence has already dropped to all time low. There are only 500-600 militants active in valley according to officials. However, despite the dip in militancy, the agitational activities are on rise. It shows that problem has not ended in Kashmir,” Baba added.
Speaking on the occasion, Rahul Jalali said separatists have no roadmap.
“There is paucity of thinking among separatists. Besides, they lack credibility among people,” he said.
Stating that instrument of accession is still incomplete, he said, unless India and Pakistan would not come together, Kashmir issue would remain unsolved.
P Stobdan, an expert on Ladakh said that Ladakhis have been neglected by the government.
“The Kashmiris are the main party of current conflict. So whatever be the outcome of the dialogue it would not be acceptable to Ladakh people.”
Nasir Mirza, senior faculty at MERC, Kashmir University, said the regionalization is an offshoot of federalization and should be considered to address the issues at hand.
“Steps like cross border trade in the regard are welcome and need to be strengthened,” Mirza said.
Concluding the day, core member JKIP, Subodh Mukoo said there would be no peace until the people who matter are held accountable for their actions.
“The guilty should be punished,” Mukoo said. “And government of India should be bold to take initiatives. They should be bold enough to take political decisions and hold meaningful dialogue with Pakistan.”
He said India and Pakistan must not allow bureaucrats to craft policies that have no resonance with the majority of people.
[Rising Kashmir]
Posted on 29 Oct 2009 by
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