Expert says home minister’s remarks a welcome course correction to NDA strategy in Valley; political parties welcome peace overtures.
New Delhi: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s efforts to reach out to the youth of the Valley “may not be sufficient” but are “definitely a positive and sincere” approach to deal with the alienation and anger on the streets of Kashmir, experts and political parties in the state have said.
On a two-day visit to the state, Singh Thursday announced an amnesty to minors involved in stone-pelting and emphasised on the need to prevent the youth from getting “misguided.” He also recalled Narendra Modi’s Independence Day speech when the Prime Minister said Kashmir’s problems can only be solved by embracing the people of Kashmir, not with bullets or abuse.
“If you look at the language that the Centre has been using, it’s somewhat different from the last three years. It may not be sufficient but it is definitely positive,” senior political scientist, Noor Mohammad Baba, told ThePrint. “It is going in the right direction. It may not solve the Kashmir problem but will at least pave the way to pull the region out of a grim situation.”
Baba added that Singh’s remarks and the ceasefire signify a change in the NDA government’s approach.
“They only looked at the security forces as an option in tackling the situation but the subsequent measures, especially the ceasefire, is an admission by the NDA government that his earlier stance would not solve the problem,” Baba said. “This change is a ray of hope. The realisation is positive and if this picks momentum as it happened during the period of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, it can change a lot.”
Parties welcome Singh’s peace overtures
The ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which is alliance with the BJP in Jammu and Kashmir, termed Singh’s statements as a “sincere effort” in dealing with the situation.
“His visit was very positive and this is how we have to address alienation. We have been hearing this for some time from the home minister and he comes across as being very sincere,” senior PDP leader and chief spokesman, Dr. Mehboob Beg, told ThePrint.
“The chief minister of state has persuaded New Delhi to approach the people, who are our own differently. Hence, Singh has also agreed to talk to all stakeholders including Pakistan. This is what the agenda of alliance is all about,” Beg said.
The main opposition party, the National Conference (NC), also lauded the home minister, saying he addressed the youth with honesty, but added that the main challenge for the Centre was to do away with “uncertainty and insecurity” among the people of Kashmir.
“The big issue for parents in the Valley is that educated youth with big degrees are picking up guns and joining militant ranks. This is what the Modi government has to address,” NC general secretary and a senior party leader, Ali Mohammad Sagar, told ThePrint. “The regressive steps must stop. The youth are angry here… Steps must be taken to completely stop Operation All-out and the massive arrests of youth.”