Srinagar, Oct 09 (KNS): Senior Congress leader Ashok Bhan on Friday batted for dialogue with stakeholders of Kashmir conundrum and said peace can’t be achieved without talks and release of political detainees.
According to Kashmir News Service (KNS), Bhan who was speaking to Kashmiri young entrepreneurs in a webinar said that tall promises made by BJP since 2014 elections and 2019 of Naya Kashmir are palpably belied as being hollow on ground in J&K.
He said one of the causes of the new age turbulence is attributed to the betrayal of democratic expectations. “The youth had participated in large numbers in the electoral process in the 2014 state Assembly elections and voted out the incumbent government headed by Omar Abdullah”, he said.
“The BJP-PDP political unholy coalition polarized the state in regional drift and rift. The people’s mandate was betrayed with misgovernance and incompetence to manage the complex political affairs. All the hopes and promises to respect the distinct, united and unique characteristics of the state were dusted”, senior Congress leader said.
He added in absence of good governance, the militancy in the valley seems to have developed an autonomous raison d’être. Recent killing of Babar Qadri an articulate lawyer, a voice of moderation is an eye opener. Demeaning Kashmiri leadership and making then irrelevant by muscle and misinformation campaign, as an agenda is the most unwise policy of BJP - Kashmir analysts are surprised that New Delhi’s policy and its political managers are so incompetent, apolitical and naive, as not to be willing to leave any space or room for the Kashmiri leadership to exert a moderating influence that could prevent youngsters from taking up the gun.
He further added that Kashmir has been on the boil for more than 30 years. Tens of thousands of people, both civilians and soldiers have died and the population of Kashmiri pandits exiled. Kashmir affairs are seemingly messed up by BJP. Militancy has rendered the state, especially the valley, without liberty and individuality. It has devastated the economy, education and normal living pattern, the plural ethos, and imperiled institutions. The societal psyche is turning cynical and despondent and that is what Pakistan and militancy have managed to do with the people of Kashmir. In the name of self-determination people have no voice of their own and the emotions are controlled and charged by proxies. People know the disastrous consequences of the harm Pakistan and terrorists have done.
He said the current political situation in Jammu & Kashmir can only be set right and people’s aspirations responded by Indian National Congress. INC had the visionary and experienced leadership and dynamic cadres in the UTs that can salvage the political drift, incompetence and huge disconnect of the administration with people. Congress Party with the help of like-minded secular parties, political groups and civil society can usher in new era of reach out policy for all politico-Social sections, stakeholders including those having not participated in democratic polity. Without reach out and dialogue with stakeholders no peace and settlement of Kashmir conundrum is possible.
He said winning hearts and minds of Kashmiri’s is the most important requirement that can be done through a dialogue with stakeholders and by release of all political detainees. (KNS)