Innovation, Imagination Needed In Kashmir

By: May 20th, 2017 12:23 am

Prof N.K. Singh

Former Chairman International Airports Authority of India

newsWhen a Major tied one stone thrower to the jeep which he drove to the safety, he was exhibiting an innovative strategy to save his colleagues without killing the stone throwers crowd that had surrounded them. A lot of human rights complainers and liberals protested this but neither the man was killed nor arrested and left out safe after the job was done. In military history, there are innumerable examples of such unconventional acts. Hannibal, the great army commander used boxes full of snakes to be thrown at opponents who were shocked and ran away. Biggest question facing the army or police is to avoid killing and yet control the crowds who are violent.

Those who say Kashmir problem can be solved only through a dialogue are barking up the wrong tree. What dialogue should do when faced with belligerent crowds who are sponsored with mad rush for money or religious opium to carry an illegitimate mission without realizing their own long term interest. May be, ultimate dialogue could be the result of a bit of hard hit tempering the existing fearless attack on the forces whose hands are tied. It might not be known to many that as many as 3300 men of security men are in hospital as a result of this forced non-violent attitude.    A retired senior officer from Jammu told me that there have been three phases of prevailing attitudes of public to the armed men. First, in the beginning they never cared much about who they were and unconcerned. In second phase, they were mortally afraid of army and were disciplined. This is the third phase when too much pampering the separatists have led to belief that nothing will happen and they can throw stones, they can abuse, they can do anything without getting any reprisal. This is worst phase and needs to be tackled toughly if we have to control the lawlessness. Let the crowds realise it that lawlessness will not pay but might cost them lives. Or other strong measures they will have to think before they act in the manner in which fun fare stone throwing is going on. Perhaps ground for such action need to be prepared and sufficient warning and preventive advice rendered to all to avoid bloodshed. The approach will involve innovative strategies and action in 15% of population in five districts out of total 22 districts in Jammu and Kashmir.

Recently, I was at Delhi airport and a girl in half hijab sitting next to me was going to Srinagar. I asked her how things are there. She was going home but really fearful as she said she is shia and sunny Muslims have made their lives hell. First time, I faced this new insecurity in J&K and felt that of quoted propagandas that Kashmiris want Azadi is totally false. These separatists who are hogging the media space only represent 85% population of the state outside the valley. And non- Sunni Muslims could bring change but they need to be mobilised. The government needs to use imagination to develop strategy in empowering this mute population and isolating the vocal valley dominating the dialogue so far. History has enough evidence that had not Jwaharlal Nehru erred out of his fascination for the valley, Sardar Patel would have solved this problem.

I can quote here two instances from Sardar Patel’s handling of Kashmir. When tribals sponsored by Pakistan were on the outskirts of Srinagar and Maharaja Hari Singh had agreed to the accession, the question was how to stop the invasion of pro- Pak forces. Jwaharlal Nehru was acutely conscious of international repercussions and thought we could invoke United Nations but Patel asked him ‘Jwaharlal, do you want Kashmir or not?’ He of course nodded. Patel looked to Manekshaw and said ‘Brigadier, you got your order, you move the force’. Forces moved overnight. That is how situation was retrieved but later again Nehru referred the matter in UN and that resulted in another stalemate. This story was told by Field Marshal to me at Srinagar airport. Patel never spoke against Nehru’s actions even when Kashmir affairs were taken away from him. Once he confided to Jai Parkash Naryan that had Nehru not interfered he would have solved the Kashmir problem in four days as he could solve Hyderabad in no time. Nehru was romanticist and not a hardnosed pragmatist. No doubt, he truly loved Kashmir but he faced an enemy who needed many imaginative assaults to clear the ground in Kashmir. Modi will need totally new approach to handle this spoilt situation.

Bus Stand

First Passenger: As soon as we leave Himachal with roads full of patches and pits, we enter Punjab with smooth roads. Why?

Second Passenger: Himachali top leaders travel by helicopter and don’t know how the roads are.

विवाह प्रस्ताव की तलाश कर रहे हैं? निःशुल्क रजिस्टर करें !


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