The leaders who are suggesting that GoI should reframe its Kashmir policy need to muster courage and call a spade a spade

Terrorists killing five policemen and injuring more than ten in separate attacks at Bandipora in North Kashmir and at Zewan in Srinagar outskirts within a span of few days has once again proven it beyond doubt that terror has no religion.

Ultras can kill anyone in Kashmir on the instructions of their handlers sitting across the Line of Control (LoC). The five policemen killed by militants were J&K natives. They were no outsiders. Kashmiris killing Kashmiris is unfortunate and against the very ethos of any religion. No faith advocates killings of human beings for any reason. It’s strange that those who claim to be fighting for the so-called “Azadi” of people of Kashmir are killing their own people on one or other pretext. It’s sad and unfortunate.

The guns that were provided by Pakistan to chase out the Indian security forces have turned towards the people of Kashmir as the militants and their handlers have realized that they cannot fight the Indian Army and the paramilitary forces.

Recent murders of J&K policemen have provided a chance to former chief ministers, Mehbooba Mufti, Omar Abdullah and Dr Farooq Abdullah to launch a tirade against the Government of India (GoI). They are linking these attacks to abrogation of J&K’s special status and are advising the GoI to go for “course correction.”

They want New Delhi to talk to Islamabad and request it to stop sending terrorists and supporting terrorism. It seems someone needs to tell them that India has changed after Narendra Modi took over as the Prime Minister. The policy of pleading and sending requests has been scrapped off. The “New India” is being led by a strong leader who knows how to handle the friends and foes.

The attacks being carried out by the militants are being avenged and there is no question about New Delhi changing its policy towards the people who promote violence and hatred.

Call Spade A Spade

The leaders who are suggesting that GoI should reframe its Kashmir policy need to muster courage and call spade a spade. They need to tell the militants that they are killing their own people. These leaders should come forward and send a message to Pakistan that the gun has ruined Kashmir and its citizens. They need to tell the world that the senseless violence perpetrated by the people sitting across the Line of Control (LoC) for the past three decades has turned Kashmir into a graveyard.

Someone needs to ask these leaders that Article 370 remained in vogue for the 70-years. Did it bring peace? And how its revocation has turned J&K into a violent place?

These leaders need to stand up and tell the perpetrators of violence that Kashmiris have had enough and they should be left alone as they want to live a peaceful life. Fathers are tired of shouldering the coffins of their sons. Army of widows and orphans has turned Kashmir into a miserable place. Senseless violence is not helping anyone’s cause except the people who want this proxy war to continue so that they can avenge the defeats they have faced in conventional wars.

Need Collective Effort

In October this year when the militants turned their guns towards the members of minority communities and went on a killing spree in the Valley, people of Kashmir condemned the barbaric murders of civilians despite knowing that they could be targeted by the ultras against whom they raised their voice.

The Kashmir based leaders need to come out from the hangover of Article 370 revocation. They can no longer sell dreams as times have changed and people can’t be taken for a ride anymore. Every Kashmiri has to play an important role in restoring the peace and dignity of his/her motherland, which has been facing the onslaught from the other side of the LoC for the past three decades.

No One Wants Article 370 Back

Kashmiri youth, who are motivated and radicalized by the hate mongers to pick up arms, end up losing their lives within a few months after they join the militant ranks. People of Kashmir have realized that violence and bloodshed won’t take them anywhere. It’s high time for Kashmir based leaders to understand that no one is interested in getting back Article 370 and their rhetoric has no takers.

People want killings and bloodshed to end. They are aware of the fact that peace is perquisite for any development and if the situation remains disturbed with one or other getting killed everyday then life won’t be easy for them.

The true friends and well wishers of Kashmiris are trying their best to pull J&K out of the predicament it has been caught in since 1990. Some efforts have succeeded but some more are needed.

Peace cannot return by blaming each other. It needs to be restored by putting in a collective effort. The leaders need to lead from the front. They can’t be selective in their approach. They should understand that New Delhi has corrected all the courses by merging J&K into the Union of India completely. Now the course correction has to be done by Pakistan. It has to stop meddling in J&K and allow its people to live in peace.