As Kashmir completed 100 days of unrest on Sunday, first time since militancy broke out in the 1990s, the State continues to stare at a stalemate with protesting separatists and the ruling BJP-Peoples Democratic Party combine in no mood to blink.
The PDP, which has hardened its position towards separatists and their supporters, is pushing harder to break the 100-day spell of shutdown, which has brought life to a standstill.
Annual examsEducation Minister Naeem Akhtar announced on Sunday that annual examinations for Class 10 and 12 would be held in November despite the ongoing street protests in the Valley, which began after the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani on July 8.
Most of the Opposition parties, including the National Conference, are asking both the Centre and the State government to “renew initiatives to engage all stakeholders, especially separatists” to address the problem.
The Centre’s initiative to engage separatists fell flat in the first week of September when the separatists refused to meet delegates of the visiting all-party delegation.
“The government must take immediate measures to create a congenial atmosphere rather than vitiating it by slapping Public Safety Act cases on youths,” said Pradesh Congress Committee chief G.A. Mir. Top separatist leaders, including Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Yasin Malik and Syed Ali Geelani continue to be under detention. Separatist leader Zafar Akbar Bhat, associated with the Mirwaiz Hurriyat said, “Whosoever is serious and shows his concern to resolve the Kashmir issue is welcome. Negotiations and peace process are the key to resolution of the issue.”
There is a growing fatigue among the people over the unrelenting shutdown policy of separatists and the absence of political initiative from the Centre and the State governments. “Shutdown or no shutdown, Kashmir remains an issue. The government should not announce victory for its muscular policy if the ongoing shutdown fizzles out. Any defeatism will create a void and the actors will try to generate pressure from all sides. We cannot rule out a new wave of militancy,” says Gul Wani, professor at the Department of Political Science, Kashmir University.
“Post-1947, it is for the first time that public distrust emerges both from New Delhi, where the BJP is ruling, and Srinagar, where the PDP is holding the reins. The Centre has no option but to start processes sooner or later,” said Mr. Wani.
In the past, the Centre succeeded in dousing three major street upheavals — in 2008, 2009 and 2010 — either by revoking controversial orders, instituting inquiry committees or by announcing a group of interlocutors to reach out to masses. However, the challenge before the separatists and New Delhi is to think anew as past options seem not to deliver this time.
