The article, “Understanding the Kashmir mandate” (Dec.26), was interesting but undermined the legitimate aspirations of the two other regions of Jammu and Ladakh. There was no answer to how nearly half-a-million internally displaced Kashmiri Pandits (who are about to complete half a century in forced exile) can be encouraged to return. The ground realities and the nature of the mandate not only reflect the diverse aspirations of the people of the three distinct regions but also reflect the self-contradicting objectives of the political parties claiming to represent the aspirations of the entire State. Ideally, the State should be renamed as “Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh”. The task should not be that daunting for a formation that may be forged in the interest of further integration of the strife-torn valley into the Indian mainstream.
Ramesh Manvati,Noida
The recently concluded election could become a remarkable starting point in our fight against insurgency if the parties concerned drop their narrow-minded political agendas. It must be borne in mind that unlike previous occasions, this time the Kashmiris have very clearly demonstrated their implicit faith in Indian democracy. It is this spirit that deserves to be celebrated. The way forward now is to bring light into the lives of young Kashmiris and provide them quality education, health services, electricity and transport. If this chance is lost, history will not forgive us.
S.A. Thameemul Ansari,
Kayalpatnam, Tamil Nadu
Every possible care has to be taken by all political players in the State not to play the divisive card. The BJP could have made inroads in the Valley, but the development agenda of Narendra Modi remained subservient due to the party’s hidden agenda, and which did not strike a chord. Any downslide will only bring the situation back to square one.
Parthasarathy Sen,New Delhi
The results show that issues like Article 370, a uniform civil code and other sensitive issues have been rejected by Kashmiris. The BJP has clearly set its sights on Ministry- formation. This would amount to foisting the BJP on the people when they have clearly expressed their choice. Parties must desist from playing political games and instead look to ushering in peace and development in the State.
M.M. Gurbaxani,Bengaluru