Page 16 - 15MAR2019E

CoverStory

the attack was carried out by a 20 year old Kashmiri Politically, the majority community in the state
youth. Though, it is not the first suicide attack by a has perceived an attempt at marginalizing its role in
Kashmiri it is the most devastating of them all. In the political setup of the state. While in the previous
past, only a few Kashmiris have resorted to fidayeen PDP-BJP coalition, the BJP deepened this perception
strikes. Suicide attacks in Kashmir have generally by largely setting the agenda for the state govern-
been carried by the foreign militants belonging to ment, the current J&K Governor Satya Pal Malik is
Lashkar or Jaish. perceived to be implementing the BJP’s longstanding
But Pulwama has now confirmed that Kashmiri agenda on the state. Ever since Malik’s appointment
militants may have completed the right of passage. he has been on a frenetic lawmaking spree, even
While Jaish may have provided logistics, it was a passing the contentious orders which ideally should
local youth bred in the local sentiment and a sense only have been issued by an elected government af-
of cause that carried it out. And should this trend ter a proper deliberation.
catch on, it could turn Kashmir into a far bigger bat- One such order is the recent grant of division
tleground than it is now.
“This is the real concern in Kashmir. But this is a
concern that is absent from the national discourse,” india has handed over
says PDP spokesman and former J&K education
minister Naeem Akhtar. “There is little discussion to Pakistan a dossier
on why and how Kashmir reached a stage where a
youth is ready to turn his body into a bomb”. on ‘specific details’ of
True, Kashmir has transformed over the past five
years, the duration of the BJP-led government at
the centre and its coalition with the PDP in J&K. The involvement of the
period has witnessed the rise of the new age mili-
tancy which witnessed local youth taking a shine Jem in the Pulwama
to militancy after more than a decade of dwindling
local representation. In fact by 2015, for the first time attack on crPF as also
in a decade, the local militants outnumbered the
foreigners in Kashmir. Out of 142 active militants in the presence of camps of
Valley, 88 were locals and the rest from Pakistan or
Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. Similarly in 2016 the
militant figures revealed by the government put the the UN-proscribed terror
number of local militants at 91 and the foreigners at
54 out of a total of 145. outfit in that country
“The question that needs to be asked is what is it
that fundamentally changed in Kashmir for the local
youth to resort to militancy,” asks Geelani. “But that
it started immediately after the BJP took power at the status to Ladakh, earlier a part of Kashmir Val-
centre is clear enough an answer”. ley. Though the demand for the division status for
Ladakh is a long-standing one but so is the one from
BJP’s Kashmir Policy Pir Panjal and Chenab Valley regions of the Jammu
The BJP is blamed for drastically altering the way province. But while the administration ignored the
New Delhi looked at Kashmir. It unveiled a hardline latter’s demand, it addressed the one from Ladakh
policy outlook informed by its long held ideological without taking the state’s political opinion on board.
position on the state. The policy had a psychological, The State Administrative Council also issued the
political and militaristic impact on the state. order with little prior indication of the move.
On a psychological level, the Modi government So problematic is the move seen in the state that
played on Kashmir’s worst fears by opening a pros- the PDP leader and the former J&K Chief Minister
pect for a demographic change through contemplat- Mehbooba Mufti took a serious exception to what
ed withdrawal of the Article 35A of the constitution she termed a selective decision.
that forbids outsiders from settling in the state. Six “You (Centre) are trying to break the Muslim ma-
petitions are challenging the validity of the Article jority character of the state. We will not let it happen.
35A in the Supreme Court. And every time there is Its consequences would be very dangerous,” she said
a hearing, Kashmir turns deeply anxious about the at a press meet in Srinagar immediately after the di-
outcome and observes a shutdown. vision status to Ladakh. “We want to tell, not only to

tehelka / 15 march 2019 16 www.tehelka.com