India's biggest confusion KASHMIR

By: Subhadeep Bhattacharjee

The term Kashmir has today become synonymous with week long bandhs, security forces outnumbering civilians, cordoned localities, bunkers on roadside and never ending protest. All this in the scenic valley about which the great Mughal emperor Shah Jahan had once said “Agar Firdous Bar Roi Zamanast Tho, Haminasto, Haminasto, Haminasto (If there is ever a paradise on earth, it is here, it is here, it is here)

Home Minister P Chidambaram assured the people of Kashmir that the government will check the role of the Central security forces in the valley. He also envisioned a larger role for the J&K Police in law and order maintenance in the valley. This may calm down the ongoing protest in India's most troubled province but the decision shows the government's biggest confusion KASHMIR.

The Centre knows with heavy military presence which exercise special powers it can never win the hearts of the people of Kashmir but the threat from across the border will not allow it to withdraw the security forces. So instantaneous appeasement is the best solution New Delhi has struck upon time and again making big promises and keeping half the word.

The security forces who are time and again questioned by the Human Rights group have a tough time in the valley. If not the terrorists the weather can be a killer in the high altitudes. In sipte of all these the Army and the Paramilitary forces have done a commendable job in the valley for the last two decades to ensure that Kashmir did not turn to a lawless province.

The failure has been on the part of our government which felt giving sops to the people of Kashmir and other places in North East will douse the flames. Where water was required the government came in with a 'fire extinguisher' and once the flame was doused and the extinguisher can empty it did not even bother to look back at the people.

For the last six decades Kashmir has been a bone of contention between India and our western neighbours Pakistan. Politicians from both India, Pakistan and Kashmir have promised to resolve the issue but they have failed. The naked truth is that there is no solution that will be acceptable to the India, Pakistan and the people of Kashmir.