Name: FTN: J-K rift widens | Curfew lifted in Kashmir
Uploaded: 2008-09-02T07:41:54+05:30
Description: J-K agitation led to 50 deaths and Srinagar is still under curfew.

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It's been a two-month-long agitation in both Jammu and Kashmir, over 50 people have died and Srinagar is still under curfew. 
 
After almost 40 days of consecutive shut down, Jammu returned to normalcy on Monday. However, Srinagar is far from normal, as the peace formula has drawn diverse reactions from Jammu and Kashmiri politicians. 
 
But the fact is that neither can claim victory as the fresh land deal, in effect, means going back to old and traditional ways of conducting the pilgrimage. 
 
So while the politicians claim the Amarnath issue has been solved, should India shun the separatists? That was the question raised on CNN-IBN show Face the Nation. 
 
On the panel to debate the issue were MP and President, PDP, Mehbooba Mufti; Assistant Professor of Political Science, Jammu University, Ranjeet Kalra; and MP and spokesperson, BJP, Shankar Prasad. 
 
The core problem 
 
Objecting the use of the term 'peace deal', Mehbooba contends it should be called 'Jammu deal'. 
 
"This is because the earlier order was that government was going to provide facilities by spending crores of rupees for the yatris. But that was projected as anti-Hindu and anti-Jammu,” she said. 
 
“However, today, a unilateral order was passed keeping the sentiments to Hindu community in mind but at the same time completely ignoring the sentiments of Kashmiris," she added. 
 
She said issues such as opening of the Muzzafarabad road, reduction of troops, and revocation of special powers should have been looked into to balance the two sides. 
 
Mehbooba claimed that since the sentiments of Kashmiris were ignored, they have been further alienated. "Due to the perception that was created in Jammu, they have got an honourable way out, but what about the Kashmiris?" she questioned. 
 
Separatists versus Nationalists 
 
PAGE_BREAK 
When questioned about his role in communally polarising the peace formula, Prasad defended by questioning if Mehbooba Mufti’s father — former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Mufti Mohammad Sayeed — was the CM of Jammu and Kashmir or only Kashmir? Prasad emphasised that Jammu is a part of Kashmir. 
 
“This problem arose because the Government of India and Ghulam Nabi Azad buckled before separatists. It’s a fight between separatists and nationalists,” he said. 
 
But is a separatist necessarily a Muslim and a nationalist necessarily a Hindu? 
 
Taking a strong objection to that argument, Prasad said, ”We strongly believe that even in Kashmir there are many nationalists.” 
 
Citing a report of European Parliament of April 2007, Prasad said there was no democracy in PoK (Pakistan-occupied Kashmir), there is no freedom of press and the people of Kashmir who go there are treated in the most discriminatory manner. 
 
He then questioned, ”In 2007, why should Indian flags be burnt in Srinagar and Pakistani flags be hoisted?” 
 
Who’s to blame? 
 
National Conference chief, Omar Abdullah had earlier alleged that Mehbooba was playing politics over a sensitive issue, which should stop. 
 
Mehbooba responded to that statement saying,” When Omar Abdullah announced in Parliament that not an inch would he yield to the shrine board, everyone including all the UPA partners were thumping their desks. However, today, they have taken a U-turn.” 
 
She also countered Prasad’s argument and said, it was her father who could foresee what was going to happen to the state and had tried to save the state in 2005. 
 
Mehbooba further questioned, ” What was so anti-national about the order where the government said it was going to spend crores of rupees to provide all the facilities for the yatris? And what was so separatist about it?" 
 
She said the blame for the unrest in Jammu and Kashmir rested on the BJP and the shrine board. 
 
“It was the BJP and the shrine board who communalised the whole issue. BJP started fishing in troubled waters and succeeded in creating a division not only between Jammu and Kashmir, but also between Muslims and the Hindus,” she said. 
 
Status Quo 
 
The 100 hectares of land will temporarily be used by the Amarnath Shrine Board for the Amarnath yatra like in the past. But what have the people of Jammu gained from it? 
 
Prasad clarified that it was a movement by the people of Jammu, and that BJP was only supporting it. 
 
“It is a mass movement as big as the one that has taken place in Jammu and Kashmir, the BJP cannot alone do,” he said. 
 
Prasad stated that the larger issue was that the forest minister and law minister belonging to PDP brought about the whole proposal in the Cabinet. And it was a law passed by Farooq Abdullah’s government. 
 
“It’s not our achievement, but the achievement of the people of India and the people of Jammu and Kashmir. It’s an achievement for those who think Jammu and Kashmir are an integral part of India. And an achievement for those who don’t buckle before separatist forces,” he said. 
 
Prasad also highlighted that there is an obliteration of dividing line between what Mehbooba and the separatists are talking of. 
 
A win-win situation? 
 
A question was then thrown to Kalra, asking if this deal would satisfy everybody including the Kashmiri politicians, the Jammu politicians and the BJP. 
PAGE_BREAK 
Kalra replied saying the people of Jammu were satisfied with the deal. 
 
“The two-month-long agitation fought by the people of Jammu province was a secular and democratically fought agitation,” he said. 
 
Speaking about the peace formula, Kalra said, that the formula had been arrived at after a lot of thinking and after keeping all aspects in mind. 
 
“The people of Jammu have accepted the formula and it also takes into consideration the aspirations of the people of Kashmir. It does not certify the land to be transferred to any particular party. And the land is to be used by the Amarnath Shrine Board,” he said. 
 
He also clarified that the people of Jammu have fought for two months but they are not against the people of Kashmir. And points out that the politics of PDP have disheartened the people of Kashmir and claimed them to be the root cause of the agitation. 
 
A time to end the unrest 
 
Mehbooba was asked if the PDP was simply posturing by not accepting the peace deal. She said the PDP’s stand has always been consistent even though they may appear stubborn. 
 
“Every political party has the right to dissent, to agree or disagree. We are being demonised. Whenever Kashmiri leaders have tried to take a pro-Kashmiri stand, they have been demonised,” she claimed. 
 
She added, the PDP is very concerned about the peace and tranquility of the state and have worked very hard since 2002 to bring normalcy to the state. 
 
Mehbooba then demanded urgency from the Central Government in dealing with the Kashmir situation. 
 
Kalra intervened and questioned the credibility of PDP saying the party's ministers were being beaten up in the streets of Srinagar, which they represent. He also questioned the character of PDP saying the party was fast going into to oblivion and losing ground. 
 
A question was then directed towards Prasad asking him what BJP had achieved from the compromise formula when the situation is back to status quo. 
 
Prasad responded strongly saying, “It was a case where a law passed by Jammu and Kashmir legislature, High Court orders, Cabinet resolutions was withdrawn suddenly because of separatist pressure and the government buckled in.” 
 
He also pointed out that the separatists highlighted a wrong premise by saying that Hindu communists were taking over, which has now been corrected with the peace formula. 
 
Prasad further said that even though the issue of the land is back to where it was earlier, it’s the Shrine board that would manage it now as the government had taken over earlier. 
 
Highlighting the larger picture Prasad said,” The ISI and elements in Pakistan are fomenting separatism.” 
 
PDP the wants Centre to reach out. So is it fair to keep on sounding 'no confidence' against the Government's initiative? 
 
Mehbooba reasoned that the Indian Government has been supportive and the PDP has also shown support to the Government of India. “However, in a democracy we should agree to disagree at times,” she added. 
 
SMS/Web poll: Amarnath issue solved: Should India shun the separatists? 
 
Yes: 92 per cent 
 
No: 8 per cent

FTN: J-K rift widens | <a><a href='http://www.ibnlive.com/news/kashmir-moves-towards-normalcy-after-curfew-lifted/72664-3.html'>Curfew lifted in Kashmir</a>

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FTN: J-K rift widens | <a><a href='http://www.ibnlive.com/news/kashmir-moves-towards-normalcy-after-curfew-lifted/72664-3.html'>Curfew lifted in Kashmir</a>

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