Welcome signs are now evident of the Centre changing its line on Kashmir in order to begin a conversation with all sections of society in the Valley so calm may be restored. This is a far cry from the government’s initial, confused, reaction. Even at the all-party meeting in Delhi just before Independence Day, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s outlook seemed one of pressing for a security-oriented solution. Union home minister Rajnath Singh arrived in Srinagar on Wednesday for the second time in a month in an effort to start a dialogue even with the Hurriyat. He didn’t name the separatist outfit specifically, but said through tweets that he was ready to converse with anyone within the parameters of “insaniyat, jamuhooriat and Kashmiriyat”, the formula first articulated by Atal Behari Vajpayee over a decade ago.
If Pakistan desires to push the envelope further in J&K, no Hurriyat elements are likely to join the conversation with the Centre for the fear of facing reprisals at the hands of Pakistan-directed terrorist elements. But the point will become clear to ordinary Kashmiris — the real constituency the government is trying to address. Mr Singh thus articulated the Vajpayee formulation from Srinagar. Kashmiris understand and appreciate this. A few days earlier, at his meeting with an Opposition delegation from Kashmir led by former CM Omar Abdullah, Mr Modi had spoken only of a dialogue within the framework of the Constitution. It was at that meeting that the Centre’s changing stance first found articulation; and Mr Singh’s second visit to Srinagar seems to indicate that the government is looking for ways to commence a dialogue.
Two noteworthy developments took place before Mr Singh’s visit. The Centre, at least for now, has decided to withdraw the CRPF — which along with the J&K police had used pellet guns against protesters, in the process blinding many civilians — from the Valley, and insert the BSF in its place. This is a positive sign. In the past, the BSF has brought order back on the streets without alienating populations. The second significant development was the public statement by Lt. Gen. D.S. Hooda, who commands the Army in the Valley, urging talks with all sections of society. This signalled that the policy was now moving towards de-escalation. He also said that to begin with, the protests after militant Burhan Wani’s killing were spontaneous, and that Pakistan got into the act only afterwards. This was the opposite of the Centre’s stand that Pakistan was responsible from the beginning. The signs are good, but a dialogue takes time to fructify.
