Still burning

Sir — “No time for the valley” (Aug 27), by Ashok Mitra, was an eye-opener. Mitra has analysed the state of limbo in New Delhi over Kashmir and the lack of a prudent solution for this issue with care. New Delhi’s procrastination over the Kashmir problem has had catastrophic consequences. Right from 1947, the Indian leaders’ understanding of and concern for Kashmir have been lax. India has committed a number of mistakes while tackling the situation in the valley. The strategies adopted by the country during its wars with Pakistan were faulty. A more decisive approach on Kashmir would have prevented the state from being the bone of contention between India and Pakistan for so long.

The blunder that India committed regarding Kashmir was to sign a treaty with its Dogra ruler. India should have forged stronger ties with Sheikh Abdullah who was the true leader of Kashmiris. As Mitra rightly points out, the Kashmiris were initially not alienated from India. But, later, they were given enough reason to feel neglected and deprived. New Delhi should not have doubted Abdullah’s intentions and jailed him. That was the start of the deep mistrust between India and Kashmir that continues till this day.

At present, certain groups in Kashmir are agitating to earn independence from India. The reasons for this are varied. One of the most important among these is the security forces’ cruelty towards the people of Kashmir. India needs to arrive at a solution to this problem as soon as possible.

Muslims from the rest of India should also be encouraged by the Indian State to speak up on Kashmir. Indians in general must also become more conscious of the situation in the valley. The fact that people from other states have so far failed to show enough concern for Kashmir lies at the root of the unrest now brewing in the troubled valley.

Yours faithfully,
Md. Hashim, Calcutta

Sir — Ashok Mitra has made an earnest effort to assess the current turmoil in the Kashmir valley. He has dug up history to establish New Delhi’s confused stand on this issue over the years. The agitation that began in Kashmir this year has become unmanageable. Mitra says that Indians perceive the violence in Kashmir to be an outburst of the people’s rage that is directed at the security personnel for the atrocities that they have committed. They also interpret it as an expression of indirect support to the separatist forces. But Mitra has missed out on certain significant aspects of the issue. His examination of the dissenting women and stone-pelters in Kashmir does not give the complete picture of the valley.

It cannot be denied that the people of Kashmir are being influenced by separatist forces. New Delhi’s apathy towards Kashmir has made most Indians, including women’s rights activists, ignorant about the socio-economic ills that plague the region. India has failed to recognize these problems, which persist in Kashmir. Consequently, the problems have now been aggravated in the strife-torn state. New Delhi has also erred by putting a lot of faith in certain incompetent leaders in Kashmir and by continuing an ineffective dialogue with the separatists for the sake of a political solution. The discontent of the Kashmiris can also be attributed to the fact that the Indian security forces have failed to protect them from cross-border terrorism.

It is beyond doubt that Kashmiris have now become alienated from India. India’s firm stand on Kashmir deserves appreciation, but it should be remembered that the situation in that region has become very unstable. India needs to adopt a balanced approach towards Kashmir, given the country’s relationship with its neighbours. It is disappointing that Mitra’s article does not suggest a remedy for the Kashmir problem. All it does is predict a grim future for the valley.

Yours faithfully,
Adhip Kumar Bose, Calcutta

Sir — There cannot be an easy explanation for India’s complex attitude towards Kashmir. There are many aspects to this problem.

In his article, Ashok Mitra observes that Indian women’s rights activists have excluded the women of Kashmir from their agenda. But what Mitra fails to mention is that in India, the patriarchal social and political milieu has always influenced the attitude of Indian women. This is equally true for Kashmir where the agitating housewives are being misled by the views of their men. It is hard to tell whether the women, who are raising slogans for azadi, are themselves aware of the consequences their demand will bring.

Also, agitations are not exclusive to Kashmir. There are frequent disturbances that lead to death and destruction of property in other parts of the country as well. What is unique in Kashmir is the scale and duration of the protests. However, the majority in Kashmir do not seem to have gone entirely against the Indian State till now. Keeping this in mind, we should not give up on Kashmir. We should fight against the divisive forces to regain the faith of the Kashmiris.

Yours faithfully,
Md. Aslam Parvez, Calcutta

Parting shot

Sir —The bus accident in Cooch Behar that took at least 15 lives is another example of poor maintenance and reckless driving of public transport vehicles in Bengal (“Young lives lost as tyre-burst propels crowded bus into north Bengal pond”, Aug 30). Not long ago, a private bus crashed into the Kestopur canal, killing 21 passengers. Buses plying roads often lack proper tyres and parts. It is time the government woke up to the situation and took remedial measures.

Yours faithfully,
Debasish Chatterjee, Calcutta