Srinagar: The indiscriminate arrests of youths across Kashmir and particularly in southern districts of the Valley in the recent times will erode people’s trust in the government further and widen the gulf which would be difficult to bridge.
As the response of people in the just concluded Lok Sabha elections was not so encouraging in south Kashmir, it warrants introspection from the political leaders, particularly from those who are at the helm of affairs in Delhi. Muscular security policy has neither worked in the past not there are any chances of it yielding any results in future. It has only added the complexities of the situation.
Such policy is a disservice not only to the people of Jammu and Kashmir but for the whole country if political leadership refuses to draw lessons from this unfortunate experience. The deepening political uncertainty in Kashmir has got compounded due to the disastrous policies of the BJP government in Delhi. Kashmir is in constant chaos and the new realities are being sketched under the shadow of guns and the BJP’s aggressive Kashmir policy.
The Centre’s policy of viewing everything through the prism of security and with rabid ultra nationalistic overtones has compounded the problem further. Security-oriented approach overtaking the political outreach will end up being a loss for the people of Kashmir and to the country as a whole. What is urgently required is to shun the path of confrontation and repression and initiative a credible process of talks with all stakeholders.
The current unrest is the result of deep and massive alienation caused by long history of broken commitments, repression, socio-economic woes and denial of justice to the people. It has resulted in hopelessness, despondency and loss of confidence in the political leadership. The fact of the matter is that youth feel dejected, disillusioned and are angry. Repressive measures are bound to prove counterproductive.
Hundreds of people, especially youth, are languishing in jails and have been detained under Public Safety Act (PSA) and Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). In some cases even after court’s quashing the PSA, detained remain in prison as the police book them under the UAPA. This UAPA is being highly misused and it needs immediate review. The cases of those who have been detained under the PSA and UAPA need to be examined immediately.
