People's Democracy

THE merciless mowing down of 28 innocent people, mainly migrant labourers, by terrorists in Qasim Nagar in Jammu has, once again, hopelessly exposed the Vajpayee government's helplessness in protecting innocent lives. Despite the fact that the entire opposition and the country have extended unprecedented cooperation to the government to contain and arrest terrorist activities, till date, no comprehensive strategy or a vision exists with this Vajpayee government.

In October last year, the Jammu & Kashmir assembly was attacked, in December, the parliament was the target, in May this year, the Kaluchak massacre took place, and now, the Qasim Nagar killings.

The government's singular strategy of targetting Pakistan and cross-border terrorism and, on that basis, seeking to garner international support is continuously proving to be inadequate to prevent such terrorist attacks. There has been absolutely no initiative from this Vajpayee government towards a political process. On the contrary, the government speaks, in various voices, betraying its complete confusion and lack of coherent plan to tackle the terrorist menace and move towards a solution for the Kashmir problem.

We had, through these columns, repeatedly argued that any binding solution in Jammu & Kashmir will have to be based on a political process. While tackling cross-border terrorism and indigenous outfits through security measures is vital, this must be accompanied by a political process aimed at reducing, if not, eliminating the alienation of the people of Jammu & Kashmir. This can be possible only if the government takes the initiative to discuss the issue of autonomy for Jammu & Kashmir under the provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution.

Having outrightly rejected the earlier Jammu & Kashmir assembly resolution on autonomy, the Vajpayee government reinforced the BJP's opposition to Article 370. Now they have announced a new interlocutor in the shape of the removed union law minister, Arun Jaitley. Months ago, the government had designated K C Pant to initiate some dialogue. Whatever has happened to that process remains unknown to both the parliament and to the country.

After the Kaluchak massacre, the prime minister thundered that the battle against terrorism would be decisive. Similar rhetoric was heard after the attacks on the Jammu & Kashmir assembly and the parliament. Precious little, however, has been delivered. The RSS, in the meanwhile, has upped the ante by vigorously pursuing the communal trifurcation of Jammu & Kashmir. As stated earlier in these columns, this dovetails to the US imperialist strategy of separating the Kashmir Valley and converting it into an independent buffer country under its tutelage. Such a diabolic plan to disrupt the unity and integrity of our country and set in motion the process of disintegration must be foiled at all costs.

Pre-occupied, as it is, with stoking communal passions, this Vajpayee government is cynically seeking to utilise the situation in Jammu & Kashmir to advance its communal agenda rather than protect the unity and integrity of our country. The Indian people can no longer accept the diabolic designs of the RSS and this Vajpayee government. The political process must immediately be initiated and all necessary measures taken to protect innocent lives in Jammu & Kashmir.

(July 17, 2002)