Cover Story/J&K : The Precarious Fa‡ade

Though various factions of Hurriyat are trying to forge the united front against the Sainik Colonies and resettlement of Pundits, the real purpose is to remain politically relevant and safeguard their economic interests. The democratic and nationalist forces will have to collectively take up this challenge of dealing with this facade to sustain the process of peace and development

Deepak Zazia
On April 4 when Mehbooba Mufti Sayeed, 56 was sworn in as the first woman Chief Minister of the only Muslim majority of State of the country, political pundits  had listed challenges before her because some forces, within and outside, finding it difficult to digest strengthening of democratic institution in J&K. Furthermore, Mehbooba’s alliance with nationalist BJP is another eye-sore for these forces because such anti-national elements are very much aware that a government, in which BJP is an important component, would frustrate their evil designs.
Despite joining a list of powerful women chief ministers of the country, challenges before Mehbooba Mufti are more daunting and difficult because she has to fight forces within and outside the country. Challenges, which political pundits had predicted on April 4 this year, are becoming realities with unfolding of recent incidents.

The Gang Up Politics
Separatists and other fundamental groups of Kashmir Valley are ganging up to unitedly oppose setting up of Sainik Colony for ex-servicemen of J&K, establishing colonies for displaced Kashmiri Hindus, implementation of industrial policy in J&K etc. Nearly 34 per cent polling in the Anantnag by elections which were held on June 22 has further exposed anti-India forces, particularly separatists, who had left no stone unturned to force boycott. They will always use this to remain politically relevant. How far to pay heed to their tactics is the real political acumen the State leadership has to show.
The Proxy War
In support to the internal disturbances, Pakistan supported terrorist groups have intensified their activities in overt and covert manner. According to data of the Home Ministry of J&K, over 190 people, including 47 security personnel and 108 terrorists, were killed in the 12-month period from January 15 last year. A total of 146 terrorism-related incidents took place between January 15, 2015 to January 15, 2016, leaving 169 people – 108 terrorists, 39 security personnel and 22 civilians – dead. 181 incidents of border firing were reported during the same period in the State which left 22 persons including eight security personnel dead and 75 others, including 13 security men injured.
Four south Kashmir districts of Anantnag, Pulwama, Kulgam and Shopian accounted for the highest number of terrorists attacks (61), resulting in the death of 54 persons including 12 security men and 34 terrorists.
However, the three north Kashmir districts of Kupwara, Baramulla and Bandipora which share border with Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, witnessed almost double the number of deaths compared to south Kashmir districts in such terror attacks.

The north Kashmir districts together accounted for 57 terror attacks which resulted in the death of 92 persons including 60 terrorists and 21 security personnel. The summer capital Srinagar recorded 15 terror attacks in which one civilian was killed, while seven districts, out of total 22 across Jammu and Kashmir, including the winter capital Jammu witnessed no such violence.
The Dirty Nexus
As par their new game-plan, separatist and other fundamentalist groups of Kashmir Valley, to rake up sentiments of the people, have started levelling even terrorist as innocent. The recent example is killing of terrorist who was gunned down during Kud attack. Slain terrorist identified as Tahir Ahmad Sultan S/o Mohammad Sultan R/o Bemina, Srinagar, is projected as innocent by the separatist like Sayeed Ali Shah Geelani and others. What is more disturbing is that the main stream political parties like National Conference has also echoed in Geelani’s voice and dubbed terrorist as innocent.
Recent Kud terror attack, which was foiled by the alert jawans of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and desecration of temples at Roopnagar, Nanak Nagar and Jhalas area of Poonch have exposed new strategy being adopted by the anti-India forces to create disturbance in the J&K to destabilise political system in the State. While as terrorist’s attempt to attack security forces at Kud on Jammu-Srinagar national highway was an incident of  direct confrontation with the forces, the desecration of temples is new form of terrorism.
Deputy Commissioner of Jammu, Simranjeet Singh was right when he termed desecrations of temples as “Intelligence Terror” attacks. “Forces inimical of peace have adopted a new strategy to spread terror. Attacks on temples are a new form of intelligence terror”, Singh had told during a meeting of prominent member of the civil society at Jammu after two back to back cases of desecration of temples. Attacks on temples evoked strong reaction among people across the State.
Terrorists and other anti-Indian groups, particularly
separatist, operating in Jammu and Kashmir are paid through the hawala routes by their mentors in Pakistan and their emoluments are decided based on their work from stone-pelting to big terror attacks, a report said.
Citing an Indian Army report, some media states that the terrorists commanders are paid between Rs.2,00,000 to Rs.3,00,000 depending on their work in the Valley.
The report comes, as the Valley  witnessed a surge in terror attacks over the past few months.
While as terrorists are being paid to execute terror attacks, separatists are getting money from their mentors in Pakistan to create disturbance in the Valley and other areas of the State. The way, separatists are trying to rake up all issues with attaching religion, is an indication that these groups are desperate to create disturbance because they are being paid for that.
The Army is certainly successful in foiling the attempts of infiltration but still trying to devise a new strategy to deal with the threats generated from within. It’s “Sadbhavana” or goodwill operations, granting computers to schools or sponsoring all-India tours of children and the aged, have generated new sources of information and the pro-militancy sentiment has retreated. If there are any doubts, recent terror attacks offer ample proof of the worsening situation. Still, as most of the experts feel, army will and should continue to undertake more goodwill missions in J & K.
Test of Political Will
From the day one after assuming charge as Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti has made her agenda clear. She has adopted a holistic approach to carve out a path of equitable growth and balanced development in J&K but some forces are desperately trying to sabotage her process.
Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, while addressing a function at Katra on April 19, too had offered all possible support to Mehbooba Mufti’s
government to bring out the State out of morass and uncertainty.
Prime Minister had stated that the Centre stands like a rock behind the Mehbooba Mufti-led government in the State. He reiterated the Centre’s commitment to the development of  the  State which he described as the “Crown of India.”
That message of solidarity gave Mehbooba the much-needed confidence to steer the State out of the crisis.
The Prime Minister had emphasised that the “Government of India  will work shoulder to shoulder with the State government  in realising the dream of Insaniyat (humanity), Kashmiriyat (co-existence) and Jamhooriyat (democracy)” as envisioned by former Prime Minister Shri Atal Behari Vajpayee.  
Cordial Centre-State relations and strengthening of democracy has become eye-sore for anti-India forces, particularly Pakistan, militants and separatists. It is because the people are now approaching their elected representatives to get their grievances redressed rather than resorting to stone pelting or agitation. People are trusting the democratic means for that. This may not be a rejection of anything, but is certainly the acceptance of democracy in all its forms and manifestations.
Realising that BJP led NDA government is over-whelmingly supporting Mehbooba Mufti, anti-India forces have doubled their attempts to accomplish their nefarious designs.
Once again digging the buried issue of Sainik Colony for ex-soldiers of J&K and opposing setting up of colonies for displaced Kashmiri Hindus are glaring examples, how these groups are desperate to create disturbance in the State.
Kashmiri separatists have joined hands to oppose the Sainik colony and townships for migrant Kashmiri Pandits. The separatists, who always fought with each other, have united to fight together for the cause of the identity of Kashmiri Muslims. Those who joined were part of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference in the mid-1990s — there was no hardline or moderate faction, though there were always clash of egos on issues. The expulsion of Shabir Shah, Malik walking in and out of the group, Geelani unable to reconcile himself to the leadership of Moulvi Abbas Ansari as head of the group are part of the history of the separatist camp. They have been here before, too.
Looking at it from any angle, this unity is not the recovery of the same old All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC), which was formed in the winter of 1992 and bloomed in the spring of 1993, this time they united to oppose townships for migrant Kashmiri Pandits and Sainik colonies for retired soldiers of the State. After successful conduct of 2014 Assembly elections, separatists had lost their relevance especially after Mufti Mohammad Sayed become Chief Minister of the State and now they want some reason to remain politically
relevant.
 “No sainik colony will ever be allowed, whether it is for the State subject soldiers or others,” said JKLF’s Yasin Malik. “Why a colony for the soldiers when the retired policemen don’t ask or have such colonies?” he argued. There is no counter-argument that the separatists want to hear. They see a conspiracy in these proposals.
“Kashmiri Pandit migrants are our brothers, let them come and live where they used to (before migration), why exclusive colonies (for them),”
questions Geelani.
Pakistan had been trying hard to get all these factions united. All Pakistani leaders have been asking the factions to unite since 2005. Since March 2015, this united face has been forced onto them. After the great split in September 2003, for the first time Geelani, Mirwaiz and Yasin Malik appeared together at the fourth-day ceremony of a young boy who was killed in police firing in Narbal on the outskirts of Srinagar. The last time when separatist leaders were seen walking together was when they went to the Pakistan High Commission in July 2001 when Pervez Musharraf had visited Delhi for the Agra summit. To further cement relations among different factions, separatist leaders from Jammu and Kashmir, including Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, have been invited by the Pakistan High Commission for the annual Iftar party in New Delhi on June 25.
It is for certain that separatists in Valley are losing their credibility among the masses. Politics of democracy and development are taking roots. Therefore, the miscreants guided by some families and their masters across the borders will try their best to disturb the process. The forces with nationalist and development agenda will have to calibrate a collective strategy to address this challenge without giving much mileage to the self-
proclaimed leaders of ‘Kashmiris’.  
(The writer is a J & K based correspondent)