Situation still far from normal in Kashmir

Twenty-five-days of hartal and curfew, 50 killings, 6,000 injured and the Kashmir Valley is far from returning to normalcy. Stone-pelting mobs rule the streets of Srinagar with masked men engaging the police and security forces at different places across Kashmir.

Protesters have erected blockades on different roads and axis to restrict the movement of the security forces and other people.  Strict curfew remained in force in sensitive old city and Anantnag town.

Unidentified people forced four milk processing companies to shut its operations following the unrest in Kashmir. The unit owners were receiving threat calls from unknown people asking them to shut down given the protest calendar announced by the joint separatists groups. Even some people threatened them of dire consequences if they did not adhere to their warnings.

“People must understand that by resorting to violence, they are working against their own interests. Besides loss of precious human lives, violence destroys the very socio-economic fabric of a society, which is unfortunately happening in Kashmir,” said chief minister Mehbooba Mufti. 

Mehbooba noted while the separatists may be having their own ideologies, but the present law and order situation seems to have been exacerbated by some vested interests.

The chief minister said there is a need for a collective effort to reach out to the people especially the youth, to expand and consolidate the constituency of peace in the State.

“To achieve sustainable peace in the state and the region, we have to unshackle the political thinking from the legacies of the past and have confidence in our self, our institutions and above all our people,” Mehbooba. The CM said the country’s policy on Jammu and Kashmir should not be based on strategic and security considerations alone but on ideological and humane values.

“If we were to base our J&K policy on the ideological values of democracy, rule of law and tolerance, which have been the defining strength of India, we will expand the constituency of peace at the micro level of individuals as well as institutions,” she said

Sensing the tense situation, Moderate Hurriyat Conference issued a public appeal urging people especially the youth to act with discipline, maturity and responsibility so that no harm is caused to “our sacred cause”. 

“Agencies have infiltrated elements into the movement to sabotage the programmes of the unified resistance leadership, spread disillusionment and create division and discord among the people on sectarian lines,” the Hurriyat said.