Lt Gen DP Pandey Why refer only to politics of Kashmir and not the politics of ‘Jammu and Kashmir’? Ladakh was ignored in the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir and mercifully detached for a better future. Similarly, Jammu has neither voice, direction nor political dexterity. Doda, Kishtwar, Poonch, Bakarwals and Paharis have neither say nor are they considered entities in the ‘Saga-e-Kashmir’.
They don’t even speak Kashmiri, a language short shrift-ed by Kashmiris themselves as the script has gone off the radar. In any case the unique and distinct Kashmiri culture itself has been lost from the mind space of the Kashmir Valley through three decades of a competitive destructive race run by the local Kashmiri politicians and radicals who seek directions elsewhere. The entitled, rich and elite; be it the all-powerful political, religious or business leaders, often fly out of the psychologically and emotionally draining Valley in order to re-energise, revitalise and reinvigorate.
But where will the locals escape to? They are denied the same luxury because politicians are quick to place the blame on the Security Forces for denial of safety and rights to the locals. Whereas it the ambivalence, brinkmanship and callousness of the political leaders in the Valley that has brought out a terse security situation exacerbating every decade since 1947. To make matters worse, all efforts of the security forces to rein in the spiralling security situation is brought to a naught b.