Sir,
“Abandoning Kashmir at what cost” DE Sep. 13.2016.
Shiban Khaibri has very succincitly described the prevailing condition in Kashmir with detailed historic perspective since 1947. Sheikh Mohd Abdullah, who, while speaking in UN Security Council in 1948 had said, ” Agression not Accession is the issue” turned around and “1953” happened. ( SMA’s arrest) Probably, his personal ambition overtook him? His ambivalence is further reflected twenty two years later (1975)when he dumped the idea of plebiscite, which he had espoused while in the wilderness, and grabbed power to become Chief Minister of the State. Seeds of religious extremism were sown during his tenure. Farooq Abdullah succeeded him, though very unsuccessfully, took these developments casually and did little to check them. He thought emergence of such forces may provide him leverage while bargaining with the Central Government as he was on a weak wicket owing to intra party and intra family feuds. He was not even aware of the sinister designs of such forces. The third of the Abdullas, who is very busy these days on blog and twitter, is suffering from ‘Unemployment Syndrome’ is cricitical of everyone around and even questions ‘Accession’ espoused by his grand father.
Mehbooba Mufti and her alliance with BJP is the silver lining on very dark clouds hovering over the valley. She is fortunate to have leaders like Muzaffar Beg and Naeem Akhtar by her side. She has shown the mirror to the separatists while encouraging the innocent youth to shun violence and bring back peace and prosperity to the valley and the state. May God be with her. Forces of religious extremism have to be defeated whatever it may take.
Yours etc….
Kulvir Gupta
Jammu
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