Weekend Edition: Looking for solutions to J-K crisis

JAMMU VS KASHMIR: At least 40 people have been killed in the relentless violence of J-K.

                  

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Rajdeep Sardesai

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For the last two months, Jammu and Kashmir has been witnessing relentless violence in which at least 40 people have been killed.

Alarmingly, it’s not just political polarisation that’s threatening to divide the state. For the first time in the history of the state, emotional polarisation has wedged a divide between the fragile Hindu-Muslim unity not only in Jammu and Kashmir but also across India.

Even as politicians, separatists, intellectuals and prominent members of the civil society debate and squabble for a “solution to the J-K problem”, CNN-IBN explores if there’s light at the end of the tunnel and if a reconciliation between the colliding voices from Jammu and Kashmir is possible.

On Weekend Edition with Rajdeep Sardesai, an eminent panel - comprising former deputy CM of J-K, Muzaffar Baig, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi, BJP’s Seshadri Chari, senior journalist Prem Shankar Jha, Hurriyat Conference Chairperson Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, spokesperson of Amarnath Sangharsh Samiti, Jitender Singh – suggested the following solutions and debated on them.

Solution no 1: Both sides need to move away from extreme positions

At the heart of this solution lies the basic question: Why does a 40-acre piece of land given for a Hindu pilgrimage create such uproar? Baig agreed it was time for a compromise as the situation was worsening. “In Kashmir we welcome yatris. The only issue is whether it should be permanently transferred or the infrastructure should be issued only in the time for yatra,” he said, saying PDP had no problems giving out the land for the three months of yatra, along with infrastructure.

Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, however, veered away from a clear answer and said asking this question reflected on the confusion that’s prevalent in the media about the issue. “Nobody is against providing facilities to the yatris. That’s been taken care of by government. Why do you need a government or a court order for the use of the land?” he asked.

Jitender Singh of the Sangharsh Samiti said before arriving at a solution it was important to draw a line between the anti-national rhetoric and pro-India struggle. At this point, Prem Shankar Jha intervened and said he disagreed with Singh. “I am more of a nationalist than this man will ever be. I have given back to country more. The only anti-national people are those who are blockading the Valley of Kashmir,” he said.

Jitender returned to his point and said the said land belonged “as much to Jitender Singh as to Mirwaiz”. He alleged the real hurt to the psyche of Kashmiris was caused by the revocation of the order on the land at the behest of certain Separatist voices. “Even the mainstream parties like the PDP also got into the game of one-upmanship,” he said.

Upon being asked if he was okay with the land being given for yatra purposed for three months, Jitender agreed provided it was a “respectable allotment”.

Sheshadri Chari joined the debate and said the land was never transferred to the Amarnath Shrine Board in the first place and so there was no question of an allotment. He said the revocation of land was the actual problem. “The land was transferred by the PDP ministry. The government never spoke of it,” he said. BJP appeared to have the opinion that the land must be given back to Amarnath Shrine Board which must be reconstituted.