Kashmir Is Simmering

S.A.S.

On August 30 the patron of People's Democratic Party (PDP) Mufti Muhammad Sayeed warned New Delhi of "bigger rebellion" if it ignored the Kashmir Coordination Committee (CC) and took "unilateral decision" on land crisis. The New Delhi, however, did not pay any heed to Sayeed's warning and a day after his statement did exactly what the former chief minister feared.

If media reports are anything to go by then the brief lull in Kashmir, due to severest-ever curfew imposed by authorities, will not last long. The volcano is simmering and it can explode at any time.

Shri Amarnath Yatra Sangarsh Samiti (SAYSS), which spearheaded the agitation in Jammu, called off protests after the government agreed upon transfering 100 acres of land at Baltal and Domail on temporary basis.

A curfew was imposed in Jammu to stop people from participating in a "victory rally".

"More than 300,000 people may take part (in the victory rally) and there's a threat of militants disrupting the rally," Deputy Commissioner of Police Jammu, Mandeep Bhandari said.

Although, a juiliant crowd of hundreds of people defied curfew and filled the streets. Ironicaly, the policemen deployed to stop processions were seen dancing with the marchers.

"The shrine board will now exclusively use the land during the pilgrimage period," said Leela Karan Sharma, the head of SAYSS. "We are temporarily suspending our strike."

The decision, albeit, did not come as a surprise. Reports were doing rounds for more than a week that the honchos in New Delhi were making plans to temporarily transfer 100 acres of land to Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) with an intent to "tackle Jammu agitation".

“We are placing so much emphasis on reducing the agitation in the Jammu region because as long as that agitation persists, the likelihood of the crowd coming onto the National Highway will remain,” India’s National Security Adviser (NSA) MK Narayanan told Karan Thapar on CNN-IBN TV channel’s programme ‘Devil’s Advocate’ (Aug 30). Interestingly, the same man had earlier denied reports of highway blockade by Hindu fanatics.

Narayanan admitted the transfer of land to Amarnath was wrong and should have been avoided.

Reports also suggested that the Intelligence Bureau (IB) was directed to take "proper stock of the situation" in the state before any such move was announcement.

Soon after the news of land transfer reached Kashmir, hundreds of protestors filled streets across Srinagar city to protest against the "unilateral" decision, and demanded the release of seperatist leaders. Police used teargas and fired into air to disperse the protestors. At least, ten protestors were hurt.

The protest took place when authorities briefly relaxed a curfew imposed to prevent pro-freedom rallies.

While the pro-India National Conference (NC) and Congress welcomed the decision, People's Democratic Party (PDP) condemned it and termed it "a move to disrespect the popular sentiments in Kashmir". The party president Mehbooba Mufti said that any decision on this "sensitive matter" should have been taken only with consensus and after consultation with the Kashmir Coordination Committee and civil society.

"All voices of peaceful dissention in Kashmir have been muzzled throwing democratic norms to winds and by contrast the government has gone out of its way to provide space to the sword wielding cadres' of communal forces who are receiving ideological and material reinforcement from outside the State," she said. "Our party had cautioned the Government of India against any such approach, but unfortunately no consensus was created between the political parties in Kashmir on the solution."

Strong condemnations also came from the Coordination Committee (an amalgam of Hurriyat, and representatives of various political, religious, social and traders organizations). The decision can further deteriorate the situation in the crippled valley. However, in the wake of any untoward incident, the police and paramilitary forces have been armed to teeth to quill the protestors with "iron fist". Anticipating a mass uprising in the valley, New Delhi has already airlifted thousands of canes and tear smoke canister to Kashmir.

The government has misread the equation and it is repeating the same old mistake again.