Mehbooba Mufti is right on Vajpayee’s Kashmir approach, government should begin dialogue with separatists

The state of Jammu and Kashmir is bracing for another simmering summer in the Valley. The law and order situation is bad, the militancy is high and Pakistan is unabashedly fanning the anti-India sentiments. The dismal turnout in Kashmir by-polls and incidents of stone-pelting suggest that some sections of the Kashmiri population are disenchanted with the governments in the state and Centre. And the recent video of army’s transgression of the standard operating procedures has clearly not helped the prevailing situation. Considering the present situation in restive Kashmir, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti is right in saying that the state needs Atal Bihari Vajpayee-like initiatives to restore peace. The Modi government must pay attention to her demands.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti was blunt when she apprised the media about her talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday. She said there was no option in Kashmir but to hold talks. She stressed on the need to rely on the strategy of reconciliation more than confrontation. She further said that the government must reach out to the separatists for talks pretty much like the former NDA leaders AB Vajpayee and LK Advani. She said there were reasons why Vajpayee is revered in Kashmir. She added that Modi has assured that he would adopt Vajpayee’s approach. The big question is: to what extent Modi emulate Atal Bihari Vajpayee?

Atal Bihari Vajpayee had invented and applied a four-point formula to bring peace to the Valley. Vajpayee had engaged with the Hurriyat leaders. Mirwaiz Omar Farooq has been vocal about AB Vajpayee’s initiatives in Kashmir. Vajpayee had also pushed for massive investment and infrastructural development in the Valley. Despite grave provocations by Pakistan, the Vajpayee government didn’t allow the peace process to be derailed. He showed real intent to solve the Kashmir problems for good by engaging Pakistan. He had cut down on the presence of troop in Kashmir as part of reconciliations with the Kashmiris. His slogan, “Jamooriyat, Kashmiriyat, and Insaniyat” had been accepted by the people of the valley. However, the biggest asset with Vajpayee was his moderate image. The Narendra Modi government doesn’t have much of the leverage Vajpayee had at his time