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HOME | NEWS | COLUMNISTS | ARVIND LAVAKARE |
October 15, 2002
NEWSLINKS |
Arvind Lavakare
New deal a must for J&KWhile the electoral eclipse of the autocratic Abdullah dynasty and its non-governing National Conference has opened the gates of hope for the future of the commoner in Jammu and Kashmir, the state could well go from the frying pan into the fire if the People's Democratic Party takes its poll agenda too seriously in its role of a major partner in the coalition that is getting set to rule from Srinagar.That is the clear and present danger emanating from the past role of PDP's chief, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, during the 1986 genocide of Kashmiri Hindus in Anantnag which compelled K N Singh, the then general secretary of Congress (I), to openly accuse the then Congressman, Mufti, of fomenting what was a blatantly Islamic jihad. Sonia Gandhi, who proclaims her "secular," anti-communal credentials at every chance in every nook and corner of the country, would do well to read about that gory event at ikashmir.org before she finally decides to join hands with the one whom a Kashmiri Pandit has dubbed as "the butcher of Anantnag." The PDP believes that J&K is an international dispute, that a dialogue with Pakistan and with terrorists and separatists in the state is necessary, that the Special Operations Group -- the counter-insurgency arm of the state police -- and the Prevention of Terrorism Act have no role to play in the state. Now all this is an igniting ideology, preoccupation with which will distract all attention from what the J&K people need first and foremost: good governance, a burial of widespread corruption and nepotism, and unprecedented surge of socio-economic development, along with dedicated efforts to honourably resettle the thousands upon thousands of Kashmiri Pandits who, for a decade and more, have become refugees in their homeland, deprived of their belongings as well as their soul. Such a new deal alone can remove the state's all pervading discontent and gloom of the previous decade, create new aspirations and generally convince the people there that they are a part and parcel of the freedom-loving, friendly and forward-looking nation called India. As it is, there's the Vajpayee government's recently announced package of 60 billion rupees that's just awaiting the state government's active involvement so as to enable its transformation into reality. The major components of this package which, unfortunately, has not received the publicity it deserves, are as under:
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