Readers' Forum

India vacillates

Dear Editor,
Kashmir issue affected by Pakistani's Internal Strife," screamed headlines in almost all national and local papers recently. This is a mere sham.
With an uncanny sense of imagination, eying the wooly and synthetic ground situation in Kashmir, I squarely hold Centre responsible for their lackadaisical attitude in dealing with the critical situation in the state. In the grim exigency of the situation dialogue ought to have been followed vigorously and not let lose to the whims and fancies of leadership. Real test of leadership is the ability to recognise the problem and to find a credible solution for the same.
Opening of roads, passport shops will lose all their shine if we fail to solve the kernel of the problem. Contentment and not threat perception is aim of life. Dialogue, conferences are the means and not an end in itself. But the way we proceed on nothing can be achieved. It demands continuity in dialogue, austerity of mind and thought and above all sincerity to take it to logical end. Taking up dialogue by fits and starts clearly indicates a non-chalant issue notwithstanding the fact. Death has assumed a statistics in the state. Amongst volcano of issues wisdom demand to sift and priortize them before it takes an ugly turn.
Observing Pak President Musharraf's keeness to solve the issue evinces his desire to end the impasse. I am sorry to say it has not been reciprocated in the very spirit with the result the unfortunate state has to remain in the state of vacillation. The time to repair the roof is when it is shining not in the hours not conducive to repair. Taking an advantage of Lal Masjid upheaval blocking the pace of dialogue, it is more sham than as sign of earnestness.
We have to find a solution, a political treatment which can be achieved only by chasing the issue continuously and not spasmodically.
Kashmir tangle is an unpaid debt handed down in legacy sixty years back. Things have reached to an apex now when it will be fool hardy to slur over it in sternest crisis. To every problem there is a remedy provided we apply mind and heart seriously and sincerely. We know house is on fire. We have to evolve every possible measures to douse it and not to watch it till it is reduced to members.
Beside time is best medicine to be seized in all the circumstances to free ourselves from tension. I feel the time is quite ripe and if there can be any solution on the issue it can be resolved in Musharraf's time otherwise not. While concluding it will be appreciable to maintain continuity in dialogue and decide the issue within time frame as time is the essence of contract, dialogue.
—PN Sus,
129 Surya Vihar, Bohri, Jammu

Time running out for Kashmiris

Dear Editor,
This refers to the statement of Indian Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh at a function on Sunday in Jammu where he proposed the turning of LoC into a line of peace with free flow of ideas, material and people across the border and land and water resources of entire J&K (including PAK) can be used jointly for the benefit of people of J&K living on both sides of LoC.
Manmohan further informed that rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits (KPs) will be done in Jammu and in other places, out of Kashmir valley.
This has angered Kashmiri Pandits because it tantamounts conferring permanent refugee tag to KPs and talks nothing about rehabilitating KPs in their original/native land, the Kashmir valley.
At the same time, this also tantamounts maintaining the status-quo where Kashmir will remain divided along LoC.
In this statement of Manmohan if we also add the statements of Musharraf given during last few months on Kashmir problem then it is quite clear that India and Pakistan both have raised their hands in solving core Kashmir problem which is nothing but unified Kashmir.
During partition of India in 1947 Punjabis and Bengalis were partitioned on the basis of religion but in case of Kashmiris the people having predominantly same religion and language have been partitioned along LoC hence status-quo suggested by both India and Pakistan, being absurd, can not be accepted by Kashmiris.
In this back drop of apathy of India, Pakistan and international community, Kashmiris should unite and for this some influential political party or organisation of Kashmiris should come forward and should openly take the responsibility of ensuring that all the willing KPs are rehabilitated back in Kashmir valley.
—Hem Raj Jain,
New Delhi -110075.