Simplifying Kashmir
The new Union government has finally taken charge and few faces have come up which are quite new to the crucial assignments they have been handed over. One is the taking over of the Defence Ministry by veteran BJP leader Rajnath Singh and the other is Ministry of Home Affairs which is in direct control of master strategist Amit Shah. Both these ministries will play a key role in handling of the Kashmir situation which has been troubling the central governments for long now.
Though the Defence Ministry needs long term plans to come up with a master plan to ensure speeding up the long-delayed modernisation of the three services besides ensuring overall coherence in their combat readiness, it is the situation along the eastern borders and dealing with neighbouring Pakistan and the situation in Kashmir that the new defence minister will have walk an extra mile.
As Rajnath Singh takes charge of the ministry today it is just three months after India carried out air strikes on a militant training camp in Pakistan’s Balakot. Experts believe that it is expected that he will continue with the policy of hot pursuit in dealing with cross border infiltration and dealing with militancy in Kashmir.
Singh who had as Union Home Minister during the last five years appealed to a cross section of people in the trouble torn state of Jammu and Kashmir will have to come up something novel in order to get the civilian population in Kashmir and the army on the same page.
The second Ministry which everyone particularly in Kashmir will have its eyes fixed on is the Union Home Ministry as the ministry is now headed by BJPís incumbent President and master strategist Amit Shah who is credited with scripting the partyís stunning electoral successes since 2014.
Amit Shah who has shown a keen interest in Kashmir especially the diatribe the party initiated on some key issues like scrapping of Article 35A and 370 will have to frame a blue print for dealing with Kashmir quite meticulously.
Shah will have to resort to all inclusive working formula as the regional parties in the state of jammu and Kashmir have been up in arms against any move to tinker with either of the two articles that the BJP has vowed to scrap.
Shahís strategic acumen is likely to face its toughest-ever test in a Kashmir grappling with its most treacherous chapter since the militancy of the 1980s and 1990s.
Kashmir is currently dealing with a new phase of ënew age militancyí and the past several years have witnessed quite an upheaval in many parts of the valley.
With Shah being known to believe in strong-arm politics, his approach is being keenly watched here both with trepidation and also some anticipation about what will his taking over the all important MHA bring to the Kashmir valley.
The past several years beginning 2008, have been quite challenging for Kashmir and the security establishment here. The period has also been marked by a strenuous relationship with Pakistan, heightened recruitment in militancy and involvement of young boys with the militant outlook.
In such a backdrop the widening gap between New Delhi and the people of Kashmir needs a special attention and initiation of a political approach has to be adopted and a dialogue has to start with the people of Kashmir. A hardened approach as time has proven will not yield much.
KV Network
