EU’s Kashmir call
Just a day after a European Union delegation comprising 23 members were called in for getting first hand information on Kashmir, the EU issued a strong statement calling on India and Pakistan to start a bilateral dialogue and end any escalations on the borders over Kashmir.
Not only did the EU call for a meaningful dialogue but also stressed on a need for a political solution to the Kashmir issue that has been on the forefront of discussions and debates after the Union government abrogated the special status of the state on August 5 by doing away with Article 370 and 35A.
India and Pakistan have been at loggerheads since August 5 after the centre announced withdrawal of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir besides bifurcating it into two union territories.
Pakistan has since then downgraded diplomatic ties with New Delhi and expelled the Indian envoy. It also tried its best to raise the Kashmir issue at all international forums including the United Nations where Pakistan PM Imran Khan spoke at length about the Kashmir issue and the need to resolve it to strengthen peace and amity in south Asian region.
However, India has asserted that the abrogation of Article 370 was its internal matter with New Delhi asking Islamabad to accept the reality and stop its anti-India rhetoric.
The statements and the counter arguments by Pakistan and India notwithstanding, Kashmir has been on the edge since the day the union government announced the decision to scrap the special provisions the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir enjoyed.
Kashmir has witnessed a severe clampdown with schools and colleges shut since August 1. The phone connections including landlines were snapped only to be restored partially after a break of nearly two months. Internet still continues to be in suspension mode and trade and commerce too has come to a grinding halt.
Under such circumstances EU’s call for dialogue and finding a political solution to Kashmir stands tall as the situation in Kashmir demands that a dialogue process needs to be started immediately with people of Kashmir too given a hearing and participation in it.
No country in today’s world order can afford to fight a war with its own people. In a world where human and democratic rights reign supreme the will of the people has to be taken into account and ignoring their aspirations for too long cannot prove to be any solution.
The union government too needs to act responsibly and take into account the will of the people. The decision to scrap the special provisions of the state have a deep bearing on the entire region and this includes people of Jammu, Kargil and other regions as well.
KV Network
