WE WANT NOT WAR BUT SOLUTION TO KASHMIR PROBLEM
After the Uri attack at atmosphere of jingoism is being built which can lead the country to war. While war may be necessary for the rulers, no war is in the interest of common citizens. A India-Pakistan war has the added danger of converting into a nuclear war. People who are talking about war should be asked if they are prepared for a number of cities on both sides turning into Hiroshimas and Nagasakis? India and Pakistan have already fought four wars. There was no solution, neither was any of them so conclusive that a next one was not needed. Hence possibility of a solution emerging from war is slim. So, why should we even consider the option of war? Talk about war is sheer madness.
The reason behind war, the Kashmir problem needs to be solved so that in future no soldier or common citizen has to die. It is government’s responsibility to normalize the situation in Kashmir and talk to Pakistan so that a solution which is agreeable to all Kashmiris can be arrived at. While it is admirable that our soldiers are brave and are prepared to lay down their lives performing their duty, their lives are precious, especially for their family members. Why should we let them die unnecessarily? The government policy will determine how safe are our soldiers? The governments of India and Pakistan can instantly create friendship and in the next moment become treacherous enemies. The common citizens of the two countries meet with warm cordiality whenever they get a chance. Why should the soldiers have to pay with their lives for the whims and fancies of leaders?
It has been hardly two years for the Narendra Modi government and he has already faced two terrorist attacks. In addition to ruling the centre, Bhartiya Janata Party is also an alliance partner in Jammu & Kashmir. Situation has never been so bad in Kashmir. Why is it that with BJP coming to power situation inside the country and threat from outside becomes worse? Has it got something to do with the ideology and manner of functioning of BJP? The Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh, it’s ideological parent organisation, must introspect about this.
So far it was the Indian government which was trying to prevent the internationalization of Kashmir issue. But by raising the issue of Balochistan the Indian government is now responsible for internationalizing the issue. The Indian government has every right to raise the issue of Balochistan but its priority should be Kashmir. If over 80 people are killed in J&K over two months and we’ve to use pellet guns against people in which children lose their lives and some people lose their eyesight then it doesn’t send a very good message to the world. It is a proof that people of Kashmir are not with Indian government. India blames Pakistan for happenings in J&K. While it is true that some Kashmiri youth have received training in terrorism in Pakistan, when the children and women pick up stones against the security forces then it is a failure of our policies there. Without putting its house in order, blaming outsiders for every wrong in Kashmir doesn’t build any credibility for India internationally.
India wants the international community to label Pakistan a terrorist country. Why are no questions raised on the role of United States? There was a US citizen involved in the planning for attack on Mumbai, David Coleman Headley, about whom we don’t mention when we blame Paksitan for the attack. Why does the US continue to supply weapons to Pakistan in spite of the fact the Osama bin Laden, perpetrator of the 9/11 attack on twin towers and its biggest enemy in recent times, got refuge there? If our response is going to be dictated by our bias against Pakistan alone, we’ll never be able to stop these attacks on India.
We also need to secure our border against repeated infringements. It will be better that instead of investing in offensive armament we gave priority to modern equipment to make our borders secure. Leaders who play with the emotion of nationalism on such occasions must be asked how is it that terrorists enter out territory so easily without our intelligence agencies getting a whiff of it? People responsible for these lapses must be held accountable.
If the BJP government is hiding its failure in economic policies behind this jingoism then it is utterly shameful. It is a fact that not much investment has come in, in spite of Narendra Modi’s appeal in almost every country that he has visited to ‘make in India,’ process of privatization has accelerated with Modi’s friends like Ambani and Adani benefiting the most, there is no check on unemployment or price rise. In the middle of war mongering, decision about not to present a separate rail budget from next year and disinvestment in 17 loss making public enterprises raise an alarm. Is the government trying to thrust important financial decisions on the country amidst war hysteria?
We expect the government to stop talking about war and instead focus on finding solution to Kashmir problem. As a matter of state policy it should declared that India will have a peaceful and friendly relation with Pakistan. This can happen by an instant decision like the one taken by Narendra Modi when he decided to stopover in Pakistan on his way from Afghanistan. India and Pakistan have a shared culture which provides a ready-made basis for friendship. In any case, since Pakistan denies involvement in terrorist attacks over India, it should be convinced to join the peace effort. One thing which can help the process of normalization is increased interaction among citizens. A closer relationship among citizens of the two countries will also help resolve the Kashmir problem easily.
By Sandeep Pandey
Vice President, Socialist Party (India)
Lohia Mazdoor Bhawan, 41/557 Tufail Ahmed Marg, Narhi, Lucknow-226001
Ph: 0522 2286423, Mobile: 9415269790 (Praveen Srivastava)
e-mail: ashaashram@yahoo.com
