Low-key Mufti notches up gains in J & K

J&K: Hope gains over despair
Despite the inherent contradictions among coalition partners, Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed not only managed to keep his flock together but also scored a few firsts for his trouble-torn state, says Ehsan Fazili.

GIVEN the inherent contradictions among coalition partners, the way Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed managed to keep the flock together is by itself the miracle of the year. Those who believed that the multi-party coalition government would not continue beyond three months have been proved wrong. The credit for this is being given to Sayeed, who during the past one year succeeded in keeping the AICC president and opposition leader Sonia Gandhi as well as Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in good humour. The tussle between the BJP-led NDA government and the Congress at the national level was not allowed to have its fallout on the PDP-led multi-party coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir.

Over the past one year, the much-publicised "healing touch" policy of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed has been criticised by the National Conference as it overturned the NC's policy of fighting militancy with the help of the all-powerful Special Operations Group (SOG) of the J&K Police. The anti-militancy tactics of the SOG and Special Task Force (STF) of involving and landing even the innocent into trouble has been one of the major factors that created resentment among the people against the six-year -long regime of Farooq Abdullah.

What, however, goes to the credit of the Mufti government is its attempt to forge a serious dialogue between the separatists and the Union government. Through its active role, the government managed to elevate the level of negotiations to the highest possible level. Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani is now in charge. But the result of the split between the hardliners and the softliners in the All Party Hurriyat Conference is yet to be seen. The split becomes significant in view of Pakistan's assertion that there should be a flexible approach in resolving the Kashmir dispute between the two countries.

Though the militancy situation in the Valley still remains a major area of concern, the state has managed to host several national- level events and meetings thereby giving out positive signals about the improvement in situation. These events included two visits of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to Kashmir during the year. The first one in April was significant as it resulted in the extension of hand of friendship to Pakistan. In a way, it was a precursor to the announcement of confidence- building measures between the two countries during the later half of the year. The snapped road, rail and air links between the two neighbouring countries are now being restored and the direct beneficiaries would be Kashmiri people.

Vajpayee's second visit was to attend the Inter State Council meet in Srinagar in August. It was a unique meeting in the sense that for the first time it was held outside the national capital. Another first was the Congress Chief Ministers' conclave that was attended among others by the AICC president and leader of the opposition Sonia Gandhi. She also held the historic public meeting in Baramulla to distribute orders of government appointments to the next of kin of victims of militants' violence. The move was significant as it endorsed the "healing touch" policy of the coalition government. It was also endorsed by the Central government when the Prime Minister distributed such orders of appointment at his public meeting in Srinagar's Sher-e-Kashmir Stadium on April 18.

In order to attract and woo foreign as well as domestic tourists to Kashmir, an international Golf championship was also held at the newly established Royal Springs Golf Course early this year. The event was used by the chief minister to woo Delhi- based missions of various foreign countries and prompt them to reconsider their adverse advisories to tourists from their countries.

The militancy situation has also witnessed a slight improvement as compared to previous years, though there have been many incidents of killing of civilians and custodial deaths. According to official estimates, militancy-related incidents have decreased by 16 per cent this year with 23 per cent decrease in civilian killings. According to official figures, 919 civilians were killed this year. About 436 security forces personnel were killed while fighting militants while 1580 militants were eliminated.

This decrease in militancy -related incidents with more militants being killed has led to increase in the tourism activity as well. There were a record number of 1.50 lakh tourists, including both domestic and foreign, who visited the valley this year. This excludes the 1.40- lakh Amarnath pilgrims that visited the cave shrine in the upper reaches of Pahalgam in south Kashmir. This was an incident free yatra after several years. Over 50,000 Kashmiri Pandits drawn from different parts of the country attended the annual pilgrimage at Tulla Mulla near Ganderbal, about 30 kms northeast of Srinagar.

The Chief Minister has been of the view that the situation has improved a lot during the past one year and there has been a discernible change in the mood of the people who have suffered immensely due to militancy. For him the announcement of various confidence-building measures between India and Pakistan, including the much hyped re-opening of Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road with riders from the Pakistan government, have eased the growing tension in this trouble-torn state. But, that is not the end of the road. All eyes are set on the restoration of friendly relations between India and Pakistan with the resolution of the Kashmir issue. In fact, the measures that have been taken during the past one year and the results that have come by may go a long way in resolving the issue and for restoration of peace in Jammu and Kashmir.