Repeat of ‘Ramazan ceasefire’ may set the stage for dialogue

Arun Joshi

Tribune News Service

It will require political and diplomatic statesmanship to achieve a “lasting solution” to the Kashmir crisis as the mountain of challenges is higher than ever before, given the scale of anger and distrust. It would be imprudent to expect quick results of such a complex issue, in which the neighbouring country has invested so much to fuel the anti-India campaign.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s promise on Monday to secure a “permanent and lasting solution through dialogue” has been followed up by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s visit to Kashmir to start work on the political process through dialogue. This can gain further credibility if a healing touch is applied and the bold step taken by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee of declaring ceasefire is replicated.

In the immediate context, Modi’s statement of describing the agitating youth and the injured security personnel as “our people” should help redeem the volatile situation that has left 68 dead and thousands more injured in the past seven weeks.

Rajnath Singh’s mandate is clear: to look at the surface of the situation, anger beneath, and the possible solutions within the parameters defined in the Indian Constitution. First, the wounds need to be healed, then the discussions can deliver the results, which a majority of population across the state is looking forward to.

Of course, the separatists are not happy with the rider of the dialogue “within the (Indian) Constitution”. But, the fact remains that no government in Delhi, past, present or in future can overstep this limit. Moreover, the Indian Constitution and democracy offer a vast scope for resolving the toughest of tough matters.

This is as much a reality as the deepening alienation and growth of a new generation brought up on the “hate India” narrative. Peace may dawn, but the anti-India sentiment will stay on unless a profound meaning is given to “our people” with immediate follow-up actions on the ground to soothe the nerves not only in the Valley but also in the rest of the state. Otherwise, Delhi may address a part of the problem because Jammu and Ladakh want their empowerment too. The people of these regions do not want to be taken for granted.

Now the stakeholders have an opportunity, which can be grabbed if the fight between “our people”(protesters) and “our people” (security personnel) is brought to a permanent halt. People may not be speaking out and may be adhering to protest calendars of separatists, but they certainly want this cycle of violence to end without getting inflicted with a sense of defeat.

While talking to “our people” is never a question of victory or defeat. Let the Centre understand this. It should borrow a leaf from the page of Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s era —- “Ramazan ceasefire”. It could be a ceasefire in the run-up to “Eid-ul-Zuha”, a big Muslim festival falling on September 12. It can set the stage for a fruitful dialogue.

There is a huge difference. That time in 2000-2001 (the Ramazan ceasefire had lasted for six months from November 2000 to May-end 2001), the fight was against armed militants, there were no protester on the street. Dealing with this unrest poses a momentous challenge. The civil society that has been demanding a ban on pellet guns must come forward. Kashmir cannot, and should not lose more lives and eyes.