Hai Kashmir!!!

This is the cry of a desperate heart. Like the proverbial phoenix, the problems in Kashmir keep rising every time one seems to think that everything is getting better. The state government had almost completed its term this time and another fair election would have gone a long way in solidifying the democratic spirit. Alas! That was not to be. Who is to blame? Opportunisitc PDP and its leader, the state government, the governor or the sleeping and utterly incapable our home minister. May be all of them and may be all of us. Dont know. The damn problem of Kashmir has become too big and complex to be understood by professional security experts, leave aside amateurs like me. Like a cronic cancer in India's face (geographically), Kashmir makes a mockery of our democratic principles and institutions.

It was ok for India to have a problem like Kashmir when India was a nobody in the comity of nations. Today, we almost single-handedly turn the tables on the developed nations at forums like WTO. Today, we can negotiate an exception of monumental consequences (Nuclear deal). But still today, we can not or are unable to do anything about the problem named Kashmir. What a pity!

I wonder if Kashmir would still be a problem for us when my generation reaches the half century. For our generation, Kashmir was heaven in books and has always been hell in reality. A bomb blast in Kashmir (and Jammu) killing 10 people generates markedly less awe than a similar event in any other part of India. It is almost as if we expect nothing better from Kashmir. Heaven turned into inferno. What a shame!

Long before, I read Tavleen Singh (India Today) in an article where she argued that its only a pro-hindu party like BJP which can negotiate and solve the vexed issue. To her credit, Vajpayeeji did cover a lot of ground in solving this problem. However, the current BJP and its leadership behave like they are the agents of ISI - doing everything to polarize Indians along communal lines. It has been a really long time since its leader displayed original thought process. The current problem in Kashmir presented (and presents) a golden opportunity to display some leadership skills. He wants to be known as the new Sardaar (Patel). Then why not display some of Patel's thinking - judicious use of cajoling and coaxing to further national integration.

It is foolish to expect anything from our current home minister. Our Prime Minister has many qualities but handling a politically vexed problem like Kashmir is not one of them. Likewise for our finance minister who is anyway busy fighting bad economics right now. The one person who has the right political skills to set things right is Pranab Mukherji. He must lead the all party delegation to come to a temporary solution for now.

Permanent solution is and is likely to remain a dream for a long while in Kashmir.