Home Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram’s recent Kashmir visit has proved to be very significant. His visit gave peace-building a new chance and a new direction when he said problems like Kashmir can be resolved. In his interactions with media persons he made certain vital points on the most critical issues that J&K is facing.
Rejecting the possibility of copying or importing a solution, Home Minister said they are working on a “unique solution” that should be acceptable to larger section of masses. This, he said, is because J&K has unique geographical identity and history, which will be considered while pursuing a solution. He stopped short of accepting Kashmir as a dispute, a major demand that many separatists have been making for a long time. To a question that if New Delhi still sees Kashmir as an integral part of the union, Home Minister said he does not want to be dragged into verbal gymnastics.
Chidambaram was forthright in saying that the talks can not be held in the full glare of media. He refused to give details other than the dialogue is going to be a quiet exercise till the ‘broad contours of a political solution’ is arrived at.
Holding talks secretly is nothing new in trouble spots. It has been happening almost everywhere from Colombo to Ireland but it is the time that is a huge concern. For around fourteen years Westminster had been involved in talks with Irish insurgents before Good Friday accord could materialise – many years after the system was formalized and the White House intervened. In case of Kashmir more than two decades of mayhem and destruction have already taken place and the ‘quiet diplomacy’ is now starting!
The other concern in Home Minister’s statement is that all shades of opinion would be involved. This part has the potential of triggering a larger problem. If it means involving different sections on basis of their faith, culture, language or climate, it will mean more fragmentation. The reality on ground in J&K is that there is only one division – those who question the status of J&K in Indian union and those who don’t. Obviously there are sections within the unionist camp like NC (seeking autonomy) and PDP (keen to get self rule) but fundamentally the separatists are a class apart. If the secret talks involve them, the time overruns on this front could be managed even after two decades of filling the cemeteries in length and breadth of J&K.
