The genocide of over 32 Hindus in Doda district on the eve of Prime Minister’s meeting with the moderate Hurriyat, is most contemptible. Since 2001, over 219 Hindus have been gunned down by terrorists.

While the Hurriyat has half-heartedly condemned the killings, it is mind-boggling that separatists, at whose behest such killings take place sporadically, aimed at changing the demographic structure in Jammu and Kashmir, have no shame on them to blame the Indian Army for the brutal act.

Lashkar-e-Toiba, the Pakistan-based hydra-headed terrorist organization, has held the security forces responsible for the May one Doda carnage. The terrorists have struck in the district several times in the past, killing Hindus. The Lashkar has not just stopped at blame game, but in a unique way, it has issued a ‘decree’ that it wanted to know who they (security forces) were.

In a brazen manner, the militant outfit has asked: “We wish they are identified and if they are; we will carry out fidayeen (suicide) attack on their units”. In other words, instead of accepting the responsibility, the Lashkar has indicted the security forces. It is most spiteful. This is just to hide their cowardice, the essential ingredients of which are to speak untruth and unbelievable. The militants lie through their teeth to prove their cowardice. The sinners have no qualms.

This sort of malicious propaganda is being carried out by such elements in connivance with Muslim fundamentalists and separatist groups, aided and abetted by Pakistan, which has been declared as a ‘failed state’, along with Bangladesh, where ISI is actively engaged in anti-India activity.

The Doda massacre should have been at the top of the agenda of talks with the six-member Hurriyat delegation, led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. Instead, it was just discussed as an afterthought issue. The Prime Minister should have discussed about ethnic cleansing threadbare with the separatists; or at least agreed to talk about the burning problem separately. The ethnic cleansing has been rapidly changing the fabric of the Hindu society in the state since militancy erupted in 1989-90. It cannot be allowed to continue unabated.

Is India waiting for an ‘opportunity’ to acquire the status of a ‘failed state’ like Pakistan? According to a survey, conducted by the Washington-based “Foreign Policy” magazine, a failed or failing State is one where among other things, there is simmering ethnic tension; where Government does not have effective control of its territory and does not provide domestic security or basic services to its citizens. The Failed State Index Ratings has been prepared by the Fund for Peace and Foreign Policy, and published by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

The Hurriyat, claiming to represent the entire state, ought to have slammed the militants in a forthright manner for butchering the Hindus; first in Kashmir and later in Jammu, creating anarchy in the beleaguered state. The Hurriyat, speaking ambiguously, sought to toe the line of firebrand Jamaat-e-Islami leader Syed Ali Geelani, heading a breakaway group of the Hurriyat, who has described the terrorists as ‘freedom fighters’.

“No genuine freedom fighter or true Muslim will indulge in such acts”, Geelani said. The secessionists are adopting a dubious role to justify their ends. Geelani does not believe that the carnage has been committed by the ‘freedom fighters’ like the Lashkar. He has asked for a probe by a ‘neutral international organization’ to find out the truth.

The Mirwaiz in a similar vein, like Geelani, has talked about ‘huge vested interests’ while referring to the Doda incident. He has failed to condemn the killings. Instead he says “The vested interests need to be checked from both sides”. What can be construed from such a vague statement? Be as it may, very few national dailies have commented in their editorials about the Doda carnage. Because the target of attack is the minority Hindu community in Jammu and Kashmir, where over 3.5 lakh Hindus, or call them Kashmiri Pandits, have been hounded out from their ancestral land of birth.

The Hurriyat Conference, claiming to represent the three regions of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh, does not find courage to criticise the militant outfits for their brutal acts. The Hurriyat leaders are under security cover. The state Government has dished out Rupees one crore for their security during the last financial year. Amazingly, the South Block mandarins in New Delhi are of the firm view that militants have butchered 32 Hindus just out of frustration.

The Prime Minister is understood to have told the Hurriyat that India is ready to discuss out-of-the-box solutions to resolve the Kashmir issue. What kind of solutions he has in mind, which are likely to emerge at the Round Table Conference, called by him in Srinagar this month, is to be seen.

The Hurriyat seems to have discussed among other things with the PM about self-rule, the concept of the ‘United States of Kashmir ‘ and so-called Kathwari proposals on Kashmir, since rejected by the Centre. Even secessionists have rejected the self-rule and joint management type of formulae for Kashmir.

It took India 22 years to deal with Kashmir leader Sheikh Abdullah before Indira Gandhi-Abdullah Accord was reached in early 1975. How many years it will take to tackle the Hurriyat conglomerate is a matter of conjecture. But people of Kashmir want just peace and democratic fervour to prevail. It was apparent from the mood of the electorate and the highest ever turnout of voters in the recent by-polls.

About 800 people have been gunned down by the militants for exercising franchise during the past few years, but still the electorate is determined to vote for democracy. This aspect is totally ignored by the Centre and the secessionists. Neither has been drawn any lesson from the people’s sacrifices.

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