For a long time we have been witnessing conflicting reports and contradictions between the security agencies at work in Jammu and Kashmir - almost ever since Militancy broke out in the state in 1989. This has been one important factor responsible for less than adequate response to the challenge the militants have thrown up. Unfortunately, the Authorities have been brushing it aside as part of the game. The fact is that such contradictions are there because of the turf war amongst different wings of the intelligence apparatus, the Army, the police and the civil authorities.
The malady is not confined to the ground level. It is visible even in Delhi. Last week the Rajya Sabha was told by a minister that 299 terrorists had infiltrated into India in the first six months of the current year. The next day the Lok Sabha was informed by another minister that the number was 169. True, the assessments by two different ministers could be slightly different. But such a big difference in figures within 24 hours! It only indicates lack of coordination and communication at the ministerial level as well.
Again, when the reports came in of two army men having been arrested in Jammu and Kashmir for their alleged links with Lashkar-e-Toiba a few days ago, the Home and the Defence ministries spoke in two different voices.
The irony is that there is a full fledged unified command in position in Srinagar, in which the Army, police, the intelligence agencies and the civil authorities are represented. It is headed by no less a person than the State Chief Minister. It is at this forum that the information is exchanged and decisions taken about the course of action after weighing pros and cons of the situation. Why should then there be contradictory accounts?
In such a situation, what are the chances of a compromise solution emerging at the meetings of the all-important working group that is to deal with the sensitive subject of relations between New Delhi and Srinagar? The group was constituted by the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh during the second Round Table Conference in Srinagar. Headed by former Chief Justice of India, Justice A.M.Ahmadi, the group has to have representatives not only from all major political parties but also different regions of the state.
Now consider contradictions of a different kind. Forget about the separatist organizations like the Hurriyat Conference and others, even the National Conference would naturally stick to its demand of Autonomy. Understandable. As the ruling party four years ago, the National Conference spearheaded passage of a resolution on autonomy in the state assembly. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Mufti Mohammed Sayeed is talking of self-rule. The Congress wants strengthening of the Article 370 in the Constitution which gives special status to the state, but the BJP wants its outright abrogation.
Region wise, Jammu wants total integration of the State with rest of India but Kashmir has been demanding some kind of Autonomy. Ladakh wants a union territory status for itself.
In such a complex situation the possibility of arriving at a consensus is quite dim. Add to it, the contradictions emanating from the Center, the confusion is worst confounded. Take the Office of Profit issue. It was the Congress which first raised the bogey to see the exit of Jaya Bachhan (Samajwadi party) from the Rajya Sabha. It did not visualize that it could recoil on it in a big way. What was the Law minister doing? Did he not know the repercussions?
The Center seems to be scoring one self–goal after another. It seems to have lost the track in resolving the issues at home. The situation is getting grim by the day. It needs a more organized and determined response to the events in Jammu and Kashmir. More so after the Hurriyat Conference took the authorities literally for a ride by first making the Center to hold the second Round Table Conference in Srinagar and then staying away from the meet.
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