WITH THE TRIFURCATION OF J&K, THE CHOICE TO LIVE WITH ARTICLE 370 OR ABROGATE IT SHOULD BE LEFT TO THE THREE STATES. AT THE SAME TIME, STEPS TOWARDS ABROGATION OF INDUS WATER TREATY SHOULD BE TAKEN UP WITHOUT DELAY

That the Jammu and Kashmir problem has been grossly mishandled right from the start needs no recalling. What is of concern is that it continues to be mismanaged. Killing a known terrorist led to widespread disturbance, loss of life and injuries to hundreds, including police personnel. Stonepelting has become a routine form of protest, where those indulging in this unlawful activity are paid Rs 200 to Rs 500 a day. That the authorities have failed to track down the source of this money and those making these payments, speaks volumes of the poor state of administration, intelligence and the law and order. Those instigating these protests from the precincts of mosques too have been given a free run. Else by now most of those indulging in anti-national activities should have been rounded up.

Given the unrest in the valley, Pakistan was expected to not only exploit the situation but also give impetus to the disturbance by staging cross-border raids in continuation of its policy of ‘thousand cuts’. That the Uri attack has caused so many casualties speaks volumes about the equally poor state of alertness and security arrangements at the military camp.

WATER WAY OUT

While there is much chest-beating and clamour in India for an immediate and strong retaliation, what is not being appreciated is that India has been left with few options. In any case, the political class needs to enunciate its policy taking into account the full ramifications of it, and leave it to the military to execute it in the manner it finds appropriate.

At the diplomatic level, to hope that concerted efforts by India can result in Pakistan being declared a terrorist state by the United Nations is to overlook the veto power of China. In any case, diplomacy has never been India’s asset.

What is possible, and must be played out to full, is the abrogation of the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan.

After all, terrorism and friendly treaties cannot go hand in hand. There is, therefore, the need to put both Pakistan and World Bank on notice. The Indus water treaty was negotiated through the World Bank. To let Pakistan know that we are serious about abrogating this treaty, work on diverting waters of the Chandrabagha tributary of the Chenab river into the Beas at Manali needs to be started. At the same time, India should begin work on the Salal Dam to convert it from a run-of-the river project to a storage dam.

hese steps alone will be enough to make Pakistan fall in line.

Much of the discontent in the Valley is hype. There is no absolute poverty there as it is in other parts of Jammu and Kashmir or parts of India. Billions of rupees that the Indian government has been doling out to the state since Independence have mostly been deployed in the Kashmir Valley. Admittedly, a good part of these funds have ended up in political and bureaucratic pockets. What India has been overlooking is the imperatives of the trifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir into three independent states: Kashmir Valley, including areas across the Nasthachun Pass, Jammu region, including KishtwarDoda, and Ladakh, including Kargil, Zanskar, and Nubra Valley.

BANE OF ARTICLE 370

While Article 370 has been a major impediment to economic development of Jammu and Kashmir, those in the valley have been made to believe that its abrogation will be their ruin. This line has suited the political class and others with vested interest to the great disadvantage of the common man.

With Article 370 in place, no large-scale industry has come to the state. No major investment from outside has taken place in the tourist industry though the scope for it in Jammu and Kashmir is enormous. Nor has the state drawn any outside investment in education and healthcare.

Article 370 has resulted in the stagnation of price of properties and land. The absence of industrialisation has denied the youth lakhs of jobs, which industry and tourism would have, otherwise created. Therefore, unemployment haunts the youth who have become more disgruntled not only in Kashmir but also in the rest of the state. In the valley, they are easily exploited by the separatists and the Inter Services Intelligence of Pakistan, pinning the cause of their distress on India.

With the trifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir, the choice to live with Article 370 or abrogate it should be left with the three states. At the same time, steps towards the abrogation of the Indus Water Treaty should be taken up without any delay and dithering.