Eliminating militancy won’t end the Kashmir problem, A S Dulat says

SRINAGAR — Amarjit Singh Dulat, former chief of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and the former special director of the Intelligence Bureau (IB), on Monday said that eliminating militancy in Kashmir would not end up the problem but it must be redressed politically.

“Whether it is an operation all out or half out. Security forces are doing a great job. They have to do their job. But the problem in Kashmir will not end up with elimination of militancy but it has to be redressed politically,” he said in a telephonic interview.

He said that New Delhi may be talking to ‘some people’ in Kashmir through various channels. “But Kashmiri people are very wise. If there is any dialogue going on, it must go in open and prominently,” he said.

He added that he used to say that a common Kashmiri wants peace and friendship between India and Pakistan. “But now, I think, Kashmiri people want to return to normalcy.”

He added that assembly elections in J&K are going to be held not before 2021. “There is no political process or political activity going on in Kashmir. When the political process commences, there must be involvement of Delhi and all the political parties in it,” he said while replying to a query.

He added that coming together of six political parties in J&K is a positive development. “These political parties met. Obviously, when some people assemble (meet), something has to come out. Therefore, they came out with the statement (Gupkar Declaration),” he said, adding: “the similar declaration was made on August 4, 2019.”

Dulat had held a “secret meeting” with Dr Farooq Abdullah when later was detained under Public Safety Act after the abrogation of Article 370.

It is to mention here that in a joint statement, six political parties in Jammu and Kashmir have reiterated that they are committed to strive for the restoration of Article 370 and 35-A.

“We are committed to strive for the restoration of Articles 370 and 35-A, the Constitution of J&K and the restoration of the State and any division of the State is unacceptable to us. We unanimously reiterate that there can be “nothing about us without us,” NC President, Farooq Abdullah, PDP President Mehbooba Mufti, JKPCC chief G. A. Mir, CPI(M) leader M. Y. Tarigami, JKPCC leader Sajad Gani Lone and ANC leader Muzaffar Shah had said in a joint statement.