Time to change our thinking
Two contrasting realities are competing with each other in J&K - the brand of conflict and emerging normalcy. There are forces working to stop the march and revert it to bad old days of 1990s when violence reigned in all its forms with its reverberations felt across the world.
Things have changed is a given today. One set of conflict is nearing completion. The data analysis and situation on the ground shows huge transformation. The definition of the conflict that was part of Jammu and Kashmir for almost 30 years, that Kashmir is one of the major hotspots in the world, has been dissolved. The transformation has given a new hope to the landscape and now the work is on the post-conflict situation. On this count, there is no doubt whatsoever.
Peace-building in Kashmir was not viewed and accepted the way it was aimed at. A flood of developmental activity and inviting potential investors was twisted as unwanted by sections that believed their land and resources were being used against them. Fortunately, a vast majority understood that the development that they had been asking for decades had started visiting them. They understood the meaning and utility of a road, which besides easing their travel, helped their children dream at homes and schools. A road is not a pathway; it is way to realization of dreams.
The decisions were being made by the Government of India. J&K always looked for packages from Delhi to help them in reconstruction of their infrastructure and lives. So, it helped foster a bond, because this time it was not the package for a specific period or for a particular section or project, it was reflection of continued commitment, to rebuild J&K of its people’s dreams.
The Centre’s bold decisions to cut terrorism and enhance the connectivity were its own. There was no international intervention. The echoes of the yesteryears that the things should happen as per wishes of the people of J&K faded into oblivion. The international community was delivered a lesson in handling the difficult situation.
This gave a template of bringing peace in a conflict situation. It was not a smooth affair.
Pahalgam of April 22, 2025 gave a big jolt to the narrative of normalcy heading toward peace, but it did not stir the street violence, nor the bombs started exploding on highways, nor did the gunmen appear in dozens to fight the Indian army. There were no symbols of the gone-by era conflict, flags, protests and clashes. Life is moving on smoothly. That was the test and the strength of the sound foundation of building peace from the scratch.
This, however, led to a challenge hanging in air, whether the speed of normalcy can be maintained. These questions have risen because Pakistan, the biggest exporter of cross-border terrorism into India, particularly, Jammu and Kashmir, is continuing with its plan to destabilize the situation.
It was defeated in Operation Sindoor, and it will have to think hundreds of times before going in for any Pahalgam-type terror attack. The Operation Sindoor is not only an ultimate deterrent to cross-border terrorism, but it has declared that terror attacks will soon become thing of past. There is an element of residual militancy which will have to be taken care of. It may be very small but it cannot be left unattended. Therefore, this chapter of the conflict is yet to find its closure.
As Union Home Minister Amit Shah pointed it out time and again that decades of terrorism cannot be rolled back in a short time. It will take time before the decisive victory is scored over all the ills of terrorism and its tentacles that have spread all across the Himalayan territory for decades.
I think Centre has done two things: to understand Jammu and Kashmir as it is with facts and figures and its own interpretation of the events and decisions taken from time to time. Secondly, it has drawn its own goals vis-à-vis J&K – the complete integration of the territory and its people with the national mainstream. As a result of it, intensity was added to the anti-terrorism operations. The belief is simple; Zero tolerance toward terrorism will automatically create space for peace.
By abrogating Article 370, it started a discourse of no return to the pre-Article 370 days and ways. This clarity has drawn guidelines that the Centre will brook no dissension on it. This is loud and clear messaging to all within and outside of borders that the Modi government has cast the new history of J&K in stone, and it is irreversible.
The reality of the day is that the political leadership has long pitched for linking these decisions to permanent peace in J&K. The work has also been done. And the Centre is right, unless there is permanent sense of peace, nothing will work. Where there is no peace, neither politics nor economy works.
There may be an argument that J&K has seen unprecedented turmoil, trials and tribulations. Pakistan sponsored violence was served as an excuse for things going wrong. It is true. But when was that we heard our leaders to unveil vision of economic growth? Politics dominated every sphere and the economic prospects were discovered in subsidies and doles. Ironically, J&K became basket case whereas it had all the potential to lead many facets of the national economy. The youth is finding nowhere to go. The government is having no resources to grant government jobs to all, and there is no skill with the youth to try their hands on some other avenues. Our education system and environment were packaged in various brands of conflict. We created several brands of conflict and were happy to be counted in that line.
It is time to change our thinking.
