Unrest in Kashmir: PM's Statement on Kashmir

I welcome the Prime Minister's statement on Kashmir in which he accepted Kashmir as an issue concerned with the right of common Kashmiris to live with dignity, which find its origin 63 years back with the independence of Indian State. He acknowledged the resent of common Kashmiris is there due to various reasons which have barred them from dignified life.

PM also mentioned the taboo of autonomy in his speech. And by expressing his willingness to have this issue on table if all political parties develop a consensus on same, he has taken a newer turn in the policy. Though the condition he put for tabling the issue is completely ambiguous as none of the rightist parties would ever agree to this proposal.

In his address PM also made an effort to reach to common Kashmiris. He did mention about the economic package and powerful local governance, which could otherwise, has the capability to address the various grievances of a common man struggling for the basic necessities of life in the valley, if implemented successfully in the same spirit as proposed.

There are however certain voices from the valley which term it as very little and very late. This might seems true after seeing the deaths and the injuries that happened on the ground in the Kashmir. However, this is the opportunity that can be seen as a new start.

May be there is very little on the table for the time being, but it could be considered as a beginning, a beginning in the right direction. It is to be accepted that any side which is serious for the resolution of this issue couldn't run from talks anymore or couldn't dictate conditions in the pre-talk phase itself.

All stakeholders should have to understand that the big issues couldn't be put on discussion on the day one of the talk itself. There are various levels of modalities in which all stakeholders need to get involved to design the agenda of discussion. So, one need to be involved in the processes without any prejudices or diktats, considering the complex nature of the Kashmir situation; and try to resolve with involvement in peaceful and democratic manner while avoiding any kind of clash, which would otherwise only hit the life of common Kashmiris, for whose stake all parties are raising their slogans.