What the Kashmiris say is not misplaced. When signs of normality — easy flowing tourism in the Valley and absence of terrorist incidents — surface, the Centre slips into amnesia about taking forward its discussions with Kashmiri groups on exploring contours of the so-called Kashmir question (whatever it may be). Thus, round table

conferences under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the assurance of “insaniyat ke dayare mein baat-cheet” or appeals for talks within the framework of humanity when Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee visited Srinagar, or the famous “sky is the limit” observation of Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao from Burkina Faso to underline that any kind of future arrangement for Kashmir could be discussed within the four corners of the Indian Constitution, have come to matter less and less in the Valley, particularly for the young. Cynicism born out of this has made the youth putty in the hands of the new crop of right-wing hardliners who seek to revive the programme of preparing people for “jihad” in cahoots with Pakistan’s ISI. There is also another aspect to be borne in mind. When there is vibrancy in the air, the security services in Kashmir take their eyes off the ball. This permits the new jihadists to operate with freedom, and to silence contending points of view. Kashmir watchers have noted the new trend, but the state government and the Centre to remain oblivious.
The combination of the Centre’s disregard of Kashmir in normal times, and the silent spread of the Islamist far right have combined to produce the terrible toll of more than 60 dead in protest-related actions since June 11 this year. This has led to a discussion in Parliament which is a near replica of sterile parliamentary debates on Kashmir over two decades, a statement from Union home minister P. Chidambaram this week over re-starting dialogue and seeking to find “the elusive ‘starting point’”, and a fervent appeal from Dr Manmohan Singh to the police to find non-lethal ways to deal with volatile crowds. The last, again, is not new. Mr Chidambaram is at sea for two reasons. The newly emerged far right has terrified pro-dialogue elements that they will talk to the Centre on pain of violent death. The other reason is that New Delhi has done little to implement any part of the past discussions, even those to do with intra-region autonomy in J&K. The Prime Minister has undercut himself by talking of crowd control so late in the day, and by betraying no signs of seeking to open up political spaces.
India cannot countenance Kashmir being annexed by Pakistan or becoming a sovereign entity. This permits the easy resurrection of the hoary chestnut of “autonomy” (someone please spell this out), on which Dr Farooq Abdullah expounded with passion in Parliament. He, of course, means the pre-1953 position — one that obtained under Maharaja Hari Singh — that Sheikh Abdullah had hoped to preside over as maharajah redux (thus making a mockery of the “Quit Kashmir” anti-feudal movement in the Valley). In that event, there would be no connection between the Supreme Court and the Election Commission and J&K, and the non-application of the country’s progressive labour laws in the northern state. Nevertheless, the National Conference presses for “autonomy”. But we don’t know what the Centre thinks. Before Mr Chidambaram can inspire any confidence in his quiet search for dialogue, New Delhi can profitably adumbrate what it has in mind, and also make known that it will deal with the new jihadists with firmness.