'Kashmir Could Lead To A Nuclear Accident If There Are No Talks'

In Kashmir, the students are protesting in the streets demanding azadi, while the Election Commission of India has cancelled the Lok Sabha bypolls in Anantnag. Mirwaiz Umer Farooq of the All Parties’ Hurriyat Conference, who is under “house arrest”, tells Naseer Ganai in a telephonic interview that New Delhi knows whom to talk to in Jammu and Kashmir, but wants to avoid dialogue. “It is not a question of whom to talk to, but what to talk about,” says Mirwaiz.

 

- Mirwaiz Umer Farooq

Looking at the large-scale protests in Kashmir, especially by students, some people have been saying that those out in the streets have been radicalised beyond the control of separatist leaders and political parties. They see anarchy on the ground. What do you think?

No doubt the situation is serious. The people are fed up with the status quo, with its many uncertainties. They want it to end. They have been living for decades in the midst of political conflict in the world’s most-densely militarised zone. There is extreme repression at all levels and the people, especially the youngsters, will obviously react to it—even violently and radically sometimes.

The BJP government at the Centre seems to think there is no need to talk with the separatists as the young people of Kashmir are not listening to them any way and so, even if talks were held, nothing will change in the Valley…

I don’t know what they mean. It’s just a way of addressing a constituency in India that is questioning the government’s policies and wants them to act, which they don’t want to. It’s not as if the youngsters are out there for the fun of it. There is an obvious context to what is happening here. Kashmir is a political problem about the political sentiments and aspirations of the masses, including the youth. The moment New Delhi acknowledges it and decides to address it, the situation on the ground will automatically change.

Whom should the Centre talk to? Should it not talk to pro-India politicians such as Mehbooba Mufti or Omar Abdullah, whose parties—the National Conference (NC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)—have talked of self-rule and autonomy?