The military and political line advanced in Kashmir by the Modi government has had catastrophic social, political and security consequences. But the government is not willing to change its tactic for reasons of expediency.
“For over two years, the veteran was repeatedly flagging the pitfalls in Kashmir. Now the whole system is bearing the brunt of being indifferent to his views, or responding almost flippantly.” This statement is from an informal interaction between two relatively young civil servants in the Union Home Ministry on May 3, the day on which the Ministry of External Affairs summoned Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit to record its outrage over the killing and mutilation of the bodies of two Indian soldiers in the Krishna Ghati sector of Poonch in Kashmir. These civil servants’ responsibilities in the Home Ministry include monitoring and facilitating certain areas of the functioning of a couple of Indian paramilitary forces that are operational in Kashmir. The veteran they were referring to was Amarjit Singh Dulat, the security affairs specialist, whose long innings in the Indian security establishment in various capacities included one as Adviser on Kashmir to Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee in 2001-04. Dulat’s stints in the security establishment, as chief of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and as Special Director, Intelligence Bureau, were marked by years of sustained information gathering and assessment in Kashmir. Not surprisingly, he is widely regarded as one of the most authentic and respected observers of Kashmir and related issues.
Denne historien er fra May 26, 2017-utgaven av FRONTLINE.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra May 26, 2017-utgaven av FRONTLINE.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
How Not To Handle An Epidemic
The lockdowns were meant to buy time to put in place appropriate health measures and contain the coronavirus’ spread, but they have failed to achieve the objective and heaped immense misery on the marginalised sections of society. India is still in the exponential phase of the COVID-19 infection and community transmission is a reality that the government refuses to accept.
Tragedy on foot
As the COVID-19-induced lockdown cuts the ground beneath their feet in Tamil Nadu, thousands of migrant workers are trudging along the highway to the relative safety of their upcountry homes.
Sarpanchs as game changers
Odisha manages to keep COVID-19 well under control because of the strong participation of panchayati raj institutions and the community at the grass-roots level under the leadership of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
Scapegoating China
As the COVID-19 death rate spikes and the economy tanks in the United States, Donald Trump and his advisers target China and the World Health Organisation with an eye to winning the forthcoming presidential election.
New worries
Kerala’s measured approach to the pandemic and lockdown has yielded results. But it still has to grapple with their huge economic impact on its economy, which it feels the Centre’s special financial relief package does little to alleviate.
No love lost for labour
Taking advantage of the lockdown and the inability of workers to organise protests, many State governments introduce sweeping changes to labour laws to the detriment of workers on the pretext of reviving production and boosting the economy.
Capital's Malthusian moment
In a world that needs substantial reorienting of production and distribution, Indian capital is resorting to a militant form of moribund neoliberalism to overcome its current crisis. In this pursuit of profit, it is ready and willing to throw into mortal peril millions whom it adjudicates as not worth their means—an admixture of social Darwinism born of capital’s avarice and brutalism spawned by Hindutva. .
Understanding migration
When governments and their plans are found to be blatantly wanting in addressing reverse migration, exercises such as the Ekta Parishad’s survey of migrant workers throughout India can be useful to work out creative long-lasting solutions.
Waiting for Jabalpur moment
The Supreme Court’s role in ensuring executive accountability during the ongoing lockdown leaves much to be desired. Standing in shining contrast is the record of some High Courts.
An empty package
The Modi regime, which has been unable to control the COVID-19 infection, restore economic activity and provide relief to millions exposed to starvation, trains its sights on Indian democracy, making use of the panic generated by fear and a lockdown that forecloses paths of resistance.
