Daily Times

Indian voters have decided with increased majority to keep Narendara Modi as Prime Minister for a second term. People in Pakistan, in Kashmir and in the neighbourhood, shall have to put on hold their suspicions about BJP led government and give Modi a chance.

People of Kashmir continue to have an issue with RSS since December 1931, when RSS volunteers came out on the streets of Lahore in support of Hindu Ruler of Kashmir and against the Muslims of Kashmir. I recall as a student at Government Degree College Baramulla, when we came to know that one of the college rooms was used by some Kashmiri Pandit students for some kind of military training.

There was a rumour that regular martial arts training was given by RSS trainers to young Kashmiri Pandits at the famous local temple called “Devi Bal” situated on the banks of river Jhelum between Khanpora and Baramulla. The trust between the Muslim and Pandit community was so deep rooted that we would laugh it off and saw no harm coming our way.

As time and tide wait for none, Kashmiri Pandits did not wait for long and turned their backs on Muslims of the valley. Kashmiri Pandits serving in Delhi during British India and until early 1990, were regarded as an insurance by the Muslims.

Very little did we suspect that, come one day, Pandits will become the second defence line of Indian army and secret services, in inflicting pain on the Muslims? Kashmiri Pandits have a grievance against the militants. They allege that militants killed members of Kashmiri Pandit community. They regard militants as the cause of their exodus from the valley. Exceptions of bad behaviour could not be ruled out. There is a counter view that their exodus was engineered by the State Governor to expose Muslims as soft targets for Indian security forces.

There are 2.5 million Kashmiri Muslim refugees living in various parts of Pakistan. They have a right to return in safety and dignity. The time table of a UN supervised Plebiscite in Kashmir is holding them back

When one attempts to reconciles the death of over 100000 of Kashmiri Muslims – death of a generation of Muslim youth, use of rape and torture as weapons of control, disappearances, custodial killings, number of widows and orphans and the displacement of 5 generations (2.5 million) of Kashmiri Muslims, Kashmiri Pandits have a weak case. UN has confirmed that India has 500000-700000 security forces in Kashmir. We know that these forces are there to humble and control the Kashmiri Muslim.

Kashmiri Pandits have failed to question the behaviour of Indian army in the valley. We have people like Justice Rajindar Sachar and Justice V M Tarkunde from non-Muslim community in India who have raised voices for the Muslims of the valley. Kashmiri Pandits have yet to look back and check upon the wrongs being done by Indian security forces to life, property and honour of Muslims in Kashmir.

BJP does not have a single Muslim member elected in the present Parliament. Valley has again rejected BJP and all the three seats have been won by National Conference. It puts a question mark on the merits of BJP victory, so far as Kashmiri Muslim and Indian Muslims are concerned. Valley Muslims have never been communal until PDP helped BJP to find a foothold in the Kashmir government in 2014. Mehbooba Mufti – chief of PDP has been punished by the people for her previous alliance with BJP. She has lost her Anantnag seat to National Conference.

Kashmir and Indian minorities remain a litmus test for Modi government. It remains to be seen whether Indian voter has voted him for a second term to secure peace for the people of India and share it with the people of Pakistan. He has to act in the footsteps of late Atal Bihari Vajpayee and resolve the dispute with the people of Jammu and Kashmir.Pakistan is a party and the United Nations keeps the supervisory role in a UN supervised vote.

As a start Modi government has to restrain its security forces to the four duties identified as a basis for their admission into Kashmir. This consideration falls under the bilateral agreement made with the government of Kashmir on 27 October 1947. The second related action is in regard to the number, behaviour and location of Indian army. It falls under an international duty agreed under the UN Security Council Resolution of 21 April 1948. The third important step is in regard to respect for a regime ofHuman Rights identified in paragraph 12 of the same UN Security Council Resolution.

Paragraph 12 of the UN Security Council Resolution charges India with a duty that, “The Government of India should themselves and through the Government of the State declare and make known that all subjects of the State of Jammu and Kashmir, regardless of creed, caste or party, will be safe and free in expressing their views and in voting on the question of the accession of the State and that there will be freedom of the press, speech and assembly and freedom of travel in the State, including freedom of lawful entry and exit”.

Modi Government should not use Kashmiri Pandits as exhibits to fan communal hatred in Kashmir. Streets in India should be made safer for the Kashmiri students, businessmen, workers, patients at hospitals and prisoners held in Indian prisons. Indian voter needs to turn into a ‘vigilant citizen’ and ensure that Indian army does not act outside the seven restraints placed on it.

We do sympathise with Kashmiri Pandits and share their pain caused by the loss of their homes. Pandit suffering would qualify for a sympathy only when the loss of home by the five generations of Kashmiri Muslims is taken into account. There are 2.5 million Kashmiri Muslim refugees living in various parts of Pakistan. They have a right to return in safety and dignity. The time table of a UN supervised Plebiscite in Kashmir is holding them back.

Narendra Modi of course has won the elections. It does not mean that he has won the argument. Muslims in Kashmir and Muslims in India have their suspicions. Minorities need to feel safe. Majority vote has no merit if minorities are suspicious about it. Kashmir and minorities in India are the litmus test. We hope that return to good relations with Pakistan and respecting the UN mechanism on Kashmir, merits Indian Prime Minister’s immediate attention. We wish him Godspeed in this endeavour.

The author is President of London based Jammu and Kashmir Council for Human Rights – NGO in Special Consultative Status with the United Nations