INDIAN leaders, it seems, take pride in announcing the initiation of secret talks with the rebels – Naxals, Bodos, Gorkhas, Kashmiri militants and officials of Pakistan from time to time. While the government terms these clandestine talks as “back channel” for masses it is simply an exercise to hide its incompetence to deal firmly with the anti-national elements and subversive forces. These secret, unofficial and irregular talks are really welcomed by the people as their end result is futile. No doubt, back channel diplomacy is sometimes necessary in reaching final solutions to sensitive issues but Indian leaders are taking it as a cover to hide their pusillanimity to act against terrorists with a grit and determination.

Interestingly, the Indians have become quite adept with the word as it is frequently used by our leaders to dodge any question on the militant related incidents and government’s subsequent response to bringing normalcy in the affected states.

There is no denying that India and Pakistan have been involved in back channel diplomacy to explore possibilities to resolve the Kashmir issue since decades but without any positive outcome. In between they have fought four wars. What Government of India is likely to achieve by holding secret parleys again with Hurriyat leaders is worth pondering over. Like Indo-Pak back channel diplomacy the Centre-Hurriyat secret talks will also be of little avail.

The latest revelation by Home Minister Mr. P. Chidambaram that government is engaged in secret talks with the Hurriyat leaders is not only baffling but intriguing also. It is ironical that UPA is holding “back channel” talks with the very people who are still adamant on their earlier stand i.e. inclusion of Pakistan as third party, withdrawal of security forces, repeal old AFSPA etc. This is clear from a recent statement of Umer Farooq to a foreign newspaper emphasising that Pakistan was a party to the Kashmir dispute and it was imperative to involve Islamabad in the resolution process because all previous bilateral talks between India and Pakistan or India and Kashmiri leaders had failed to yield results.

“The Prime Minister and I have offered to hold talks with every shade of opinion in Jammu and Kashmir which includes groups like Hurriyat. This will be a quiet diplomacy with talks held far away from the media glare. There are encouraging responses to this statement,” Mr. Chidambaram said during Question Hour recently.

It is strange that on the one hand UPA government is extending an open invitation to separatists but on the other it is keeping the forward movement a guarded secret. The people have every right to know from the government as to whatever compromise is being worked out with separatists on behalf of the nation.

Again, it is a travesty that like Hurriyat’s Umer Farooq the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has also favoured triangular talks among India, Pakistan and separatist leadership and also offered to be a facilitator if militant outfit Hizbul Mujahideen wanted to come to the negotiating table. From the CM’s latest statement it is apparently becoming clear that he too is parroting the separatist’s language to keep Kashmiris in good humour. It is another matter that his father Dr. Farooq and grand father Late Sheikh Abdullah had all along been maintaining that Kashmir is an integral part of India and there is no scope for third party mediation.

It is an accepted fact that Hurriyat leaders (moderates) command little hold over the militant organisations and as such cannot decide the future of more than sixty lakh Kashmiris. The UPA government instead of pampering its leaders should evolve other ways militarily, politically and diplomatically to bring around the people who matter. The recent brutal attack on Fazal Haq Qureshi an important aide of Umer Farooq and senior Member of Hurriyat clearly demonstrated that anti-India forces are still against any dialogue. The attack served a terse warning to all leaders favouring talks.

Moreover, the attack has given a serious setback to the quiet diplomacy offer of home minister P Chidambaram with separatist leaders to resolve the six decade long Kashmir issue. Apart from dealing a serious setback to silent talks the incident would force the separatist leaders to give a second thought before venturing into any further deal.

Incidentally, India launched its much touted peace initiative’ on April 5, 2001, when it announced that a minister mar KC Pant would be its chief negotiator in talks with all Kashmiri groups. It was Mufti Mohammed Sayeed who at that time urged India that any bold political initiative must be preceded by a series of confidence-building measures like the release of detainees held on minor charges and sending the troops back to the barracks. The government also formed Kashmir Committee headed by former law minister Ram Jeethamalini but the committee also met the same waterloo. It was soon wound up as it too failed in its mission.

Nobody will disagree that till the time Hurriyat leaders remain mainly focused on Pakistan and glued to some irrational demands there are least chances of any forward movement in talks or any possible solution to the Kashmir issue. Equally, the government of India instead of opting ‘behind the curtain’ and hush-hush manner should hold it openly so that people will come to know who are the real saboteurs.
SUSHIL VAKIL
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