"(M)ore baffling than surprising." That's perhaps the aptest way to describe the sudden development.
<<Not the one to undergo a sudden change of heart, particularly on issues close to his personal ideological beliefs - Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) among one of the core issues - Prime Minister Narendra Modi's move to call an all-party was more baffling than surprising. What has led to this sudden change of heart? Interestingly, it has happened sooner than expected. It was not long ago that the invitees to the meeting were vilified and incarcerated. So, is the invite an admission that the Modi government's RSS driven agenda on J&K - post the partial abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution and annulling Article 35A - has failed? There are two clear takeaways from the over three-hour meeting, reflecting on the Centre's thinking about J&K. Firstly, the delimitation of assembly constituencies is to be followed by elections with no time frame in sight. Thus, return to statehood seems farfetched, and reversal on Article 370 and 35A seems improbable. Second, suddenly, the National Conference (NC) patriarch Farooq Abdullah and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti figured in Modi's scheme of things. These are the same leaders who, alongside Congress, were blamed by the hosts of the June 24, 2021, all-party meeting for having misgoverned, annihilated and looted Kashmir. The two leaders of the Kashmir centric parties, more so Ms Mufti, were targeted for allegedly kowtowing to the Pakistan line.>> (Excerpted from: < https://www.deccanherald.com/opinion/why-an-all-party-meet-on-jammu-and-kashmir-1001307.html >.) No, let's not delude ourselves. There's no readymade answer - as to why? At least, as yet. But, one thing is certain, the regime doesn't have any heart (just look at the way the national lockdown was clamped with less than four hours notice so as to keep the migrant workers locked up at their places of work so that they're readily available to their employers as and when the lockdown eases); hence, it just can't have any "change of heart". It doesn't appear to have much brains either, even if - it must be conceded, it has an abundance of low cunning. So, a genuine revised estimate - on its own, cannot be the driver. Since the virtual scrapping of the Article 370, the regime is almost single-mindedly pursuing - or trying to pursue, the Israeli model of (incrementally) settling colonisers in the Valley, pushing out the traditional inhabitants. (Ref.: <https://youtu.be/dhj0EHLhbh8>.) In the process, has turned it into a virtual prison house. In fact, lately, the same line has, apparently, been (just) initiated in the (only other) overwhelmingly Muslim (tiny) Union Territory of Lakshadweep as well. So, the "change of heart" just doesn't wash. Then, why??? Maybe the change in regime in Washington. Maybe the shift in weather - even if rather small, in the highest court of the land, where petitions regarding the (virtual) scrapping of the Article 370 are pending. Maybe both in combination. Maybe also something else. Imminent change in Afghanistan? To be sure, it's going to make a dent on 56" image of the Leader and he just can't be unaware of it. All in all, it, however, looks more like a "trap" - in partial recognition of the failure of the ongoing venture to attain the aimed for goals; hence, a somewhat circuitious way. Time will tell. Not to mistake, people are still languishing in jail and there's, as yet, no talk of going back to the status quo ante - quite bafflingly, that's not even included in the "demands". And these "leaders", perhaps, represent only a fraction of the Valley inhabitants. Also look up: <https://fb.watch/6lhk_xPeUt/>, < https://indianexpress.com/article/india/jk-talks-heres-what-unfolded-at-the-first-meet-and-what-lies-ahead-7375114/> and, for a, rather detailed, backgrounder: < https://groups.google.com/g/greenyouth/c/g3FduJpmFBc/m/oS4AvInOAQAJ>. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/greenyouth/CACEsOZgbozy9r08xKfTcwbEiFJ8dGDHp9XNHAVwTf5B90aWAaQ%40mail.gmail.com.
