CNN-IBN
Published on Wed, Aug 13, 2008 at 13:59, Updated at Wed, Aug 13, 2008 in Nation section
New Delhi: After 48 hours of violence, there are some signs of peace in Jammu and Kashmir.
In Srinagar, curfew has been relaxed till 2 pm to allow people to buy necessary household items. Curfew has also been relaxed in Jammu city, Udhampur and Samba for varying periods.
In Kishtwar city in Doda district though, shoot-at-sight orders have been issued after communal clashes on Tuesday claimed two lives and injured over 30 people. Additional contingents of CRPF and Army have been deployed in the city.
Hurriyat has called for peaceful protests till August 15 but in a contradictory move, one of its leaders, People's Conference chairman Sajjad Lone, made another provocative comment. He said that the issue was no more about Amarnath, but about resolving the Kashmir dispute.
Look, I'll be very honest with you. If you want the real and honest analysis it is that the Amarnath issue has been left far behind. You have to understand that you are not dealing with a normal state. You call it sensitive, this is a disputed state. There are CBM's and talks with Pakistan. The Amarnath dimension is very irrelevant now. What solution are we talking about?" Lone told CNN-IBN.
However, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi shot back at the regional parties in the Valley saying they themselves triggered police action and that they were the ones responsible for communalising the situation.
Meanwhile, the Centre is looking increasingly helpless to find a durable solution.
Home Minister Shivraj Patil has submitted his report on the situation to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday, but sources have told CNN-IBN that no breakthrough has emerged yet.
From Across The Border
Not losing an opportunity to capitalise on the situation was the voice from across the border. Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf voiced his concern over the escalating violence in the state.
He said Pakistanis are committed to providing diplomatic, political, and moral support to the cause of the Kashmiri people.
Musharraf called for a negotiated settlement of the Kashmir issue that would be acceptable to Pakistan, India and "most importantly the Kashmiri people" for lasting peace in South Asia.
Jammu Vs Kashmir
For the last two months, both regions have been locked in unparalleled strife along communal lines over the transfer and subsequent revocation of 40 hectares of land in north Kashmir to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) that manages the pilgrimage to the shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva.
This burning issue has set off an inexorable wave of protests, shutdowns and violence first in the Kashmir Valley, then in Jammu -- and now back in the Valley - paralysing the state.
The current agitations in J&K began with the Government decision to allot 100 acres of land to Amarnath shrine and the subsequent rescinding of the order. While the people in Jammu (of all religious persuasion) are agitating for re-allotment of the land to the shrine, apart from other perceived grouses, the Muslims of Kashmir have reignited their long running agenda of secession from the Indian union. They have, in the name of economic blockade of the Kashmir, latched on to the demand of opening the road to Muzzafarpur as the first step to unfold their renewed secession scheme. The Centre should forthwith intervene and allot the land to the Amarnath shrine. This will ensure that the agitation in Jammu is called off and only Kashmir will have to be tackled. No doubt Kashmir will erupt over the allotment, but the problem will be confined to Kashmir, which, as it is, is already on the course to secession. This has to be dealt with an iron hand. Moreover, opening the road to Muzzafarpur is an international issue between India and Pakistan and India has to calibrate its decision based on its relationship with Pakistan, which at the moment is not very savoury. If the Governor is unwilling to return the land to Amarnath shrine, economic blockade of Kashmir has to be resorted to.
Published on Wed, Aug 13, 2008 at 13:59, Updated at Wed, Aug 13, 2008 in Nation section
New Delhi: After 48 hours of violence, there are some signs of peace in Jammu and Kashmir.
In Srinagar, curfew has been relaxed till 2 pm to allow people to buy necessary household items. Curfew has also been relaxed in Jammu city, Udhampur and Samba for varying periods.
In Kishtwar city in Doda district though, shoot-at-sight orders have been issued after communal clashes on Tuesday claimed two lives and injured over 30 people. Additional contingents of CRPF and Army have been deployed in the city.
Hurriyat has called for peaceful protests till August 15 but in a contradictory move, one of its leaders, People's Conference chairman Sajjad Lone, made another provocative comment. He said that the issue was no more about Amarnath, but about resolving the Kashmir dispute.
Look, I'll be very honest with you. If you want the real and honest analysis it is that the Amarnath issue has been left far behind. You have to understand that you are not dealing with a normal state. You call it sensitive, this is a disputed state. There are CBM's and talks with Pakistan. The Amarnath dimension is very irrelevant now. What solution are we talking about?" Lone told CNN-IBN.
However, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi shot back at the regional parties in the Valley saying they themselves triggered police action and that they were the ones responsible for communalising the situation.
Meanwhile, the Centre is looking increasingly helpless to find a durable solution.
Home Minister Shivraj Patil has submitted his report on the situation to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday, but sources have told CNN-IBN that no breakthrough has emerged yet.
From Across The Border
Not losing an opportunity to capitalise on the situation was the voice from across the border. Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf voiced his concern over the escalating violence in the state.
He said Pakistanis are committed to providing diplomatic, political, and moral support to the cause of the Kashmiri people.
Musharraf called for a negotiated settlement of the Kashmir issue that would be acceptable to Pakistan, India and "most importantly the Kashmiri people" for lasting peace in South Asia.
Jammu Vs Kashmir
For the last two months, both regions have been locked in unparalleled strife along communal lines over the transfer and subsequent revocation of 40 hectares of land in north Kashmir to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) that manages the pilgrimage to the shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva.
This burning issue has set off an inexorable wave of protests, shutdowns and violence first in the Kashmir Valley, then in Jammu -- and now back in the Valley - paralysing the state.
The current agitations in J&K began with the Government decision to allot 100 acres of land to Amarnath shrine and the subsequent rescinding of the order. While the people in Jammu (of all religious persuasion) are agitating for re-allotment of the land to the shrine, apart from other perceived grouses, the Muslims of Kashmir have reignited their long running agenda of secession from the Indian union. They have, in the name of economic blockade of the Kashmir, latched on to the demand of opening the road to Muzzafarpur as the first step to unfold their renewed secession scheme. The Centre should forthwith intervene and allot the land to the Amarnath shrine. This will ensure that the agitation in Jammu is called off and only Kashmir will have to be tackled. No doubt Kashmir will erupt over the allotment, but the problem will be confined to Kashmir, which, as it is, is already on the course to secession. This has to be dealt with an iron hand. Moreover, opening the road to Muzzafarpur is an international issue between India and Pakistan and India has to calibrate its decision based on its relationship with Pakistan, which at the moment is not very savoury. If the Governor is unwilling to return the land to Amarnath shrine, economic blockade of Kashmir has to be resorted to.
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