Bengaluru: “The Congress is a corrupt and cronyist party,” said historian Ramachandra Guha, raising a number of eyebrows at the launch of Kashmir Flashpoint, an Incubation Centre for Kashmiri Youth in Bengaluru. His strongly-worded criticism of the Indian political establishment left no man standing, so to speak, with the BJP, the Congress and Pakistan receiving his ire in equal measure.
Kashmiris, he explained, have been at the mercy of an inept political establishment, ignorant countrymen and have suffered enormously because of the "capriciousness and instrumentalism" of Pakistan. “The Congress government did nothing, the BJP is much the same. If the current ruling party had had any empathy for the people of Kashmir, their elected CM Mehbooba Mufti would have received an audience from Modi when she visited Delhi." The only hope, he emphasised, is initiatives like this one, which seek to bring awareness on Kashmir to the common man.
“The Kashmiris need to continue their fight against Islamist fundamentalism, a battle that we need to recognise," said Guha. "They also need to meet Indians who are not bigots. If Modi had had courage, true courage like he says he has, he would have visited the Valley. Actually, that's a matter of decency, why hasn't it been done yet?"
Congressman Mani Shankar Aiyar said India and Pakistan need to talk to resolve the Kashmir problem. "Instead of blaming either country, the way forward is to hold talks with Pakistan," he said. "The reason I stress on India is because Pakistan has said repeatedly that they are ready to talk to us."
Former RAW Chief A.S. Dulat, whose book, Kashmir: The Vajpayee Years details a two-decade long engagement with Kashmir, described the events of the last few months as "extremely depressing and tragic," calling it worse than the situation in 1988-90. "Today, the boys on the street, the children of the revolutionaries feel alienated and there is a lot of hatred. They are also more determined and have a do-or-die attitude which I think is dangerous. We need to start by engaging with them and letting them talk to us."
Photocopy of a photocopy of a photocopy
“I detest the current Congress," said Guha emphatically. "My Congress died with Indira Gandhi." Describing the party's journey as having worsened progressively through the years, he called Rahul Gandhi "the most incompetent member" of the Gandhi family. “When I was in Australia, a friend told me that Rahul Gandhi is what happens when you take a photocopy of a photocopy of a photo copy.”
