Kashmir: Time to win the youth

The Kashmir imbroglio is complicated. There are wheels within wheels and there are many stakeholders in this conflict dynamics, all with varying vested interests. Pakistan and its deep state provide ideological, financial and emotional support to the proxy war.

Pakistan is not likely to relent anytime soon, more so now that it is politically and economically in a weak moment. There are a host of other problems that plague Pakistan, and India-bashing, particularly in Kashmir, serves to distract their population. Therefore, we should improve things in Jammu and Kashmir to a degree that makes it difficult for Pakistan to exploit the situation to their advantage.

Over the years, the Army, security forces and intelligence agencies have successfully brought down the levels of violence and shrunk the area of operations of terrorist groups, but a solution to the problem still eludes us. There have been good time windows when the Army has brought down the levels of violence adequately enough for the administration to prosecute development, like the 2003-2008 period and the years between 2012 and 14. But the governments of the day did not seize the opportunity to move towards the resolution of the problem.

But meeting the growth aspirations of the youth, as anywhere else, cannot be done by government jobs or the public sector alone – it needs private sector participation. In the last two years, the private sector is stepping into Jammu and Kashmir, which was hitherto rather limited. Investment proposals worth Rs 20,000 crore have been received from 40 private sector companies in fields such as IT, defence, renewable energy, tourism, hospitality, education and infrastructure. Two huge IT parks are being set up in Jammu and Srinagar, respectively.

One also gathers that some corporate hospitals are coming up in Jammu & Kashmir, Haldiram is setting up shop and Emar group of Burj Khalifa fame is constructing a mall or two. As many as 39 memoranda of understanding (MoUs) have been signed with big real estate entities. We should soon see BPOs and call centres in the Valley. This will give a fillip to economic aspirations of the common people. Such private sector ventures will also enhance the image of India in the mind of the youth.

The requirement to connect with the mind-space of the youth is imperative. Firstly, it is youth that will shape tomorrow’s opinions and attitudes. Secondly, it is very difficult to change the mindset and attitude of the older generation. We need constructive engagement with the youth and children. This will be effective if we have a credible narrative that can supplant the hate narrative that the other side promotes.

Winning hearts and minds and constructive engagement with the awaam (the public) is something that the Indian Army engages with through the medium of operation ‘Sadbhavna’. While there is scope for other organs of the government to follow suit, this is, by no means, enough in itself.

Learning From Kerala and Maharashtra

A change in approach is warranted as far as dealing with youth is concerned. They are misled by vested interests. They should be treated like our misguided children, something that I have said often when I was the Corps Commander in Kashmir. Prolonged interrogation of errant youth and their families leads to alienation, and the ISI has its minions on the watch for such candidates. They reach out to such young men and their families with financial assistance and moral support to draw them into militancy.

States such as Maharashtra and Kerala have successfully used de-radicalisation as a counter-terrorism strategy. It’s time we followed the example of the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), which has been able to pull back many youngsters from the edge.

Civil society, too, has an important role to play. They need to stand up to hatemongers who incite their children to take the wrong path, while their children and wards are prospering in safe locales out of Jammu & Kashmir or abroad. Terrorism can only be contained with the active assistance of civil society. 

Lt General Satish Dua, former Corps Commander in Kashmir

(The article originally appeared in The Quint.)