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HVK Archives: Challenge in Kashmir

Challenge in Kashmir - The Times of India

Editorial ()
January 28, 1998

Title: Challenge in Kashmir
Author: Editorial
Publication: The Times of India
Date: January 28, 1998

If this Republic Day was distinguished by the posthumous
conferring of Ashok Chakra, the highest gallantry award, on 2nd
Lieutenant Punit Datta for his exceptional heroism in fighting
the terrorists in Kashmir, it was also the day 23 pundits,
including women and children, fell to terrorism. This is more
than a poignant coincidence: Undoubtedly, the massacre was aimed
at the desecration of the joy and solemnity of Republic Day and
as a warning of things to come as Kashmir prepares to go to the
polls. There were plausible reasons to anticipate a major
offensive from those who initiated the invasion of Kashmir in
October 1947, and have been fighting a sustained covert war over
the last eight years. In the event, this massacre should be
treated as the beginning of a fresh offensive in Kashmir. It may
also have been aimed at inciting communal passions outside
Kashmir on the eve of the Indian elections. The deliberate
killing of women and children points to this possible motivation.
To be sure, there will be the usual round of accusations against
the state government and security agencies and forces for the
failure of intelligence and the inadequate cover given to the
endangered minority community in the Kashmir valley. Yet, the
harsh reality is that in the covert war situation in Kashmir,
there cannot be hundred per cent insurance against such terrorist
strikes. While the situation on the ground has certainly
improved, the covert war continues. Indeed, Pakistan relies on
covert hostilities because they exact a much higher cost from
India for a relatively low expenditure to itself. Nor does
Pakistan care much for the lives of extremist mercenaries
conditioned to perpetrate fanatical acts of terrorism.

The failure of the Centre as well as the state government has
been in the area of information warfare. There has been no
coherent effort at fighting this either in the international
arena or within the country. It has to be clearly understood
that fighting the propaganda war on Pakistan's terrorist campaign
in Kashmir need not come in the way of pursuing negotiations with
Mr Nawaz Sharif or improving economic relations with Pakistan. In
fact, defeating the Pakistani hawkish establishment on this kind
of war will give Mr Nawaz Sharif greater manoeuvrability to deal
with the intransigent and extremist elements in his own country.
Now that a number of electronic media channels cover both India
and Pakistan, vast opportunities have opened up to project the
realities in the Kashmir valley to the Pakistani population.
There are no two views that these avenues have not been fully
exploited. What has been done through Doordarshan channels is
grossly inadequate and we could do with a lot more professional
skill in information warfare. The country has been warned to
prepare itself to meet new onslaughts in Kashmir and elsewhere.


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