MILITANT attacks on police and army installations at Kathua and Samba in Jammu and Kashmir should not have aroused any controversy; these should have been categorically condemned. But what Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed is up to is not clear. He has tried to defend what he considers the discretion and benevolence of militants which made the holding of elections in the state possible. It appears that like the civilian government in Islamabad, he also distinguishes good from bad terrorists. How can there be good terrorists? There is no doubt that terrorism in J&K is triggered by powers across the border. The terrorists aided and abetted by them have no ideological fire behind their gunfire. It is surprising that Sayeed had suddenly discovered that militants are trying to upset the peace process with Pakistan. Pakistan for its part cannot wash its hands of the sordid game.
The attacks have caused terrible bloodletting. The terrorists who did it are just militants destabilizing India and undermining its goodwill to Pakistan. It does not help to say that Pakistan is also a victim of terrorism in its western part and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif cannot do anything to control cross border terrorism in J&K. The militants’ attack took place only a few days after India and Pakistan decided to embark on bilateral talks. The J&K government and the Centre in Delhi should turn unrelenting heat on the attackers. Mufti Mohammad Sayeed will achieve nothing with his ambivalence. That will not contribute to good governance. The partner, the Bharatiya Janata Party should help him keep on track. And Narendra Modi should proceed with his mission to pave the way for bilateral talks with Nawaz Sharif.
