Published On:Tuesday, 21 October 2014
BJP begins work on new ‘Kashmir Doctrine’
Ending alienation, booming economy main focus
Srinagar: Buoyed by the recent electoral successes and drubbing of the Congress party, the Centre has begun work on a doctrine to tackle militancy as well as a policy to ensure "integration" of Jammu & Kashmir with the rest of the country.
The keys to this doctrine are the numbers in the Rajya Sabha or the council of states, where its minority status is a hindrance to its reforms agenda including abrogation of the article 370. While the BJP has the numbers to push through any agenda in Lok Sabha, in Rajya Sabha it will have to wait till 2017 to have the numbers and may be even have its own President.
Sources said that Union Home Ministry and the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) is working overtime on a new policy on Kashmir that aims to check indoctrination of youth on the Internet and social networking websites in the valley.
Work has also begun on a new policy for J&K, with the primary focus on ending the feeling of alienation among people in the state and integrating them with the rest of the country. An official said J&K has been a longstanding issue and needs a "strategic and time-bound" plan for development and integration.
The government is making a plan which will be divided into short term (up to five years), medium term (five to 10 years) and long term (above 10 years), officials said. The BJP-led NDA government is extremely keen to promote local handicrafts and project J&K as a major tourist destination in the short-term and work on employment schemes for the state in the long term.
One of the key elements of the new doctrine will be the use of weapons by the security forces as the option of the last resort and the focus will be on economic integration of Kashmir with the rest of India.
Sources in New Delhi told Kashmir Monitor that the think tanks in New Delhi are of the opinion that Kashmir needs a new approach from the Centre which does not include handing out doles of cash necessarily. “
We have spent enough money on useless pursuits. Now we are thinking of building Kashmir through proper channels and result oriented investments”, a senior Home Ministry official told Kashmir Monitor.
Sources added that a specialized team of experts will identify key sectors and offer huge sops to people who would want to explore and invest in those sectors. The Center is also keen to ensure that religious pilgrimages to Kashmir should have more local involvement and pilgrims should also see other places and spend money here.
The home ministry is seeking inputs from the Intelligence Bureau, R&AW and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval regarding the new policy.
Given the BJP's track record in Jammu and Kashmir any talk of the party emerging as the single largest in the state seems far-fetched.
However, given the electoral miracle that Amit Shah was able to pull off in Uttar Pradesh and considering how seriously he is pushing Mission Kashmir, no one can afford to dismiss the BJP President's plan as a mere pipe-dream, even though it is only a plan as of now.
The party hopes to consolidate its vote-base after the tough line taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi while addressing Jawans in Ladakh and also from the decision to call off talks with Pakistan.
Srinagar: Buoyed by the recent electoral successes and drubbing of the Congress party, the Centre has begun work on a doctrine to tackle militancy as well as a policy to ensure "integration" of Jammu & Kashmir with the rest of the country.
The keys to this doctrine are the numbers in the Rajya Sabha or the council of states, where its minority status is a hindrance to its reforms agenda including abrogation of the article 370. While the BJP has the numbers to push through any agenda in Lok Sabha, in Rajya Sabha it will have to wait till 2017 to have the numbers and may be even have its own President.
Sources said that Union Home Ministry and the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) is working overtime on a new policy on Kashmir that aims to check indoctrination of youth on the Internet and social networking websites in the valley.
Work has also begun on a new policy for J&K, with the primary focus on ending the feeling of alienation among people in the state and integrating them with the rest of the country. An official said J&K has been a longstanding issue and needs a "strategic and time-bound" plan for development and integration.
The government is making a plan which will be divided into short term (up to five years), medium term (five to 10 years) and long term (above 10 years), officials said. The BJP-led NDA government is extremely keen to promote local handicrafts and project J&K as a major tourist destination in the short-term and work on employment schemes for the state in the long term.
One of the key elements of the new doctrine will be the use of weapons by the security forces as the option of the last resort and the focus will be on economic integration of Kashmir with the rest of India.
Sources in New Delhi told Kashmir Monitor that the think tanks in New Delhi are of the opinion that Kashmir needs a new approach from the Centre which does not include handing out doles of cash necessarily. “
We have spent enough money on useless pursuits. Now we are thinking of building Kashmir through proper channels and result oriented investments”, a senior Home Ministry official told Kashmir Monitor.
Sources added that a specialized team of experts will identify key sectors and offer huge sops to people who would want to explore and invest in those sectors. The Center is also keen to ensure that religious pilgrimages to Kashmir should have more local involvement and pilgrims should also see other places and spend money here.
The home ministry is seeking inputs from the Intelligence Bureau, R&AW and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval regarding the new policy.
Given the BJP's track record in Jammu and Kashmir any talk of the party emerging as the single largest in the state seems far-fetched.
However, given the electoral miracle that Amit Shah was able to pull off in Uttar Pradesh and considering how seriously he is pushing Mission Kashmir, no one can afford to dismiss the BJP President's plan as a mere pipe-dream, even though it is only a plan as of now.
The party hopes to consolidate its vote-base after the tough line taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi while addressing Jawans in Ladakh and also from the decision to call off talks with Pakistan.
