The way things are happening in J & K, it appears that the state is totally ownerless. Everything functions as if it is being operated by robots without any emotional, sentimental, or human like involvement. It is like a fly wheel which once set in motion goes on rotating even if the engine is switched off. The right hand does not know what the left hand is doing. There is absolutely no accountability. People do what they like to do under the firm belief that there is no one to question any wrong anywhere. For the physical ownership of Kashmir there are two major claimants, India and Pakistan. Kashmiris, for all practical purposes do not count at all and are in the same condition as they were when the Treaty of Amritsar was signed. They have been living like serfs. Not only are the people being systematically liquidated, the land itself is being destroyed. No one is bothered about the massive destruction of environment. Be it the water bodies like the Dal Lake, Wullar Lake, the River Jhelum, or the once lush green forests. Kashmir’s green gold which used to be its main attraction has been massacred mercilessly. There are vast stretches where the young trees have been ruthlessly cut. These resemble stalks in a maize or wheat field. No one either from the government side or the civil society seems to take any serious notice of this brutal vandalisation of the environment. All other activities whether these pertain to the cleanliness of the cities and towns, drainage, roads, traffic, and so on seem to be going from bad to worse. No one cares about these. Even if common people feel the pinch, they appear lost and helpless!

The recent events of last couple of months have vividly demonstrated that Kashmir is virtually an orphaned land! The Government as understood in the meaning of the word has ceased to exist. The Ministers and the so called representatives of the people have disappeared from the scene. Kashmir is these days like a rudderless ship adrift in the turbulent sea. For last two months or so, the schools are closed. The education of the children has drastically suffered. While one side is unable to evolve any means of continuing the education, the other side is saying that it does not matter if the students lose their education for a couple of years! The healthcare as a means to ameliorate the health of the people has come to a standstill. People are not allowed to come out of their homes. Essential and life saving drugs are in short supply. The Jammu traders have lost over Rs.500 crores during this period. Kashmir’s loss is in thousands of crores. Tourism has totally disappeared. All developmental work is halted. Even the migrant labour coming to Kashmir from a number of states has gone back. The height of irony is that no body seems to be concerned or perturbed over this situation of drift. Recently in a TV interview, a former Chief Minister virtually in an outburst said let Kashmir go to hell! This sums up the attitude of authorities both in Delhi and Srinagar. Kashmir has been thrown to dogs and Kashmiris as people do not seem matter at all.

It is claimed that Kashmir is an “integral” part of “democratic” India. However, the happenings in Kashmir do not testify to the veracity of the statement. On the contrary, Kashmir is facing the most undemocratic governance. Article 21 of the constitution guaranteeing right to life to every citizen of India remains practically suspended because of draconian laws like AFSPA (Armed Forces Special Powers Act). Security forces call all the shots and are totally unaccountable unlike other parts of India. Almost all Kashmiris have been indexed by the security agencies. Getting clearance for issue of a passport or a government job is an uphill task. All the services which are provided as a matter of routine in other parts have to first conform to special security norms in Kashmir. Often these services like the Short Messaging Service or even the operation of mobile phones gets suspended on the whims and fancies of security bosses who always have the last word. Operation of Mobile networks in North Kashmir remains totally suspended. SMS is already suspended now for quite sometime. Then there is a gag even on the Media so that the truth does not go out. Truth is not allowed even to be circulated locally. Recently two local TV channels reporting daily happenings in different parts of the valley were banned. Kashmir is facing a clash without an end between the protestors and the security forces. Bullets against stones. Somehow the new generation seems to be in a do or die mood. They seem to feel that the traditional leadership has always let them down. They absolutely refuse to listen to anybody from any side. Even the suggestions of the Chief of the Militant Conglomerate United Jihad Council Salah-ud-Din, to end the indefinite strike and give a proper direction to the movement, were turned down. It is a mass uprising by angry youth without any particular leader. The masses seem to be leading themselves! The continuous clashes claiming young lives further heighten the anger and there seems no end to the ongoing agitation.

After an abnormally long slumber, the UN seems to have suddenly woken up. The UN Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon has expressed concern about the situation in Kashmir. He has called for restrain and asked the two countries to start a dialogue to resolve the issue. In fact, it is the UN which is in reality the present owner of Kashmir. After the initial conflict of 1947, Kashmir problem was referred to UN Security by India as a complaint against Pakistani aggression. The UN keeping in view the disputed nature of the territory involving the fate of the people inhabiting it took complete charge of the same and ordered through a number of resolutions of the Security Council holding of a plebiscite to decide its fate under its own auspices. This plebiscite was never held and thus Kashmir continues to be under the ownership of UN. In fact, their Mission of Military Observers is very much present in Srinagar. Thus it is not enough for the UN Secretary General to merely express the concern about the explosive situation. He must summon the will to physically intervene and force the two neighbouring countries to sort out the problem to the satisfaction of the local people who have been suffering for last 63 years and are in the worst condition at present. The least the UN can do is to direct the parties to the dispute to stat talking unconditionally but specifically about Kashmir. They should also ensure the respect for human rights grossly being violated at present with total impunity by the security forces in Kashmir. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights makes it mandatory for them to do so!