The Indian people should be thankful to the Army for bringing out the truth about the real ground situation in Kashmir. It is the politicians rather than the Army Generals who have been hiding the facts from the common people under the evergreen slogan of "National Interest". The fluorescent paint of "National Security" is used in India by one and all and especially the corrupt politicians to hide the truth. They care more for their political vote banks than the real "National Interest"! The Army has stated in no uncertain terms that it is they who are keeping Kashmir with India in spite of its unwilling population and that is possible only if they have a free hand to deal with the situation without any consideration for the co-lateral damage. As reported in the press, one of the Generals has clearly stated that if AFSPA, the legislation giving unaccountable power to the Army is withdrawn, then Kashmiris would have to be given Azadi in 2016! The Politicians in Delhi are totally out of touch with the ground situation. They only come on flying visits and depend on the local politicians who always paint a rosy picture to get more funds and favours.

In contrast to this, the 7,00,000 strong Army is omnipresent in Kashmir, almost in every nook and corner. They are the only people who have their hands on the pulse of the people. They are also the people who have seen the changes in ground situation not only on the day to day basis but also on long term basis right from their first landing in 1947. They understand the emotions and the sentiments of the people especially the extreme alienation which exists among the youth belonging to the new generation which refuses to go away in spite of all the sadhbhavana programmes! The militancy generation brought up in an atmosphere of booming guns and exploding grenades with blood on all sides is not going to change with some sops and goodies. They have developed hatred of India and it is directed against the security forces that have been facing the brunt of their ire. Politicians have always hidden behind the security façade. Quite a few senior Generals of the Army have spoken the truth in the past by declaring that the Kashmir problem needs a political solution. One would be really naïve to believe that one of the largest and the most powerful armies of the world equipped with massive fire power including helicopter gun-ships would be worried about dealing with few hundred militants equipped with some assault rifles, grenades, and explosives! They need unquestioned legal powers giving total immunity to their actions to deal with the restive mass of youth bubbling to come out on the roads of Kashmir on the smallest provocation.

The politicians have been telling the common people in India that only a handful of Kashmiri youth motivated and sponsored by Pakistan are creating the trouble and the majority of people love India and everything Indian. They have always tried not only to deceive the world but their own people. The Army may be interested in retaining Kashmir for its strategic reasons especially because of its geographical location in relation to China and Pakistan. The politicians on the other hand have been catering to the sentiments of the Hindu majority by reviving religious links of the Hindu Kashmir of the ancient times. This is purely to keep their vote banks intact. One fails to understand why some of the so called progressive politicians of secular India instead of accepting the present Muslim Kashmir with its broad minded Sufi traditions always go for its non-extant Hindu past?

Interestingly, the biased Indian corporate media especially the electronic one, always blames Pakistan army for calling the shots in that country and whenever something positive happens, the first question they pose is whether the army is on board? They have never said that the Indian Army is calling the shots be it the Siachen dispute or the revocation of AFSPA! India is claimed to be the largest democracy in the world but the ruling leaders of the democratic country do not enjoy the same clout and power as their American or the British counterparts. For a very simple comment elucidating the real ground situation, the American General in Afghanistan lost his job thereby clearly demonstrating that it is the politicians in that country who have the last word! Not in our part of the world!

Even though the Army has brought the attention of the masses to the reality in Kashmir, yet it too needs to consider the fact that nowhere in the world the peoples' aspirations can be suppressed by force. The Napalm, the Agent Orange, and the Carpet Bombing could not retain Vietnam for Americans. Neither Abu Gharib nor umpteen massacres could keep Iraq and similarly a virtual rain of remotely manned drones all over the place is failing to retain Afghanistan. The will of the people ultimately prevails. The ball is now in the politicians' court. They have to take a political decision to sort out the festering sore of Kashmir. There is no use in debating endlessly the retention or revocation of AFSPA. It is only a symptom. The malaise is much deeper. The sooner it is addressed by the political elite without hiding behind the façade of "National Interest" and "National Security", the better it would be for all the stakeholders.