Matrix Report
AS Dulat, former chief of Indian intelligence agency RAW, has warned that New Delhi will face repercussions, in the long run, in Kashmir after BJP’s decision of revoking the disputed territory’s special status. Dulat, while talking to the Caravan magazine, said that while he did not anticipate any upsurge in “resistance on the ground”, he still feared a rise in “terror activity” in the region.
When asked to comment on India’ revocation of Article 370, Dulat said that the move was “sad and unfortunate as it was not necessary”. He further remarked: “Like [the senior Congress leader] P Chidambaram said rightly, “The architects of what has happened today might one day regret what they have done, and I hope I am wrong.” I feel exactly the same way. But my apprehension really is—as someone who has dealt [with] and seen Kashmir and the subject of security and terror—that it might escalate. Terror might escalate. I do not think it will happen immediately, but in the time to come. I think the intelligence agencies have a job on their hands now, to keep a track of what might happen”.
When asked whether India will witness any initial reactions by the Kashmiri people, Dulat said: “Nothing will happen in Kashmir. The Kashmiri, when he is under pressure, will just bury his head in the sand and lie low. That is normally how history has been in Kashmir. And then he will get up again—he does not give up”.
With its decision to scrap Article 370, Dulat also believes that the Indian government has lost all opportunities of “talking to the Kashmiri people”. “There is no scope for talks anymore. Even in the best of times—I have been through it all—it was not easy for people to talk. Now who are you going to talk to? What are you going to talk?” Dulat concluded.
It is not only Dulat who has warned the BJP government for the mistake committed in the Indian-occupied Kashmir. Many Indian and foreign activists, along with journalists, have expressed their anger towards the BJP government’s actions and rights violations in Kashmir.
Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of UK’s Labor Party, has also expressed solidarity with the Kashmiris. In his tweet, he said, “The situation in Kashmir is deeply disturbing. Human rights abuses taking place are unacceptable. The rights of the Kashmiri people must be respected and UN resolutions implemented”.
On the other hand, the BBC news has also fended off pressure from the Indian government and stood by its reporting on Kashmir.
Other reactions on the issue included:
