After months of detention, fourteen mainstream Kashmiri leaders thirsting for a whiff of fresh air and some political wrangling, went on a picnic to Delhi, without an agenda in hand, without any pro-Kashmir rights preconditions and expectedly returned empty-handed with platitudes, promises and populist slogans. Reportedly, the three-and-a-half-hour meeting was held “in a cordial atmosphere” and the Prime Minister of India, as quoted by the Kashmiri leaders “lent a patient ear” to their concerns and problems.

THE BODY LANGUAGE OF THE KASHMIRI LEADERS ADEQUATELY DISPLAYED their desperateness amidst the orchestrated outreach of the Indian government. Except for the Indian Prime Minister and Home Minister, no one has a smile on their faces. No leader worth the salt had the gumption to say that we will join talks only or even that delimitation will have meaning only when the Kashmiri youth are released unconditionally from the prisons of Kashmir, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked the Kashmiri leaders to cooperate for delimitation to hold elections soon.  The fact that heretofore only a farce of elections has been conducted in Jammu and Kashmir over the decades was not pointed out by the Kashmiri leaders who have been at the forefront of the political spectrum.

The demand by the Kashmiri leaders of all parties regarding the restoration of Article 370 was met with India’s politically correct response -“In due course when circumstances are ripe.”

The President of Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) -Simranjit Singh Mann, before the visit of the Kashmiri leaders, had warned them, “Why do you want to go to Delhi without an agenda, with thousands languishing in prisons, many killed by the Indian Armed Forces, J & K bifurcated with the abrogation of Article 370 and 35A and Kashmir ruled under the barbaric AFSPA?”

“Why do you want to go to Delhi without an agenda?”

Simranjit Singh Mann, President, Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar)

While the matter of Article 370 is sub-judice, none asked how long will it remain so. 

With only a passing reference, the anguish of the families of those killed and those behind prisons was not represented.  In India and the world, all those who get sick of lockdowns may gauge the anxiety of the people of Kashmir whose entire state is under lockdown for years under the jackboots of the Indian security forces. 

To add insult to injury, an insensitive administration in Jammu pushing delimitation for gerrymandering and diluting the numbers of Kashmiris with labour from the rest of India is making matters worse.

With the Taliban and the international community forcing a rethink by India of its Kashmir policy, which led to these talks, yet India’s insincerity of the whole exercise was apparent. 

With an ear on the ground, young Kashmiri Sikh activist Angad Singh called yesterday’s meeting in Delhi as one-sided, shameful and a betrayal of the people of Kashmir. There was no meaningful dialogue and no discussion on substantive issues. The population of Kashmir is not happy at all.

“Yesterday’s meeting in Delhi as one-sided, shameful and a betrayal of the people of Kashmir.”

Angad Singh, Kashmiri Sikh activist

Trivialising the struggle of Kashmiris for the past century, Indian PM Narendra Modi reduced it to a populist quip, so easily lapped by the Indian media -“Dilli ki Doori and Dil ki Doori khatam karna chahte hain.” -I want to end the physical distance between Delhi and Kashmir and the mistrust of Kashmiris with the Indian leadership.  

The people of Kashmir, including the minority Sikhs, if someone can hear them, are saying loud and clear, “Delhi ke liye, Kashmir dur ast aur Kashmir ke liye, Delhi dur ast.” -For Delhi, Kashmir is far away and for Kashmir, Delhi is too far away.