However, Sadiq proved to be a real democrat. Efforts were made to put an end to feeling of discrimination among people of Jammu and Ladakh. Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah had been freed from jail and was losing all relevance when Qasim managed the Indira-Sheikh accord. Qasim made way for the Sheikh. Thus began the era of alienation of leaders from the people. Elections were considered fair if these went in favour of ruling National Conference. Propaganda that Chief Ministers come down to Srinagar from Delhi was a clear reality. Farooq’s succession was a natural corollary and so was the Rajiv Farooq accord. Today no body owns the responsiblity of continuous downslide in situation in the Valley. If earlier it was a peaceful demand for azadi or fairness of elections, soon it become a terrorist movement with accurate and meticulous plans from Pakistan.

In a planned manner militancy was allowed to spread to Jammu. It has to be agreed that talks are only viable option for sorting out differences in a democratic system. But if Mufti has proved irrelevant, Qasim shall prove a bigger failure. He was never a leader of the masses. Today Pakistan’s Chief Executive openly declares that USA and India have a concept of human rights that is not acceptable to Pakistan.

US Assistant Secretary of State Karl Inderfurth appears to have caught the thread from the right end when he tells the world that India’s opposition to Pakistan and Afghanistan does not mean an opposition to Islam. It is true that people of the Valley are feeling alienated. Same is the case with the people of Jammu and Ladakh.

If the Qasim-Hurriet focus ignores the people of Jammu and Ladakh, a lasting peace in the state shall remain a mirage. People of Valley have to be assured of a fair election. That is all and any talk should not go beyond this line. All must keep in mind the bitter fact that demographic patterns in the Valley or any other region have to be reverted to status quo anti- to make it a credible and sincere effort to bring peace to the troubled state. It is time to look ahead. Allow a political movement emerge from the masses. Any attempt to impose or improvise shall create more suspicion, more alienation. Casual, adhoc and individual oriented approaches have brought us to present point. This policy has to be discarded once for all.

Even if Qasim is given a brief to mediate with Hurriet leaders, it has to be clarified what brief he is to carry to the talking table. If involvement of Pakistan in the talks is a possibility then what is the objection in holding direct talks with Pakistan?

If Hurriet is to be involved in talks, does it mean Hurriet is the only representative body of people of the Valley? Militants have been killing National Conference leaders and workers almost regularly and the party remains very much relevant in the Valley inspite of the wayward leadership. Separatist leader AG Lone has a valid point when he says that wrong policies of the government have allowed Kashmiri’s movements to slip into hands of terrorists.

Lone and others must, however, agree that by movement of Kashmiris, the leaders of Kashmir have always meant a movement of a section of Muslims of the Valley. To what extent codes dictated by militant outfits are liked by people? Migration of many Muslims to Jammu speaks much without any deep comment.

If government of India has to go to Hurriet leaders to hear sermons about what is humane, it shall be a very interesting situation. No body can deny that military action is no solution to a problem.

But do the Hurriet leaders vouchsafe peace in the Valley and an end to militancy if security forces are withdrawn? Needless to say that security forces shall automatically go back to barracks if militants agree not to use arms against civilian targets.

Any persons trying to initiate talks must have trust of the people. Anyway, it is right moment for the Hurriet to prove its own credibility as representative of people of the Valley. Avoiding talks and putting up impracticable conditions shall prove that Hurriet is an organisation that claims of people’s following by holding aloft the terror of gun.

However, talks have to be conducted not only with Hurriet but also with other political as well as non-political representatives of the Valley as also other parts of the state. Hurriet leaders have to prove their secular credentials.

They proved silent supporters of terrorists when Hindus were ordered to leave the Valley ten years back. Again, all interested in giving peace a chance, have to return to democratic process without alibis, without preconditions.