The great joke in Kashmir is that any government that takes office is always labeled as an Indian Establishment one whether the PDP or the National Conference.

The hard liners and the militants know that allowing talk of good governance and meeting local requirements or aspirations is like allowing a ticking time bomb to explode that will blow them all away.

And the people will then become more responsive and aware of life first and a better one at that. It is to ensure that this does not happen, any incident even when it involves only Kashmiri’s is blown out of proportion and labeled an Indian action meaning the security forces.

In the last two months, we have seen 3 incidents including the Shopian rapes as well as the murder of a 19 year old in Srinagar which was committed by his friends and passed off as a Police killing.

And more curiously the Police rescued a 15 year old from abduction and arrested two after which the mother of one of the accused tried to frame the police offices firstly with charges of bribe asking and later with attempted molestation even though over 16 independent witnesses said otherwise.

The Local citizens and the youth in the Valley in particular are being misled and anything anti India is the favorite fertile propaganda ground for the militants and the hard liners.

Kashmir needs Peace and the Youth a Future. Both the Center and the State should involve the youth in a free and frank manner with openness and compassion rather than with fists and guns. Putting down unrest with force will only add to the imagined injury. However a glimmer of hope is there as there are sane voices speaking out that need to be encouraged.

Ultimately addressing the basic question of Kashmiriyat is the only answer and the present generation is well placed in the face of the failed Pakistani state to get the Kashmiri back to the mainstream with dignity and respect a must if India has to prove its Indianness.