The bloodshed in Kashmir continues unabated. In a bloody Sunday, five terrorists were killed today in an encounter with security forces in Shopian district. Incredibly one of the terrorists killed was an assistant professor of Kashmir University. Mohammad Rafi Bhat use to teach Sociology at the University and had gone missing from last Friday. Few civilians were also killed during the encounter as they tried to stop security forces by stone pelting.
The number of young Kashmiri youths joining terrorist organization like Hizbul Mujahideen is increasing. Especially in the last three years there is an alarming trend in youths joining the terrorist organizations. If the bright young university teacher starts joining terror group it means things are really going from bad to worse in the Kashmir valley. The NDA government in centre and in state is failing to stop youths from picking up guns. There is complete disconnect between Kashmiri’s and rest of the India. No serious effort is being made to revive peace in the valley. The lack of interest from government of India is providing an opportunity to enemy sitting across the border to fuel tension. Unless India wins the soul and heart of Kashmiri’s through long term policy, the solution to Kashmir problem will not arrive. The policymakers should understand that guns alone will not bring an end to this burning problem. The government of India has to treat Kashmir as political issue and not just an ordinary militancy problem. The Narendra Modi led NDA government has failed to understand this and therefore Kashmir continues to reel under darkness.