JAMMU: Devender Singh Rana, a senior member of the BJP, today criticised Pakistan and some Kashmiri leaders for attempting to undermine the atmosphere of peace by spreading false information about normalcy in the Valley across the nation in order to further the goals of the ecosystem of terrorism and separatism. He claimed that Pakistan’s most recent action, the appointment of Mishaal Hussain Malik as Minister of Human Rights, which was applauded by several Kashmiri leaders, is evidence that the Kashmir sabotage plan is being implemented. But they fail to realise that New Delhi is a New India, which would not only thwart all of their initiatives but also, if necessary, teach them a lesson on their soil.In addition to Veenu Khanna, BJP State Secretary, and Danish Mishra, Vice President, BJP Yuva Morcha, during a weekly public hearing at the BJP headquarters here, Rana stated that “their politics over the last seven decades has thrived on conflict, disorder, and mayhem.” He added that transformed Kashmir has instilled new life, new hope for Kashmiris, and has cast a spell of doom on certain political players of J&K and their patrons across.In response to normalcy setting in after the shutdown and stone-pelting culture turning becoming a nightmare of the past, two crores of visitors are anticipated to visit Jammu and Kashmir this year, according to Rana. Rana questioned whether this was a sign of normalcy. He claimed that the bogus claims made by Pakistan and Kashmir’s defeated political figures were part of a diabolical plot to deny the people of Kashmir their legal right to live in peace and engage in economic activity, which had seemed like a pipe dream just a few years before.The so-called mainstream political establishment in the Valley has a stake in keeping Kashmir hot so they may hold onto power. They had been promising Delhi’s political elite that they were trying to put a stop to the violence in the valley, but they had also been taking advantage of religious and separatist feelings at home. The dual-edged sword effectively served their political objectives until Article 370 was repealed in 2019, which put an end to their political hegemony, dishonesty, and treachery.He questioned, “Isn’t it a food for thought for the peace-loving people of Kashmir to understand how the hartal and shutdown culture came to an end after disempowering the political parties with vested interests,” calling for an unbiased investigation to ascertain whether the widely held belief that stone-pelting had been a tool of the political class was true. Politicians like Mehbooba Mufti and others, according to Devender Rana, “have done neither good for the people of Kashmir nor for New Delhi by playing a double game,”, which sincerely endeavoured for peace, progress, and development of Jammu and Kashmir,” adding that these discredited politicians have been engaging in politics of convenience for the past more than seven decades.He recalled how Mehbooba Mufti, then the Chief Minister, made fun of the children slain while trying to stop stone-pelting by saying, “Woh Kya Toffee Lene Gaye Thay,” as an example of how they could insult New Delhi from rooftops and diminish the pride of innocent Kashmiris at will. He noted that she would not have stopped there if it weren’t for the snub of a senior Union Minister flanking her in the presser, adding this says volumes about the sensibilities of politicians with entrenched interests. Devender Rana anticipated that the people of Kashmir would thwart these politicians’ plans because they were uneasy about the economic activity and tourism trade in the Valley as well as the massive investments coming in to create Naya J&K in accordance with the aspirations of the suffering masses. The ongoing brisk and peak tourism season will undoubtedly be jeopardised, he added, “when doubts about normalcy are echoed by the persons having held constitutional positions, the tourists across the nation and abroad will have second thoughts before embarking on vacation in the serene and peaceful Valley.” He hoped that those with sound judgement would be aware of such anti-Kashmir rhetoric and defend the economic rights of the thousands of families who, after nearly three decades, now had something to be happy about.
