Big respite for Mehbooba

In a big surprise to the critics of Central government’s present policy on Kashmir the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has at last given the respite to chief minister Mehbooba Mufti which she needed to vindicate the stand of her father late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on alliance with BJP. The suspension of operations if implemented on the ground can for the first time in last three years send out a message that north polls have started moving closer to south polls. By all standards of political understandabilities the Home Minister’s decision to suspend three year long cordon and search operations against the militants in Jammu and Kashmir is a path breaking step of the incumbent Modi government and now the promise of both PDP and BJP on pursuing the vision and mission of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee can find some takers in Jammu and Kashmir. Keeping in view the rejection of the ceasefire proposal of chief minister Mehbooba Mufti by none else than the defence minister of the country, the decision of Home Minister to suspend operations in Jammu and Kashmir seems to be part of a well conceived peace plan in deviation from the past practice of three years. The role of chief minister and central government’s special representative Dineshwar Sharma in persuading the central government to give militants and the separatists a chance for peace and reconciliation can’t be ruled out. Ceasefire as all can understand is an opportunity for both the militants and the separatists to reciprocate the gestures of Modi government for peace and political reconciliation in Jammu and Kashmir. Whatever may be the contentions of the critics and political rivals of chief minister Mehbooba Mufti the fact remains that Mehbooba Mufti has registered her second biggest victory after the filing of charge sheet in Kathua rape and murder case and rejection of CBI inquiry both by the Central government and the Supreme Court.