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Political games?

Kangayam R. Rangaswamy, e-mail

The olive branch held out by the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee, to the separatists in Kashmir, in the form of a unilateral cease-fire declaration during the holy month of Ramzan, is a positive indication that the ``Govern ment is making a sincere effort to forge a long-term settlement of the issue'' (`Games people play', Business Line, December 11). As of now, the Pakistan Government has

responded with a step forward -- after the usual initial scepticism -- by ordering its troops to observe `maximum restraint' along the LoC and, thereafter, is continuing to make the usual political and diplomatic noises.

As pointed out in the article, the problem faced by the Indian Government is that there are too many militant groups, a few reportedly suing for peace and others vehemently wanting to traverse the jehadic route with increasing ferocity (for instance, Las hkar-e-Toiba). There are also a few other non-militant groups clamouring for attention. What can the Government do under such bedevilling circumstances? As the author rightly says, ``one thing is clear, namely, that the test for New Delhi will be even ha rder than before''.