“We too want a battle of ideas, debate”

Moderate Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq is a worried man these days. He believes that an effort is underway to impair the indigenous political moorings of the Kashmir movement and give it a pan-Islamist spin. In an interview with BLink, Farooq affirms the Hurriyat stance that the struggle in Kashmir is political, with the limited objective of the resolution of a long-festering issue.

Edited excerpts.

New Delhi has embarked on a gloves-off approach towards the Hurriyat and the militant groups. And top BJP leaders are saying that it is paying off.

New Delhi thinks it will restore peace by killing militants. By doing so they are pushing an entire generation towards violence. And when you go in that direction, there are other players waiting in the wings. Truth is, it is impossible to completely seal the border (to prevent infiltration of militants).

Why do you think New Delhi has gone back on a political outreach to Kashmir?

There was a time when they had resolved on pursuing a political path. Now they are not interested in doing so. With the world largely on their side, Delhi is pursuing a hard line and trying to finish off militancy. If they want to pursue a military course, let them. But then you are taking Kashmir down a completely different path. One cannot deny the new (ideological) influences, such as al-Qaeda and ISIS. But if Kashmir is forced by New Delhi to move in this direction I am afraid that such influences will make Kashmir their home.

What is Hurriyat’s view of the new militancy in Kashmir?

This is the fourth generation to be consumed by the conflict. Certainly, our efforts will be to steer our movement in a peaceful, non-violent direction. We too want a battle of ideas, debate and discussion. But we are not given space to carry out our activities. In fact, before this government took office in New Delhi, a process towards a non-violent movement was on. Successive agitations since 2008 were an example of this transition. Those were spontaneous uprisings. But the situation has gone the other way. It seems India is happy dealing with a militant rather than peaceful struggle.

But this doesn’t absolve Hurriyat of its responsibility.

As leaders it is our responsibility to contribute to the improvement of the situation. As I told you, we don’t want our youth to pick up arms and die. But we shouldn’t address the symptoms only. Our politics has to attend to something deeper, the underlying factors that are triggering desperation. And we can’t do it if we are under perpetual house arrest.

What about Zakir Musa? For the first time there is an al-Qaeda affiliate operating in Kashmir.

This is a worrisome development. And we are very clear that we do not approve of it. Ours is an indigenous, political movement backed by United Nations resolutions. We have no global or pan-Islamic agenda.

How did al-Qaeda succeed in setting up a base in Kashmir almost three decades after the armed movement began in 1989?

There are two issues involved here. One, as far as the al-Qaeda ideology is concerned, it is backed by some public sentiment in the Valley. A section of our youth thinks that martyrdom can be achieved only if they die for Islam. Second, al-Qaeda in Kashmir suits the government of India. It strengthens its argument that the ongoing movement in Kashmir is sponsored, militant and has a global agenda.

The legality of Article 35A seems to be facing one of its gravest challenges since it was extended to the State through a presidential ordinance in 1954?

Article 35A is being challenged by proxy organisations. This is dangerous. Where you can’t do it politically, there you will use court. We have taken a very strong stand on the matter. National Conference (NC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have given New Delhi a free run, resulting in our legislators, our assembly getting used against us. They have destroyed our case to an extent that we have to fight it now at every level.

What will you do if Article 35A is scrapped?

This is a hanging sword. The problem is that the judicial route they have taken is dangerous. We say Kashmir is a dispute. We question if the Supreme Court has jurisdiction or not. But then, because they are controlling the State, they can do anything. It is a bigger challenge for the pro-India parties such as NC and PDP. They say they are pro-Kashmir and that they speak for the people of Kashmir. But when India assimilates everything, what will they do? It is also strange how Jammu and Ladakh are quiet. The polarisation runs so deep that they don’t think that they too stand to lose. But there is no such discourse in these regions.

Would you make common cause with NC over the fight against the dilution of Article 35A?

Their own course is chalked out. NC, PDP, Congress, let them make their own front. We have a bigger agenda. And on this issue, we will go our own way.

Why wouldn’t you make a common cause with these parties, even if on an ad hoc basis?

Our issue is there has to be a plebiscite. So we will oppose anything that dilutes the status quo. The NC and the PDP are fighting for autonomy. Our belief is that the autonomy is like a building whose doors and windows have been taken out. We will oppose the dilution of Article 35A. Our goals are different. Our end-games are different.

Riyaz Wani is a journalist based in Srinagar