What has happened in Kashmir in recent days has been shocking for many. Rakesh Sapru is one of those who are really disturbed by the recent spike in violence in the valley. Sapru is the coordinator of Nationalist Congress Party NCP for the union territory of J&K and has been working for the rehabilitation of Pundits for years.
For Rakesh Sapru recent violence, especially the targeted killing of common people is nothing else but an effort to create fears among the minorities in the region. “It has nothing to do with Kashmir or Kashmiriyat. It is all about creating the terror among the minority community so that they may not return to their homes”, says Sapru while talking to our correspondent in New Delhi.
“People should come together and there should be some cumulative efforts to resist such incidents”, he says while adding that the government should increase its efforts to bring normalcy and restarting the political process in the region.
In recent days, the state has witnessed targeted killings, a trademark of the 1990’s when the militancy was at its peak in the state. Many people from minorities, especially the Pundits and Sikhs were forced to leave the state. Many of them are still living in exile, including Rakesh Sapru. He is assigned by his party to bring more and more Kashmiri people to mainstream politics. He is presently the coordinator of his party in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir.
Sharad Pawar, the head of NCP has also expressed his concerns for the people in the state. He has also written a condolence message for the people who have been killed in recent days. “The government of the day should ensure that the perpetrators of this heinous act are soon brought to book demanded the NCP leader.”
Meanwhile, for the people like Sapru, the violence has put some serious questions. He has been working for the normalcy and restoring of the political process that’s being on freeze since the central government decided to snatch away the autonomy from the state.
“There is a political solution for the Kashmir problem. The election process will calm down the anger and hope once the process starts the decisions will be made by the political leadership and not by an administrator imposed in the state”, says Sapru.
- Based on an interview by Viewswall Politics.
