Journalism of Courage
Farooq Khan, BJP secretary in charge of minority affairs and former Inspector General of J&K Police, tells that the situation in Jammu & Kashmir should not be judged by the developments of the last three days.
What is your take on the developments in Kashmir?
Burhan Wani’s killing was a major success for security forces. He had been been claiming attacks on the security forces. He has been indulging in terrorist activities and was leading their campaign on social media too. Unfortunately, he had become a poster boy. His killing saw reactions from the youth, but the situation could have been handled better in South Kashmir, which had not witnessed such public protests earlier.
WATCH VIDEO: Kashmir Protests Victim: 5-Year Old Zohra On How She Got Hit
Many see the developments as a reflection of Kashmiri youth’s growing distrust in the BJP-PDP government.
Please do not judge Kashmir by what’s happening now. In the last 25 years, the situation was worse. Do not judge the government’s reach and connect with the people by developments of the last three days. This government’s connect is much better than the previous government in the last six years.
Has the government failed to take the youth into confidence?
The youth in Kashmir have always behaved in a manner that defied logic. Kashmir always had this problem — they defy logic. But when tempers come down, they act differently. It is not because they have lost trust in the government… Saying that the whole of Kashmir is involved in these protests gives a new meaning to the occasion.
What’s the best way to handle the situation? Is using force a solution?
There is no booklet on this. It’s the experience of the officers, they have to take the call. It’s a time that their connect with the people comes handy…There is no formula, it is an accumulative and cooperative effort.
Recently, BJP revived all its controversial issues like Ram temple, Uniform Civil Code and Art 370. Do you think this could play a role in Kashmir?
The situation has nothing to do with BJP’s policies. It’s absolutely wrong to connect these to the situation in Kashmir.
It’s illogical.
Do you think the situation in Kashmir is becoming like that in early 1990s.
Absolutely not. It’s not like 1992. This situation is something new.
