PM may back healing-touch policy

Notwithstanding the unprecendented security and a general-strike call by secessionist groups, the visit assumes significance in the backdrop of Vajpayee’s commitment to kickstart the peace process after fulfilling the promise of free and fair elections last year. Centre’s interlocutor on Kashmir N.N. Vohra will follow in Vajpayee’s footsteps and try to engage the people and political parties in a peace dialogue.

No less significant is Vajpayee’s presence at the convocation at Kashmir University near the Hazratbal mosque in downtown Srinagar — the stronghold of separatist amalgam Hurriyat Conference. Vajpayee will use this opportunity to urge the Kashmiri youth to shun anger, violence and join the road to peace in the strife-torn state.

It seems that the basic purpose of Vajpayee’s Mission Kashmir is to back the ‘‘healing touch’’ policy of the Mufti Sayeed government and create an atmosphere in which Kashmiris can look foward to the dividend of peace.

State Finance and Planning Minister Muzuffar Hussain Baig visited his home constituency Baramulla thrice in order to garner public support for the PM’s rally. Baig asked his workers to show up at the rally in good strength ‘‘to convey to PM that Kashmiri people are peace-loving and want to turn the clock back to old days’’.

His party workers agree that a large turnout at the meeting will showcase the ruling People’s Democratic Party’s political clout in the Vallley. ‘‘It is the best opportunity to show strength of the party in the Valley,’’ said Javid Ahmad, a PDP worker.

During his two-day visit, Vajpayee will launch major infrastructural projects such as expansion of Srinagar airport and lay the foundation stone of the North-South corridor that links Kanyakumari with Kashmir.

The economic thrust of the visit will assuage the coalition government that has been consistently demanding infrastructural growth in Kashmir.

Accompanied by Civil Aviation Minister Shahnawaz Hussain, Railway Minister Nitish Kumar and senior government officials, Vajpayee will lay the foundation stone of the Rs 45-crore airport expansion project immediately on arrival. Another project that would get impetus during Vajpayee’s trip is the revival of the two-decade-old Jammu-Baramulla railway line project.

Besides stepping up the economic development of the state, Vajpayee will ask the separatists to join the peace initiative by thrashing out the contentious issues with the Centre’s Kashmir interlocutor Vohra.

While Vajpayee will not visit Nadimarg village in Pulwama — where militants massacred Kashmiri Pundits recently — he will use the public platform to remind the Kashmiris of the Pakistani designs and its support to cross-border terrorism in the state. Vajpayee’s Mission Kashmir may not fully live up to the aspirations of Kashmiri people but it just might turn out to be a good begining. (with Mir Ehsan in Baramullah)