Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the leader who rejuvenated democratic politics in J&K
Atal Bihari Vajpayee for the second time held the position of Prime Minister between 1998 and 2004. Vajpayee pioneered the Kashmir Centric Dialogue process with focus on Trilateral Mechanism (Indo-Pak-Kashmir) rather than bilateral as advocated by the PDP.
His approach towards addressing the Kashmir issue also included improving relations with neighbouring Pakistan. Vajpayee on Kashmir first coined the slogan 'Insaniyat, Jamhuriyat, Kashmiriyat', which meant humanity, peace, and keeping the sanctity of the people of Kashmir.
His policy aimed at achieving peace, progress and prosperity in the Valley. His honesty towards the Kashmir issue was acclaimed universally — and even the Hurriyat was put on the table for dialogue.
He ensured that the Jammu and Kashmir state has free and fair elections and without any manipulation — the biggest beneficiary of which was People’s Democratic Party.
He was of the opinion that the gun could not solve problems. He had said, "Issues can be guided by the three principles of Insaniyat (humanism), Jamhooriyat (democracy) and Kashmiriyat (Kashmir’s legacy of amity).”
He advocated a humane approach when it comes to Kashmir, thereby, supplementing the PDP’s flagship Healing Touch Policy.
When war was imminent in the subcontinent, Vajpayee, with his statesmanship, not only salvaged the situation but also improved the relationship between the two countries subsequently with a forward momentum on Kashmir issue.
A big part of Vajpayee's efforts to resolve the Kashmir issue was to initiate dialogue with Pakistani and Kashmiri stakeholders. Vajpayee forwarded a hand of friendship with Pakistan based on reciprocity and mutual trust. He believed a collective fight against poverty and terrorism in the subcontinent would help to strengthen bonds between the two neighbours.
His all-inclusive style of politics which took every stakeholder on board led to the rejuvenation of the political process in the J&K.
Our party president Mehbooba Mufti had time and again appealed to Modi to initiate discussions with Pakistan to discuss the differences over Kashmir, which could result in peace for the conflict-torn state. She said, "Dialogue with Pakistan is necessary if we are to end the bloodshed," in a tweet on February 12.
Apart from political ideologies, the initiation for appeal of dialogue between the two neighbours that would probably solve the long-standing dispute was shared by almost every leader in Kashmir, with a reference of the talks that Vajpayee participated in, during his tenure as the Prime Minister.
Vajpayee openly acknowledged J&K as a political problem and believed that Pakistan is to be taken on board for any lasting solution, which remains the core stand of the PDP.
Let us have a hope that what our Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on the 72nd Independence Day — that the BJP government would follow Vajpayee's perspective for peace in Kashmir. Let us also hope that Prime Minister Narendra Modi follow Vajpayee's vision of 'Insaniyat, Jamhuriyat and Kashmiriyat' that he said during Independence Day Celebrations would be observed in Kashmir.
Let us hope that peace prevails in the sub-continent.
Also read: Neither Nehru, nor himself, nor any one party – Atal Bihari Vajpayee put India first