The militants have indeed changed their strategy. Unlike Kashmir’s social media-driven militancy, where every new joinee would announce his recruitment in militant ranks by releasing a photo on the internet, today’s militancy is anonymous, secret, and even casual.
This “new phase” of militancy—also known as “hybrid militancy”—is quite challenging, according to police sources. The hybrid militants are part-time militants, who are being tasked to carry out attacks on soft targets like civilians, and then return to their normal activity.
Political experts argue that New Delhi’s iron fist policy hasn’t worked in Delhi’s favour. It has instead complicated the situation further.
“The denial of human and political rights will always generate disaffection. However, that doesn’t justify terrorism,” Radha Kumar, a former member of a Kashmiri interlocutor panel, told The Quint.
Additionally, Donthi maintains that political parties in the Valley keep reminding New Delhi that it’s essential to take the people along if militancy is to be managed.
“New Delhi, however, doesn’t pay any heed to them,” he said.
He further said that there can never be a durable solution without engaging with the Kashmiri people.
Following the revocation of the special status, the Central government implemented sweeping security measures to “eliminate terror.”
Separatists were booked under anti-terror and preventive detention laws, while social media users and journalists were summoned for their “anti-national” posts.
So what can be done? To remove the alienation, New Delhi needs to open dialogue with the people, including the relevant stakeholders, and keep them on board.
Punitive measures such as punishing militants’ families despite their non-involvement, dismissing government employees over alleged ‘anti-national’ activities without giving them a chance to be heard, denying passports to critical voices, and curbing dissent, media, and religious freedoms have become common practices.
(Auqib Javeed is a Srinagar-based journalist. He tweets at @AuqibJaveed.)
