It’s high time India got over the K word

New Delhi is ready to receive US special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke, who is arriving on Sunday night, now that Washington has clarified Kashmir was not part of his mandate. However if Holbrooke wants to discuss Kashmir, India need not be defensive.

“India must have clarity when dealing with the US or any other country. There is no need to jump and shout just because the K word is mentioned. We have to be mature enough to brief the US on the situation there and stress on India’s belief in solving problems democratically,” a senior adviser to the government said on condition of anonymity.

“Our assets in Kashmir are not to be bargained, is the message we need to make clear,” he said.
After all New Delhi has nothing to be ashamed of, having just completed a successful election in Kashmir where the turnout was over 60%. People’s refusal to heed the separatist call for a boycott has put the Hurriyat Conference on the defensive. India can take the bull by its horn and bring up Kahmir, telling the US that the situation in Kashmir is fine, there will be no third party peace brokering here.

Though the US had declared Kashmir out of Holbrooke’s ambit, Pakistan is certain to push as much as possible to get it back on track, on the grounds that it will help its armed forces concentrate better in the tribal areas bordering Afghanistan.

During his talks here, Holbrooke will get to hear India’s problems with Pakistan’s military establishment, especially the ISI. New Delhi’s effort would be to make certain that Islamabad continues to co-operate in the Mumbai probe and ensures another such strike never happens. It can also give Holbrooke valuable suggestions on Afghanistan.

Unlike the Americans, and Nato countries, India’s role in Afghanistan has been appreciated there. It has concentrated on projects which directly benefit Afghans, like restoring school buildings, training Afghan officials and in power transmission projects or the crucial Delaram-Zaranj highway.