India’s former intelligence chief has slammed Narendra Modi-led government for its failure to anticipate and address the recent uprising in Indian-occupied Kashmir (IOK), Indian media reported on Thursday.
“Let me say that we have invited Pakistan back into the valley. Kashmiris hibernate in winter… That’s the best time to engage Kashmiris. We didn’t… Now children are out on the streets… Modiji had an edge when he came to power. But talks didn’t happen,” AS Dulat, ex-chief of Research & Analysis Wing (RAW), India’s premier spy agency, said.
Blaming Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for failing to engage disgruntled Kashmiris, Dulat said leaders in New Delhi think talks are not necessary. “They think they [Kashmiris] have been pampered a lot.” In response to a question, if the Indian government was not pampering the Kashmiris because Hindu nationalists in the BJP might not like it, the ex-RAW chief said: “Of course. You know that. I don’t want to go into it,” The Indian Express quoted him as saying.
Talking about the situation in IOK, Dulat said, “The sad part, frightening part and really scary part of Kashmir is that these boys and girls with stones in their hands don’t seem to care what their parents feel.” “Because of alienation and the anger of youth, young Kashmiri minds have gone out of control. There is a sense of hopelessness. They aren’t afraid to die. Villagers, students and even girls are coming out on the streets. This has never happened in the past,” he added.
Criticising New Delhi for not engaging in a comprehensive dialogue process with Islamabad, the ex-spy master questioned why India was afraid to talk about Kashmir. “They have more explaining to do.”
