Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Obama and Kashmir

This has reference to the editorial, “Obama and Kashmir” (Jan. 14). U.S. President-elect Barack Obama has an optimistic view on terrorism and the Kashmir dispute. Terrorism has now become a global issue and it has to be addressed on a much broader platform. It can only be tackled by a cumulative endeavour of both the East and the West. However, Kashmir is a bilateral issue. It is a socio-cultural dispute between India and Pakistan, though the terrorist element cannot be overruled. This can be resolved only through a political and diplomatic initiative. Though there is some connectivity between the two issues, there is no cause and effect relationship between them.

Chinmaya Nayak,

Bhubaneswar

Resolving the Kashmir issue may be a part of Mr. Obama’s future strategy on Afghanistan but for India it is completely an internal matter and important component of its sovereignty. India should vehemently oppose the deployment of any foreign envoy for resolving the issue. The recent J&K election has proved that separatists have very narrow mass base. Mr. Obama’s plan will only encourage the separatists. He must de-link Kashmir from his Afghan strategy.

Dheeraj Pandey,

Ghazibad

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