There are innumerable instances where the Indian Government applies different yardstick in regard to Kashmir. The closure of the airport is the latest.

Kashmiris have been facing deliberate discrimination in almost all aspects of their daily lives. Be it the case of respect for human rights, the jobs in different national corporations, central organisations and agencies; issue of passports; methods of controlling peaceful marches and protests, and so on.



The rules, standards, and the criteria applicable in different parts of India are different from those applied here. Article 370 of the Constitution grants special status to Kashmir. The article was meant to preserve and safeguard the unique identity of Kashmiris. However, it has been used by various Central Governments from time to time to completely erode this unique identity. It has been used as a channel to impose various central legislations such as the most infamous AFSPA on the State. In fact, the local government has been reduced to nothing. Everything is now controlled directly by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. The things have come to such a pass that the Central Agencies and Departments working in Kashmir do not even take the local government into confidence while taking certain decisions. They are sometimes routinely informed about these unless they need certain concessions from the local government.

The latest instance is the closure of Srinagar Airport for resurfacing of its 12,000 feet long runway. Normally, there should not have been any need for closing the airport. The work could be done during night under halogen lights in stretches. In the alternative, the task could be assigned to a resourceful agency capable of employing a larger number of mechanized pre-mix plants, pavers and other equipments to complete the job in a couple of days or so. Some of the South Korean construction companies have been paving much longer stretches of six to eight lane motorways in the Middle East in a matter of days. Keeping the technical details of the work aside, the most crucial aspect of the decision is its impact on the feelings of the local people. The already uncertain situation in Kashmir has further been compounded by this move of the Indian Air Force. The closure of the airport for a fortnight is going to throw everything out of gear. Here it needs to be clarified that there is no civilian airport in Srinagar. On the contrary it has always been an Air Base operated and controlled by the Indian Air Force. After the Indian forces landed here on October 27, 1947, and took control of the airfield it has remained under the control of the Air Force. On the old Airfield there was a small wooden terminal building which was used for civilian flights. After the air base was expanded and the new runway was laid, the civilian operations were shifted to the present side by constructing a new terminal building. At that time it was probably envisaged that the Air Force operations would be completely shifted to the newly set up Air base at Koil in Awantipora. However, this did not happen and both the bases remained with the Air Force. A few years back, the Union Cabinet declared Srinagar Airport as an International Airport and sanctioned the modification of the existing terminal building to handle International flights which ultimately proved to be a cruel joke. In real terms, it was an anomaly to declare it as an international airport as it was not a civilian airport. In fact, what they had done was to sanction the upgrading of the building to somewhat international standards. The runway, the Air Traffic Control, and all operations continue to be with the Air Force. They have the last word in all matters concerning the civil aviation operations. The Airports Authority of India which operates and controls all the airports in the country has no jurisdiction in such matters in Kashmir. There has been a tussle going on between two organisations in regard to timing of civilian flights, installation of instrument landing system and many other similar matters but due to ever green “security reasons” the Air Force authorities enjoy the overriding powers unlike other parts of India. In all other metros and all over the country the airports as well as the air space except in times of war are controlled by the civil aviation organisation. Not in Kashmir. Here, everything is under the direct control of defence authorities all the time!

The local Air Force authorities should not be blamed for the tussle. They can’t move an inch without the specific directions of Delhi. One has to understand that Kashmir is of prime strategic location for India both in regard to Pakistan and China. The Air Force bases in Kashmir and Ladakh are a great asset for the Indian Defence authorities. Most of the destructive sorties on the Pakistani bases in 1965 were mounted from the Srinagar Air Base. Similarly, in 1999 Kargil War, it was the Srinagar Base which enabled through Air Force the throwing back of the Pakistani intruders from various heights. As such the defence authorities will never agree to relinquish their hold on these bases in Kashmir. There have been many other grievances relating to the Airport. It has multiple tiers of security not seen on any other airport in the world. The sole international flight to Dubai was started with great fanfare by the Congress President Sonia Gandhi. However, it was discontinued in less than a year of operation. The present closure smacks of clear communal bias. During the pilgrimage to the holy cave of Amaranth it continued to be operational but just close to the Festival of Eid it is planned to be closed. After lot of hue and cry, the authorities have finally under great compulsion worked out an alternative of using the Awantipora Base runway for civilian flights till the work on the Srinagar Base is completed. This involves quite a few hassles but the air link will not be totally broken. Something is better than nothing! They say beggars can’t be choosers. This is the position to which our so called rulers have reduced us to! All these deficiencies are possible to be taken care of. The best alternative in practical terms is an independent civilian facility outside the defence network. Not a big deal to achieve if there are sincere leaders pleading the same and the New Delhi has the will to do so!

Kashmir’s greatest misfortune has been the attitude of it’s what are known as the mainstream leaders. Their sole aim has been self-aggrandisement. They have never bothered sincerely to do something for the overall interests of both the Kashmiris and the land of Kashmir itself. Had they been honest and sincere, they would not have mortgaged all the resources of Kashmir to the New Delhi. There are no two opinions regarding the basic fact that Kashmir has enough resources to sustain itself. These include the hydro-electric power potential, the massive forest cover, the potential for agro-industries and last but not the least, the massive potential for international tourism both the summer and winter! Instead of taking genuine steps to make us self-reliant, they have ensured total economic dependence of Kashmir on outsiders. Massive investments have been made in unproductive sectors thereby neglecting the most important ones. Even if some investment has been made in these sectors, major portion of it has been gobbled by the corrupt system established and nourished by them all these years. Their only slogan to deceive the people has been the so called “Autonomy” which has been buried by the New Delhi long time back. Let them try only to get some autonomy in the operation of civilian flights. It will be a great contribution! As already mentioned, this can be achieved by getting a totally civilian airport of International standards complete in all respects and without any interference of the defence authorities. It is something achievable in a matter of few years through some global agencies as has been done in the case of Delhi. New Delhi keeps on waving the wands of notes amounting to thousands of crores in regard to various projects in Kashmir. A full fledged civilian airport will cost only a couple of hundred crores or so! There cannot be a bigger confidence building measure than this in the present circumstances of total alienation! There is urgent need to raise this demand forcefully by one and all. Will somebody at the highest level give a serious thought to this and make at least an announcement to this effect? Never mind the host of other promises yet to be kept! One more won’t make a big difference! At least we will feel that someone cares!