The row over Amranath land seems to be unending and the government at centre apathetic. Fifty days of rioting. More than two dozen deaths and scores injured. The standoff has deeply polarized situation in Jammu and Kashmir that now seems to be limping towards a point of no return.

With Jammu for and Kashmir against the transfer of land to Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB), the agitation is taking communal colour in Jammu and raising the separatist sentiment in Kashmir. Imposing "economic blockade" and disallowing the horticulture exports from valley is deepening the divide and has virtually brought two regions at loggerheads with each other. For a moment it seems the two provinces want to break apart. In the conflagration solution to the problem remains elusive by now.

Ironically the third meeting of the all-party delegation in Delhi called by Prime Minister ended up without reaching any conclusion. Shall we say that New Delhi has given up? Who is responsible for the blood that has been spilled on streets? In this hour of darkness there seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel. Are there no thinking beings in the power corridors?

A cursory look in to the happenings that preceded the land row makes one understand how much irresponsible the representatives of the elected government were. Had ministers of PDP resisted the transfer of land at an in initial stage, state would not have gone into flames?

Role of Congress party was equally disgusting. They could not foresee the danger. They allowed the situation to worsen first in Kashmir and then in Jammu.

Behind the agitation is Amarnath Yatra Sangarsh Samiti (AYSS). The organization is having members belonging to RSS, VHP and other right wing groups. Spearheading the samiti is Leela Karan Sharma, a RSS loyalist.

To make its voice heard, members of the AYSS blocked Srinagar-Jammu highway -Kashmir's main link to the rest of the country. At places Hindu mobs attacked the Muslim shops and homes and raised slogans demanding Muslim Kashmiris to leave the area.

J&K is presently under Governor’s rule and the onus of all this is on the Governor. He seems to have lost the control over the situation. People in New Delhi too seem to ne helpless. One gets enough feeling that central government too seems to be playing at the hands of BJP, for the situation has come as a political bonanza for the party. Not only are they going to reclaim itself in Jammu after it was wiped in last state elections in 2002, it has decided to make it a nationwide issue to take on Congress in the 2009 elections and sweep the polls.

Tail Piece

Resorting to blame game and petty politics is no solution to the problem instead New Delhi has to take some concrete steps to resolve the crisis. Negating that economic blockade is not in offing simply worsens the situation. There is hell lot of difference between making statements and the enforcing it on ground.