The newspapers, sometime back, carried the picture of a security personnel, lying on the ground and half a dozen young hooligans beating him with sticks, in Srinagar. Nobody was trying to stop such elements from thrashing the helpless policeman.

I was reminded of my tenure as inspector general of police, in Srinagar, during the worst period of 1988, when the terrorists had kidnapped the daughter of the then union home minister. The government released the Pakistan-trained terrorists to secure her release, as did another union government a few years later, to free the passengers of an Indian plane, which had been hijacked to Kabul.

The central government has been hoping against hope for some positive results. Look at the sample of pacifications, where even the parents of the killed terrorists in open encounter are given a grant of Rs 10,00,000 as a kind of rehabilitation money.

More is being done for terrorists from the valley than for 3 lakh Hindus and Sikhs, who were forced to leave as a part of well thought out ethnic cleansing.

A position has been reached, that any use of force in self defence by the security forces, is not only frowned at, but openly criticised by the state government, that central forces have gone out of control. Certain areas are hotbeds of terrorism, where even if a terrorist is killed, their supporters rise up in retaliation.

Every citizen of India has a right of private defence, to defend himself or his body, except it appears, the security forces, if what J&K government says is to be believed.

Whether it is the media, or the government, they find the security forces as the villains of the piece, who are responsible for all ills in J&K. It is the publicity, to the terrorists, which encourages them to make anti-India statements, with which, they can get away. Margaret Thatcher, UK's 'iron lady' once rightly said that publicity is the oxygen of terrorism. It is the publicity, which gives the terrorists a larger than life image.

The common Kashmiri citizen, who wants to lead a peaceful life, is unnecessarily dragged into the vicious circle of love-hate relationships. He cannot defy terrorists, as even the local government is playing double in appeasing them. So he feels that it is no use looking upto the government for protection, as its own leaders due their fear, are living under the shadow of guns.

Now here in the world terrorism has been smashed with sweet talks and by surrender. Mao rightly said that the power comes out of the barrel of the gun. No security force prsonnel has any grudge against any Kashmiri. They are following the orders of the government of the day.

If you throw stones, or attack security forces, you must expect retaliation with double the might. Terrorist leaders, whom some call separatists, have been given government security, which is the worst form of submission.

Any excuse is good enough for the terrorists, to kick up a shindy, like giving place for temporary structures to the Hindu pilgrims going to Amar Nath shrine or the visit of the PM to the valley or killing of terrorists and intruders by the security forces.

The worst sufferer in this matter is ordinary Kashmiri, as nobody would like to invest in any place, where bandhs and riots take place, at the drop of a hat. Tourists also think twice before visiting any such place. It suits the terrorists, to keep Kashmir in a disturbed state. In one week of June, 2010, five persons died and 65 others, including 32 policemen, have been injured in the provocative violent clashes in the valley.

The way in which small time politicians are going about wrecking the economy of the State is terrible. No amount of financial assistance is going to improve the situation. Despite prime minister’s repeated visits and offers to talk to anybody, to sort out the problem, if any, there have been no takers for it

It is time for the government of India to accept the reality. In the name of democracy, such elements should not be allowed to get away with murder. Responsibility walks hand in hand with capacity and power, which in the present case does not appear to have been exercised. What we need is a clear, consistent and comprehensive policy. It is a stark truth that those who do not learn from history are condemned to repeat it.