The turn of events leading to the acute polarization along religious lines is very unfortunate. Historically the Kashmiri Hindus and Muslims with the Sufi strains represented the most secular composite Kashmiri culture unique in India until the late Eighties and were more liberal and secular than those(Muslims) in rest of the country till then. The hardcore Islamisation during Zia’s regime in Pakistan, terror infiltration into India and subsequent Talibanisation there had its impact on J&K with the ethnic cleansing of Hindus taking place in the eightees in the Valley and the subsequent separatists movements gaining ground .This gradually widened the schism between the Valley and Jammu over the years. The Land row coupled with Right wing parties’(BJP) political agenda only helped ignite the simmering tinder box in Jammu of the pent up feelings. It is Time for the leaders and the people of J&K to stop mutual recriminations and restore the centuries old glorious past Kashmiri traditions of tolerance .
