Kashmir quagmire: Dual stance leads nowhere
Central government has announced ceasefire during the month of Ramzan against Kashmir extremists. Home minister Rajnath Singh had referred to the preparedness of central government to engage in talks provided the Hurriyat conference gave its concurrence to find solution to Kashmir problem. Though the issue has mellowed down for the time being, the instigating talks by BJP leaders is doing more harm than good. Rajyasabha member D P Vatsa stating those pelting stones at defence forces in Kashmir must be shot dead, has created a furore. This could add more complexities to Kashmir problem that’s already in a quagmire.
According to the statement made by Home Minister Rajnath Singh in the Parliament, about 39,918 people have been killed in Kashmir in incidents of violence between 1990 and 2011. But the separatists believe the actual number is more than double of what’s on the record. Government told the parliament that 13,224 people and 5,369 members from armed forces have been killed in various incidents of violence. Though state and central governments underwent a change during this time in Kashmir, the violence relating to the region has never come down, and innocents are paying the price with their lives.
After announcing ceasefire, Rajnath Singh visited Srinagar on June 8 and took stock of response pattern and preparedness of security forces. He instructed the officers to withdraw cases against minors held for pelting stones. Accordingly cases against 530 boys has been withdrawn. While the home minister is trying to bring situation under control, his other colleagues are instigating the situation for worse.
Whatever it is, only talks alone can solve the problem of Kashmir. Joint Hurriyat Leadership too has exhibited its willingness to participate in the talks with the government of India. At the same time, the leadership has sought our government to clear air on a few topics. Though the extremists did attempt to create problems, things seems to be under control now. But the recent statements by some few BJP leaders can create a situation of disharmony.
Central government needs to take people into its trust circles, even before engaging with the Hurriyat. The government needs to clear the air in people’s mind regarding their safety. Owing to some impulsive decisions made by Modi four years ago when he occupied the PM chair, people of Kashmir are in great problems. Women and children have also taken to streets to pelt stones and make their unhappiness known to the authorities.
Some off-the-top decisions regarding safety and security as initiated by the new government has created massive issues especially for women and children. Youths are attracted to illegal and anti-government activities. Central govt needs to engage them with great forthcoming attitude to get their attention.
Central govt needs to assure to people of Kashmir that they wouldn’t choose the same violent path to control the mobs, including absolute dropping use of pellet guns against protesting women and children. A conducive atmosphere needs to be created by releasing leaders such as Shabeer Shah, assuring total inquiry into incidents of firing undertaken by armed forces.
Ministers contradicting home minister Rajnath Singh must be strictly told to stay off the issue and not to issue any media statement since this is not helping the cause. The government must show total commitment to resolving Kashmir issue through talks and discussions.
The BJP led govt had appointed Intelligence chief Dineshwar Sharma as intermediary last year. Mr Sharma has said: Unless the violence is contained and people’s consensus is collected, there would be no use to any discussions on this issue. His statement clearly shows the lopsided approach governments have taken to sort out the issue. Central government needs to draw up innovative plans to engage the youths who are increasingly getting drawn to extremist activities. Hence defence forces need to engage in bringing down the violence than taking decisions that further deepen the damage.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh could have given even more concrete assurances of ceasefire in order to encourage positivity and talks between government and separatists. Negative approach or aggression will not provide any solution to Kashmir problem, ever. Union government’s ceasefire in Ramzan month is the most appropriate gesture. If this positive reinforcement is continued, the people of that region may even come around to sit down and talk with the government and being part of it. If clarity is not reached, this issue may continue to exist for a few more years.
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Commercial LPG hike: Delhi restaurant owners warn of higher menu rates, job losses
New Delhi (PTI) A day after a 50 per cent rise in commercial LPG cylinder prices, Delhi's food business, with restaurant owners and street vendors have warned of higher menu rates, financial strain and potential job losses if the trend persists.
The price of commercial LPG was hiked by a steep Rs 993 per 19 kg cylinder, marking the third consecutive monthly hike amid rising global energy prices linked to the West Asia conflict.
For many in the restaurant industry, the spike has been both sudden and steep.
Manpreet Singh, honorary treasurer of the National Restaurant Association of India, said that eateries are already grappling with supply challenges alongside rising costs.
"There is a huge difficulty in getting these cylinders, and black marketing is also increasing in many unregulated sectors," he said, noting that prices that were once around Rs 1,600, often dropping to nearly Rs 1,300 with discounts, have now surged to between Rs 3,000 and Rs 4,000 per cylinder.
He further added that a medium-sized restaurant typically uses between two and five cylinders daily, making the increase particularly burdensome as costs mount.
Singh further said that as costs mount, smaller establishments could struggle to stay afloat. Instead, the association has advised restaurants to shift towards piped natural gas connections through Indraprastha Gas Limited as a more sustainable alternative.
"If this problem continues, PNG is the only long-term solution," he said, adding that temporary measures like coal offer limited relief due to slower cooking times and that it can largely be used only for tandoors.
Echoing similar concerns, Kabir Suri, owner of Mamagoto in Khan Market, said the impact is already visible across the industry. "There has been almost a threefold increase in cylinder prices for restaurants," he said, adding that rising fuel and logistics costs are compounding the pressure.
"If this continues, it will become a significant financial burden, and food prices will inevitably go up. Adding to this burden, higher fuel costs are also affecting logistics and transportation, making a price rise unavoidable. The extent of the impact will vary between small eateries and large chains depending on their scale," he said.
Global oil prices have surged nearly 50 per cent following disruptions in energy supply chains due to the West Asia conflict, pushing up commercial fuel costs and transport expenses.
A West Delhi-based restaurateur said they are trying to manage rising costs while keeping their staff secure. "We are trying to ensure that our staff, from kitchen workers to waiters, are paid on time and do not face immediate hardship," the owner said.
"We are a small restaurant with seating for about 20 to 25 people at a time. But if this continues for long, we will have to take difficult calls. There is only so much we can absorb, and menu prices will have to go up. We hope this does not continue for a longer period," he said.
Another restaurant owner in North Delhi, who did not wish to be named, said operational adjustments alone may not be enough. "We are checking our costs very carefully and trying to cut wherever possible, but if fuel prices remain high, it will eventually affect how we run the business," the owner said.
"Coal helps in tandoor cooking, but it takes more time," the owner further added.
The strain is even more acute among street vendors, many of whom operate on thin margins. A vendor in Saket said he had recently expanded his business, moving from a mobile cart to a rented outlet.
"I have a family to feed and more responsibilities now. Earlier, I managed with a moving cart, but after renting the place, expenses increased," he said. "Whenever cylinders were unavailable, I had to buy them at higher rates in the black market. Now even regular supply is too expensive, and if this continues, we may have to shut down," he added.
In Laxmi Nagar, another vendor said they are struggling to keep the business running. "Sometimes we even used domestic cylinders from home when supply ran out because we had to keep the stall running," he said, adding that rising costs leave little choice but to increase prices or bear losses.
On April 1, the rates of commercial LPG cylinders were hiked by Rs 195.50 per cylinder, followed by a Rs 114.5 hike on March 1, taking the total increase over the past three months to Rs 1,303. With the latest revision, a 19 kg commercial LPG cylinder now costs Rs 3,371.5 in Delhi, up from Rs 2,078.5 earlier.
The prices of domestic LPG cylinders used for household cooking have remained unchanged. They were last increased by Rs 60 per 14.2 kg cylinder on March 7 and currently cost Rs 913 in Delhi.
