We need to do a few things to bring normalcy in Kashmir that go beyond tourism statistics. We need to go beyond the tokenism of nomenclature. We need to keep Pakistan out of the equation. We need to genuinely empower the elected government and its representatives and allow the state to be governed from Srinagar and not from Delhi. This means we need to ignore this group called the Hurriyat that represents at best themselves but usually Pakistani interests or periodic threats that political space grows from the barrel of a gun. We must not treat this is a Hindu-Muslim affair but bring back the Kashmiriyat, which also means the Kashmiri Pandits must feel safe enough to return.

True, there have been horrendous mistakes in the way we have handled Jammu and Kashmir and true these grievances need to be redressed. One of the best ways of doing this is to ensure that we do not repeat these mistakes. Statesmanship in Jammu and Kashmir does not mean coddling separatists with higher subsidies or promising the moon. Instead, statesmanship demands that we make realistic attainable promises. We also make it clear that there is no question of independence to ten districts in the Kashmir Valley on any basis and specially on the basis of religion. So Azadi is out.