Shekhar Gupta: Facts, fiction and reality in J&K

Before searching for a solution to the Kashmir problem, we should understand it better. There are deadly perils in jumping with solutions without first understanding the facts and realities. Only quacks — or maybe, faith-healers — prescribe medication for chronic ailments without arriving at a reasoned diagnosis.

There are three sets of solutions today from three categories of these “faith-healers”. First, in India, the establishment view, which finds wide popular support is, that the only problem in Kashmir is Pakistan, and the radical Islam it exports there along with rifles, rocket-launchers and RDX. Get the Pakistanis off our back, and you shoot a sequel to Kashmir Ki Kali in Dal Lake.

The Pakistani establishment fantasy, again with wide public support,