Communication Solution to Kashmir Issue: A look inward
Since 1947 India has won four consecutive war (1947-48, 1965, 1971, 1999) against Pakistan but seems to have lagged behind in strategically significant communication and persuasion war (competing for to persuade someone or to influence public opinion) against it. Stone pelting incidents, Buran Wani incident, and Adil Ahmad Dar episode are few examples of how Pakistan has succeeded in influencing kasmiri youths. Seventy years on India still lacks a concrete and elaborate communication plan to influence public opinion in Kashmir. What makes it more interesting is the fact that plebiscite is an important part of Instrument of Accession and United National Resolution on Kashmir issue and India herself had initially proposed the idea of plebiscite on Kashmir. Even if plebiscite was a distant possibility, strategic and policy provision for managing opinion of the people of Kashmir had to be made, which in real sense was not made. Plebiscite is "the direct vote of all the members of an electorate on an important public question." In this case accession of Kashmir to India and Pakistan shall be decided through plebiscite.
In the aftermath of the Pulwama terror strike in which 44 CRPF (Central Research Police Force) personals were martyred, several incidents of attack on Kashmiri people were reported across the country. Social media worked as magic multiplier (Wilbur Schramm 1964) as the videos of such incidents were shared on several social media platforms. This situation my create a picture in the head of masses which may not necessarily represent the reality (Walter Lippmann, 1922) however succeeded in creating an environment of hyper-reality (Jean Baudrillard, 1981) in which masses conscience is unable to distinguish reality from simulation of reality. The questions to be asked here is- how India is perceived by Muslims of Kashmir? What policy efforts government of India has invested in persuading and reading the minds of Muslims of Kashmir? What communication strategy government India has been following since 1947-48 when country got independence? How change in government at the center and state has influence this strategy? These question have attracted less academic as well as policy attention.
Since 1947 India has won four consecutive war (1947-48, 1965, 1971, 1999) against Pakistan but seems to have lagged behind in strategically significant communication and persuasion war (competing for to persuade someone or to influence public opinion) against it. Stone pelting incidents, Buran Wani incident, and Adil Ahmad Dar episode are few examples of how Pakistan has succeeded in influencing kasmiri youths. Seventy years on India still lacks a concrete and elaborate communication plan to influence public opinion in Kashmir. What makes it more interesting is the fact that plebiscite is an important part of Instrument of Accession and United National Resolution on Kashmir issue and India herself had initially proposed the idea of plebiscite on Kashmir. Even if plebiscite was a distant possibility, strategic and policy provision for managing opinion of the people of Kashmir had to be made, which in real sense was not made. Plebiscite is "the direct vote of all the members of an electorate on an important public question." In this case accession of Kashmir to India and Pakistan shall be decided through plebiscite.
In the aftermath of the Pulwama terror strike in which 44 CRPF (Central Research Police Force) personals were martyred, several incidents of attack on Kashmiri people were reported across the country. Social media worked as magic multiplier (Wilbur Schramm 1964) as the videos of such incidents were shared on several social media platforms. This situation my create a picture in the head of masses which may not necessarily represent the reality (Walter Lippmann, 1922) however succeeded in creating an environment of hyper-reality (Jean Baudrillard, 1981) in which masses conscience is unable to distinguish reality from simulation of reality. The questions to be asked here is- how India is perceived by Muslims of Kashmir? What policy efforts government of India has invested in persuading and reading the minds of Muslims of Kashmir? What communication strategy government India has been following since 1947-48 when country got independence? How change in government at the center and state has influence this strategy? These question have attracted less academic as well as policy attention.
