Carrot after stick for Kashmir

Eight things India must do immediately to usher in peace in the Valley

Chris Patten, the last governor general of Hong Kong, apparently endeared himself to his subjects on arrival in the colony. He did this by not wearing a pith helmet, also called sola topi in our parts, which was part of the imperialist’s uniform. He came instead dressed in a suit, acknowledging subtly that the past needed to be addressed and corrected.

The Indian government’s latest representative to the troubled land of Kashmir arrived this week to make peace with the natives. Having given them three years of unrelenting stick since taking office, this was apparently Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s carrot. One