Though the budget session of Jammu and Kashmir Assembly began on Monday with the ceremonial Governor’s Address to the House, the emergence of a united opposition ahead of it coming out of ‘forced circumstances’ is something new for the political scenario of the state. Opposed ideologically, culturally and region-wise the coming together of birds of different feathers looks to be the last straw for the opposition to assert some pressure on the government on issues of their concern especially the identity cards for the West Pakistan Refugees (WPRs). The Assembly is sure to see some fireworks. It looks State politicians are following what is happening in New Delhi where Congress had other opposition parties on its side to confront the government on demonetisation for the winter session in Parliament. What made the dinner diplomacy in J and K so urgent to put a cohesive face to the government in Assembly? Are they threatened by the dilution of identity crisis if the WPRs get some recognition as individuals? Aren’t they also raising the bogey of demographic dilution as the separatists have done? The issue of identity certificates to West Pakistan Refugees, who are overwhelmingly Hindu, is seen as the first step for granting them domicile status as part of a bigger plot to change the State’s demographic contours. All the hue and cry created is to garner public support against any move by the Coalition Government to give this displaced community some recognition. Jammu should stand up unitedly against such reactions from Valley. Mainstream and separatist politicians in the Muslim-majority Valley have always seen the BJP-RSS demand for the abrogation of Article 370 (which guarantees special status to Jammu and Kashmir) as a design to change the demography of Kashmir by settling Hindus from elsewhere. What one can look forward is the united opposition is likely to take up in the Assembly over the months-long unrest in the Valley, identity cards to the WPRs settled in the State since partition in 1947, shelling on Pakistan border and terror attacks.
