Dost Khan
To the discerning reader this analogy might prove a bit of a brain teaser. How can the former Governor of Jammu and Kashmir and Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) have something ‘horrible’ in common? How can two entirely dissimilar things have a commonality? If the research of highly knowledgeable politicians (separatists and the so-called mainstreamists in Kashmir besides Congress, Communists and the pseudo secularists across the country) is to be believed, yes, they can have some similarity. The research in their political labs has proved that Jagmohan and EVMs have some path breaking similarity.
Jagmohan is regularly and religiously held responsible for the ouster of three and a half lakh aborigines of Kashmir called Pandits (to engineer genocide of Kashmiri Muslims) and Electronic Voting Machines used in the recent elections to five states are cursed for complete rout of the opposition; from AAP to Samajwadi Party, BSP and Congress. To top it all, the way and conviction with which these political parties are raising pitch against the EVMs might give an impression that something spectacular has been discovered akin to some God particle or another Higgs Boson!
Political narrative in Kashmir right from 1990 to this time was tailored and doctored by so called intellectuals, Pakistan-backed separatists, leftists and many ideologues of pampered mainstream political parties of Jammu and Kashmir that Kashmiri Pandits fled the Valley at the bidding and goading of the then Governor Jagmohan. This theory was supplied to anti-India elements within the country and outside. They lost no time to push this wicked theory on the platter of Ghulam Nabi Fai, in US and many Kashmiri Muslim secessionist sympathisers in Europe. Arundati Roy, Justice Tarkunde and even some Indian Track-2 rag tags too lapped up the theory. Nothing but just the opposite of this craftily conceived theory was relegated to the background. Truth became the first victim and truth became the last victim. When Kashmiri Muslims registered themselves as migrants in Jammu in early 90s, Jagmohan and conspiracy factors were deliberately ignored. And now, 27 years after the eviction of Kashmiri Pandits or ‘infidels’, the opening of counters for registering fresh Muslim migrants in Jammu is no conspiracy because Jagmohan is not around. The theory of Dr Gobbles once again put truth in the dock. Vandhama, Nadimarg, was forgotten. The din, roar and open action against the Pandits on 19th January, 1990 was forgotten. The killing of hundreds of Pandits mattered little to them. The murderers, their cohorts, masterminds and Islamic Jihad all went scot free. Jagmohan was the only one on whom all this blame was to be fixed. Fortunately, truth eventually wins but it takes a heavy toll till it registers its final victory. That is the problem with truth and lies are easy to make, easy to churn and easy to digest. On the other side, taste of truth is always said to be bitter. But bitter the medicine, the better it cures. Today, the genocide and exile of Kashmiri Pandits is established now and who did it, who crafted it and who implemented it is now no secret. The poor Jagmohan stands redeemed.
When electronic voting machines came on the scene all were jittery especially those for whom the ballot paper was easy to manage and easy to tamper with. The introduction of EVMs was taken with a pinch of salt. How could the corrupt and decadent political mindset in the country wholly back the introduction of a better and transparent system of casting votes? But soon we found that all political parties were praising the Election Commission of India on the introduction of voting machines. It was till the time of a status quo in the Indian political system was not disturbed. There seemed a virtual alliance in the country over elections in which regional players along with Congress and leftists draw sustenance from their usual politics of caste, minority, backward, Mazdoor planks. It was a damaging trend in India’s political system which ensured that the Dalit remained Dalit, Muslims remained ghettoised and backwards remained backwards. In place of a wholesome political system a fragmented political system was sought to be promoted which ensured a fragmented politics within but a semblance of grass root democracy from a distance.
With the rise of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his brand of one India, based on development for 1.25 billion Indians this cunningly crafted election plank has been disturbed. With the opening of economy and rise of India’s booming middle class there is a tectonic shift in the voting pattern. The Utter Pradesh election results prove it beyond any shred of doubt. Unfortunately the promoters of divisive politics like SP, BSP and the demise of once Grand Old Party of India -Congress has given rise to a frustration in these parties. The worst part is that they refuse to see the truth. Otherwise Mayawati, Harish Rawat, Ganesh Tiwari, Kejriwal, Digvijay Singh all have blamed the poor EVMs for their drubbing. But when AAP won hands down in Delhi EVMs were fair. When SP won under Akhlesh in UP EVMs were healthy, when Mamta destroyed Left in West Bengal EVMs came handy. In Punjab EVMs are good and safe for Congress. But when Modi wins in UP, Uttrakhand, and Manipur, EVMs are tempered. This is reflection of complete rout of the opposing political parties. What is tragic is not the fact that they have lost in polls but that they have lost their mental acumen. With such statements they are strengthening the hands of BJP and making it more invincible and formidable for them to counter in future. What frightens us not the loss of elections by the opposition but their denial and lack of vision to see a new aspiration rising in India which has spilled over their narrow borders of caste, minority and divisiveness. The reason we see a commonality being scripted between Jagmohan and EVMs entirely to the peril of the Opposition.
