Er. P. L. Khushu
A unanimous decision was taken during the meeting of leaders of various Opposition parties in Jammu, led by Farooq Abdullah, that the regional opposition parties will hold a joint peaceful protest on October 10 against trampling of constitutional rights and delay of elections here. Abdullah chaired a meeting of the regional opposition parties in Jammu in which leaders from Congress, People’s Democratic Party, Panthers Party and other political parties participated. They also condemned the raids against journalists in New Delhi. Is it a mini dotted I.N.D.I.A. The National Conference leader, who also heads the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration, an amalgam of regional parties formed in October 2020 to strive for the restoration of special status and statehood of J&K, said that the BJP led government despite its claims of normalcy in J&K is not holding elections in the region. “The Home Minister and Lieutenant Governor claim that the situation is normal in J&K. The G-20 meeting happened here and If the situation is normal and the why the elections are not being held is the contention.
What a pardoxal question and why? The election commission of India has to decide about it and not the government of India. Let them take up the issue with the election commission of India, the way they knocked the doors of the Honb’le Supreme Court of India about the abrogation of the Article 370 and 35 A. They created a hype amongst the people of Kashmir, that they have engaged the best lawyers for advocating their cause about the abrogation of the Article 370 and 35 A. What is the result so far, that is yet to come. Without making any comments about the legal outcome about it as the issue is still subjudice, but one can comprehend the outcome prominently.
Is it the whimsy of Gupkari’s to collect such a gathering for spreading false notions about the present peaceful conditions in Kashmir. Gupkari’s are political experts in all such events, to create an imaginary lobby of unimportant politicians, to show their existence within the crowd of people for their vote bank politics. Jammu a cozy place free from any disturbances of sorts for such gatherings, as people of Jammu are all peace loving people and do not believe in any violence has been chosen as the venue of this protest. Is it a soft target for such political events? The general masses Jammu may have to take note of it. Why do not Gupkari’s hold such protests on the soil of Kashmir, particularly at places like Shopian, Pulwama, Anantnag, Baramullah, Kupwra, Srinagar and places of deep Srinagar like Khanyar, Hawal, Nowhatta, Khankahi Mohlla, Idd Gah, etc. Do they have an answer for it? Yes, they have the answer but they will not exhibit it. They know it that they have no existence in Kashmir and in fact, Kashmiri’s hate all these politicians, as they are the people who are responsible for the destruction of Kashmir through militancy, due to their dynastic rules for decades. How many times did these dynasty based politicians come on roads of Kashmir, since 5th August 2019, when article 370 was abrogated and 35A removed. How many times did these timid politicians come on roads about Kashmir getting broken, with Ladakh getting separated from it. How many times did these politicians come on roads about Jammu and Kashmir having been reduced to the status of a union territory from the level of a full state? So shedding of crocodile tears by them now and that too away from the main soil of Kashmir due to the fear of the militancy, bears no sanctity and acknowledgement of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Will the Gupkar Alliance reply it.
What a ludicrous situation and hypocrisy to call it a people’s alliance when it is an alliance of just two families abetted and supported by one or two local disgruntled so called political leaders, who are equally having hypocritical dynastic base and are experts in changing political sides for their self interests.
It looks now ambiguous and antagonizing to listen to different versions of Dr. Farooq Abdullah, the head of this alliance , when he proposes different postulates day in and day out, like talking to Pakistan about Kashmir problem, declaring that people of Kashmiri’s do not like India, preferring to have Chinese patronage, seeking Chinese help for the abrogation of article 370 and the like. These statements are baneful and atrocious apart from being seriously seditious. A member of the Indian parliament speaking so and that too on the soil of India, it poses a question mark. The entire nation has taken these remarks as seditious in its form and stipulations, when it has been condemned by every nationalist Indian. Freedom of speech and expression has its limitations. The constitution of India should not be allowed to be taken for a ride so contemptuously.
The timing chosen by the sponsors of such a protest has a semblance with the situations around, to divert the attention of the people of Jammu & Kashmir for their role in administration during their ruler ships of governance of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. In this regard it has further relevance to the distinct tirade which has been set in motion by the new Lieutenant Governor to eradicate the menace of deep corruption from Jammu and Kashmir, as also locate the earlier hidden pools of such hair raising events of corrupt practices involving the mighty people of politics and civil administration. In this regard a reference to the ‘Roshni-Act’ is a living example in such a case.
The leadership of National Conference has always advocated for a dialogue with Pakistan to end terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, saying friendship holds the key to development in the region. Their opinion is that “Terrorism is still prevalent in Jammu and Kashmir, contrary to the claims pf the government that it is finished now. Their statements say that If we want to finish it, we have to talk to our neighbor” that is distinctly our enemy Pakistan. Such a statement corroborates with statement of another apex leader of PDD, who called upon the government of India to initiate dialogue with Pakistan citing increased violence in the Valley. A famous dictum,” Birds of the same feather flocks together”. These two old rival political parties of Kashmir, with dynastic backgrounds to rule Kashmir, have superficially come together through an alliance known as ‘Gupkar-Alliance’, clubbing some other local political parties with this alliance. With the birth of such an alliance there was a big drum beating between these political parties to counter the moves of the power corridors of Delhi about the abrogation of Article 370, 35A, along with other allied issues with it, like the ‘Reorganization of ‘J and K State’. Thus their utterances of insignificant values appear to be more ‘loyal than the king’, towards our neighbor Pakistan, which is a bitter enemy of India. These tall politicians posing to be well wishers of the masses of Kashmir are exposed fully before the masses, when Mehbooba Mufti chose to govern the state with the help of BJP. Her illustrious father was the home minister of India. Dr. Farooq Abdullah’s is a member of the Indian parliament, when he has remained as central cabinet minister too. His party too has been in the past a part of NDA Government when his son Omar Abdullah was a minister in the NDA government. What a duality? What are they selling now to the people of Kashmir? Are they now sitting on the fence as umpires between India and Pakistan, showing more loyalty to Pakistan by advocating for them in India that India should hold talks with them to stop terrorism etc. Are they Indians, yes, they should be, as they have enjoyed enough of royal favors from India by occupying highest seats of power in the governing hierarchy of India and Kashmir from time to time. It is very well understood that after enjoying all the benefic favors, from India due to the appeasement policies of erstwhile governments of India, since decades by exploiting Kashmir as a serious issue, which has been stopped now, such valley based dynastic politicians are completely frustrated now. These politicians with a microscopic base in the valley are repeatedly doing so, when no route is now available to them to usurp the state power back, thus fan unrealistic half truths to create doubts in the innocent minds of the people of Kashmir, that Kashmir is a disputed territory between India and Pakistan. Pakistan has abandoned them for their inconsistent utterances.
These leaders have a vague notion that they are representing Jammu & Kashmir in the national and the international forums, when it is not so. These politicians should have a look at their vote bank percentages with which these people have won the state elections or the parliamentary elections from time to time. They have hardly been selected by just 9%to 10 % of the total electorate of their constituencies. Let them introspect about it. The insurgency of militancy and terror in Jammu & Kashmir is a product of the dynastic ruler ship of various political leaders. Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly elections of 1987, is widely believed to have been rigged. Allegations of malpractices and rigging led to the disillusionment of Kashmiris. In this environment, secessionist and subversive elements started claiming that they had been denied democratic rights illegally and began justifying recourse to unconstitutional and other methods. It was in this environment that Pakistan encouraged Kashmiri youth to come across the Line of Control and receive arms training to begin an armed secessionist movement. As is mostly said and spoken that the root cause of the militancy in the state is basically the elections of 1987. Who was involved in these elections is an open secret. The militancy is a creation of the dynastic rules in Jammu & Kashmir. Now a protest about holding of elections in Jammu and Kashmir. It is much a do about nothing. Let them reply the basic questions of their loyalty to the constitution of India and people of Jammu and Kashmir, before seeking entry back in the election euphoria, to see day dreams to come back to power as dynastic politicians. Probably those days have gone. These disgruntled politicians are more or less now harping upon the support from another newly created political alliance known as dotted I.N.D.I.A, which is a hypocrite amalgam of the defeated politicians of mostly dynastic bases, which may seize to exist and fall under its own weight soon. National conference and Congress party will now exploit their joint win in Kargil Hill Development Council elections within Jammu and Kashmir and will make more noise about it particularly in Jammu province. It is a regional elections when it has nothing to do with the main assembly or parliamentary elections. People of Jammu and Kashmir shall have to be more vigilant about such a maneuvering of NC and Congress particularly in Jammu. This joint amalgam will not be able to make any dent in Kashmir, but the voters in Jammu shall have to remain cautious about it.
(The author of this article is a chartered consultant civil engineer, who loves his mother land the union territory of
Jammu & Kashmir).
