When in power; they wear mainstream mask and when out of it…?
BLUNT BUTCHER/ANCHOR
JAMMU: Past two days political melodrama in Jammu and Kashmir State Legislature has necessitated a nation-wide debate over redefining the term ‘mainstream’ in a state grappling with terrorism and radicalization for twenty-seven years.
Crying hoarse over repression and state-terrorism back in the Valley, the leaders and lawmakers of the so-called mainstream parties are brazenly challenging national sovereignty and glorifying terrorism in the winter capital-an abode of patriots who are culturally most tolerant. This unique characteristic has withstood test of times for centuries in general and over two decades in the recent past.
Showing ‘disrespect’ to national anthem in the temple of democracy, on its opening day of the budget session, some of the lawmakers have jumped red-line while terming dreaded terrorist like Burhan Wani a freedom fighter and a martyr. Ironically, the ‘generous’ terminology from a National Conference lawmaker comes at a time when national television channels were telecasting tele-conversation of Burhan Wani with international terrorist Hafiz Sayeed, who was all praise for the mayhem the assassinated terrorist had caused in the Valley. The lawmaker’s party chief had recently extended his support to Hurriyat Conference for its mission of the ‘movement’. It was not for the first time when the three-time Chief Minister and a Union Minister had ‘erred’ (or spoken his heart). A votary of bombarding terror-camps in Pak occupied Kashmir, when in power, Farooq Abdullah showed the symptoms of political decay over a year and half ago when he justified ‘waving of ISSI and Pakistan flags in the Valley as reflection of the frustration and anger of the youth for “nothing having been done for them”. By defending indefensible, he could not fool the nation but actually deceived his conscience. He proved himself to be most adventurous than chronic hardcore Kashmiri secessionist Syed Ali Shah Geelani, who had disapproved the emergence of ISIS, not for love of India but because of the fear of Kashmir becoming another Syria or Afghanistan.
National Conference is not the only exception to change colours with the change of political climate in Jammu and Kashmir, the PDP is a shade ahead, which, on the day of assuming power, felt obliged to express its gratitude to Pakistan, separatists and terrorists for enabling smooth 2014 elections that gave the party a passage in corridors of power. The nation has not forgotten how senior PDP leaders used to visit slain terrorists’ families to shed tears or demean the security forces over so-called human rights violations.
The Kashmir-centric leaders of the Congress too have lost their ground after being dethroned both at the Centre and in the State. The party lawmakers felt no inhibition in joining the united opposition and ‘disrespecting’ the national anthem during the joint session of the Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council.
These are a few instances of the long list of misadventures carried out by the so-called mainstream parties in Kashmir, mostly when out of power. If such is a stance of the parties swearing by the Constitution of India, one can only imagine about the role of separatists? Recent times have proven that ‘patriotism’ does not carry any meaning for ‘power hungry’ politicians. They are not sincere to their core constituencies either, where they stand exposed. Their credibility has touched such lowest depths that nobody is listening to them back in the Valley where the writ of separatists, secessionists and terrorists is looming large.
Terrorism in Kashmir would not have flourished as a lucrative enterprise, had Farooq Abdullah shown a slight grit and farsightedness in meeting the situation during 1989 parliamentary elections, when gun-roar was too feeble. The State would have perhaps been saved of the history’s worst devastation. Instead, he chose to hang boots and comfort in London with his top cadre taking refuge in the plains outside the Valley. Rest is part of a traumatic history.
India has suffered in Kashmir more due to duplicity of its mainstream leaders than secessionists or terrorists.. Instead of contributing in stabilizing the situation, they have been adding more confusion in their zest to be seen on both sides of the fence. To realise this, they keep on glamourising terrorism as ‘movement’ and deprivation of avenues (which they have themselves usurped for their kin) to young people of Kashmir as repression’.
Most of the mainstream leaders in Kashmir are actually soft secessionists, who have never allowed nationalism to grow in the Valley. They keep on generating suspicion and giving alibis to anti-national activities to derive more from New Delhi. They want to capitalize even most gruesome acts of weakening nation’s sovereignty by seeking packages for the perpetrators. They keep on changing colors as per situations. When the grapes taste sweet they become nationalists and once these turn sour, they transform into front runners in the separatist amalgam. They are smart guys who have made their castles at the cost of public good.
Having said so, the so-called mainstream parties cannot hide behind deceit and duplicity anymore. They stand exposed before their own people and across the nation. And, it for the nation now to take a call and redefine ‘mainstream by analyzing their role in right perspective.
