Ravinder Jalali
On the opening session of Assembly during Governor’s address the NC again brought their Autonomy Ghost along when its General Secretary told the reporters that it will bring a resolution in the Assembly for the restoration of the autonomy to the State which they feel is being threatened now and then. Recently also former Chief Minister and President of the oldest regional political party National Conference, the party which has been started by none other than his father, Sheikh Mohd. Abdullah, Dr. Farooq raked up a redundant issue of autonomy of J and K State. I would like to remind Dr. Abdullah that much of milking has been done to the holy autonomy cow and it has dried up now and can not be milked for ever. When ever National Conference is out of power, the father-son duo rakes up only dead issues which have become irrelevant with the passage of time. Had the Abdullahs` been serious on the autonomy issue right from beginning, it would have been a settled issue by now but since the Abdullahs are out of power that is why these issues, which have become dead with the passage of time, become live again. I would like to remind Dr. Abdullah that his father accepted the Chief Ministership in 1975 after Sheikh -Indira accord, after remaining out of power from 1953 to 1975.The coming to power of Sheikh Abdullah in 1975 as Chief Minister of State in 1975 was also a part of it means that all these years have gone waste. Now the question arises as to why this sudden or erratic demand for the restoration of so called autonomy. The answer is simple and does not need rocket science to under stand it. Even the common ordinary people of J and K in general and Kashmir in particular can very well understand the gimmick behind it.
More over when he or his son Omar Abdullah was in Central Govt., they did not raise the issue because they know for sure that these are no issues but do matter when election are around the corner making it an emotional appeal to the people of Kashmir, otherwise what is left in autonomy, who else knows better than Abdullahs.
It has become an order of day for any political party to raise any issue when out of power. Same logic applies to NC and its leadership. When they are in power, they forget the issue and are busy enjoying the power and when out of power, they take up some dead issues to keep themselves busy.
Dr. Abdullah has charged Mehbooba Mufti of helping New Delhi in eroding the State’s autonomy by allowing the extension of National Food Security Act (NFSA) and National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET) thereby rendering the Article 370 irrelevant. What about the other central laws that were extended to J and K State during their rule or in the rule of Congress? Can they explain? I would like ask Dr. Abdullah who eroded the autonomy. Dr. Abdullah as well as his son is charging the PDP and Mehbooba of diluting the sanctity of autonomy or Article 370 but the fact of the matter is that for majority of the period after independence it were the Abdullahs’, whether Sheikh Mohd. Abdullah, Farooq Abdullah or Omar Abdullah, who were ruling the State whether singly or in coalition with Congress. The PDP ruled for a meagre three to four years, then who is responsible for eroding the autonomy. They can fool one person at all times or all people for some time but not all the people at all the times. Now the people are matured enough to understand the game and that is why PDP-BJP today is in an alliance for the development of State and not to fall prey to the Autonomy Ghost which have been made redundant by the Abdullah’s themselves.
The NC leaders give new definition to autonomy which means that when they are in power, the autonomy is restored and when they are thrown out of power democratically by the verdict of the people, the autonomy is snatched. Brilliant piece of innovation on the part of NC. In the year 2000, the NC got a resolution passed in the State Assembly for the restoration of autonomy and pre-1953 position and sent it to the Centre and the Centre rightly put it in dustbin without even looking at it, perhaps it would have pre-arranged, just to save face for NC in the Valley before people. These leaders have misused and abused the autonomy as if these issues are related to Kashmir Valley only and not the entire State. Since there are no takers in Jammu and Ladakh Divisions it has no relevance in Jammu and Ladakh. These leaders are using the autonomy issue to divide the people on the basis of region and religion. Same is the case with PDP when it is out of power they talk of self rule and perhaps that is why after the death of Mufti Mohd. Syed, the power has gone to her daughter Mehbooba Mufti. A classic case of self rule!
In 2012 also, nearly after 37 years of Sheikh -Indira accord which made the Sheikh Abdullah the Chief Minister of J and K in 1975, NC criticised the Central Government for not implementing the terms of the 1975 Shiekh-Indra accord. All of a sudden, some elements of the NC leadership even said that there was no accord. Sheikh Nazir, NC General Secretary and nephew of the party’s founder said at that time that Sheikh Abdullah had not signed the 1975 accord at all. The accord happened between Mirza Afzal Beg and G. Parthasarthy. It is ridiculous. Not many among the younger generation of Kashmiris would know that the Sheikh had become Chief Minister of the State with Congress support after the 1975 accord although his party did not have a single legislator in the State Assembly at that time.
NC is charging of PDP of betraying the State for eroding what remains of the State’s internal autonomy but forgets the realty that brought the State to this juncture. It is none else than NC. He is talking loud of the sacrifices of his father Sheikh Abdullah for the honour of the people but how long he will continue to reap its fruits. He is enjoying the fruits of his sacrifices and his son is also enjoying the fruit of his sacrifices. Three generations of Abdullahs have been enjoying the fruits of the Autonomy Ghost. Even other relatives like Dr. Mustafa Kamal, Shiekh Nazir, Gh. Mohd. Shah (Son -in-Law of Sheikh Abdullah) and their kith and kin are enjoying the fruits of the sacrifices. But the question is how long, State will continue to compensate for the sacrifices of Sheikh Abdullah and how many generations will reap its benefits?
Sometime the NC wants Govt. to resume talks with separatists. On one side they claim themselves as representatives of Kashmir and at the same time wants Govt. to resume talks with them. It is ridiculous.
Recently in a surprise move, the NC observed the death anniversary of Pro-Pak Mirwaiz, father of Omar Faoorq, Chairman of Huriyat (Moderate) who was assassinated in 1990 and who was staunch supporter of merger of Kashmir with Pakistan. NC is also resisting the return of KPs to the Valley. NC seems to be so desperate that they can go to any extent just for the sake of power which they lost in 2014.
