Harsh Dev Singh
A new party has been floated in J&K. Under the name and style of Jammu Kashmir Apni Party (JKAP). The name has been carefully chosen so as to create an impression that it is the own party of people of J&K. But is it truly the party of J&K? Not only in letter but in spirit also? The answer may not be that easy. For who actually controls the strings of the new party could be a difficult question to reply even for its promoters. And for that matter the Apni Party is being termed by many as ‘Unki Party’. What’s in a name. ‘Apni Party’ or ‘Unki Party’. Hardly matters. But what actually matters is the objective behind the formation of the Party and the credentials of those who constitute the Party. While the objective behind the new formation needs no elucidation, the antecedents and past history of its constituent members would definitely make an interesting study. The so-called new party is being publicized and promoted through the media with a big splash as an alternative to old parties. Is it in fact a new party with new ideas and new members or only a new name given to already tested and tired shibboleths? ‘Old wine in new bottle’ as they say.
A cursory look at the slogans of the party would reveal that almost all old and traditional parties in J&K have been working on the same principles post Re-organization of the State. They all need statehood back and all insist for saving the jobs and lands of locals. The only new thing about the new party is the switch over to new loyalties and new allegiances by old guards. Needless to mention that these are the very politicians who have been specializing in the art of changing colours like the chameleon. We know of grass hoppers. What we have in the new party are political hoppers. Jumping from one party to the other in their frantic pursuits for greener pastures. Hardly any qualms of conscience. And hardly only commitment for a political philosophy or principles. Changing sides with changing times. One party, 2nd party, third party, fourth party and so on and so forth. Of course, there are a few in the conglomerate who did not get sufficient time to cross floors as frequently as their other colleagues due to their not so long stint in political life. But still they left no stone unturned in causing defections in their parent organizations which gave them name and fame, position and power. Such a shameless, brazen brothelization of politics.
Having lost faith in their original parties as in themselves, they have amazingly reposed their faith in a heterogeneous combination of political toddlers which they feel could navigate them. Rejecting parties which catapulted them to power, they have started laying eggs in a basket which they believe has the blessings of New Delhi. Truly, politics is a game of shocks and surprises.
The concept of Machiavellian politics is based on the theory that politics has no relation to ethics or morality. And one who knows how to deceive will always find those who allow themselves to be deceived. A businessman turns politician by using the support base of a mass leader of Kashmir who is no more today. The leader dies and the new politician hurriedly tries to occupy his place while most of their erstwhile colleagues continue to rot in jails. And since he has the art as well as the science of maneuverability, he easily finds those who would abandon their past loyalties and switch over to his camp. Both from Kashmir and Jammu regions. The weaklings and those lacking self confidence fall prey to his declamatory and bombastic talks, his noisy frolic and jollification.
‘There are none so blind as those who will not see’. This holds true for the Jammu leaders who have opted for the ‘new’ party. Let me remind those prodigal sons of Jammu of the solemn pledges made by them in the bygone era. With their persistent rhetoric for safeguarding and promoting Dogra land, they would nail anyone and everyone and for not doing enough for Jammu. And while they all along depicted the anti Jammu leaders as some kind of monsters, they opted to embrace them at the first available opportunity and acknowledge them as their leaders. It was amusing now to see the so-called ‘hard core nationalists’ of yesterday romanticizing with those who pioneered the slogans of self rule, autonomy and continued to remain the sympathizers of separatists and other anti India forces.
Jammu region has often been cheated by its own leaders. In 2014, the Dogra land gave massive mandate to the saffron party and ensured victory of its 25 Assembly candidates with both MP seats also falling in its kitty. But what did it do? It conceded the CM’s chair for full term accepting the leaders of PDP whom they had vowed to decimate during the said elections. Those who were projected as monsters by BJP were embraced by it as partners. And subsequently also after the collapse of PDP-BJP coalition, it made a desperate though unsuccessful attempt to hand over the reins of power to Sajad Lone of PC which had only two MLAs from Kashmir. And now again, it’s the saffron party which is reportedly providing tacit as well as overt support to the new formation to emerge. The new formation is granted audience by top leadership of the country without any hassles and has easy access to the corridors of power in New Delhi. The party has also been allotted an Estates Bungalow at Gandhi Nagar for its office only adjacent to the residential ‘A type’ accommodation presently held by the State BJP President. The allotment of government premises to the JKAP for office has been made only recently when all other leaders recognized political parties have been evicted from Estates Quarters through the use of Police force. And of course, all this with a design. A new alliance in the offing. A new experiment to capture power. The media is being fully exploited to create hype in favour of the new party.
Larger than life characters of JKAP are being created through magnified media coverages. The headlines seem to have been monopolized. Rumours are floated to induct Advisors from BJP and JKAP. But can all this bail out the JKAP or help the BJP in its pursuits for greener pastures? Hopefully not. The new outfit is potentially unsustainable bubble created by BJP with media’s support. Is it not another BJP in disguise? It’s make up, however, seems to have come off with people recognizing its real face behind its deceptive facades. And remember you can’t take a plunge into the political, minefield with someone else’s crutches. What’s your political standing? With only half baked experts to lead the organization devoid of followers, the fate of such heterogeneous combination of disgruntled politicians and defectors only faced an uncertain future. Lets anyway see what these political toddlers and hoppers have in store for them in the future.
(The author is Chairman-JKNPP and former Minister J&K)
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