K N Pandita
In a recently given interview to PTI, Home Minister Amit Shah gave a comprehensive analysis of political landscape in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir with insights into the future policy of the Union Government for the region. The minister’s interview gives definite clues to how the Government wants a full-fledged democratic dispensation to be the guiding star for future administration.
The HM has set at rest a long-standing misconception with Kashmir Valley political leadership that the NDA Government was not either very clear or intentionally sidetracking its plans future line of action.
Parliamentary elections in three constituencies of Kashmir, namely Anantnag, Srinagar and Baramulla have been held peacefully and the voter turnout has been satisfactory in comparison to what it was during the years of disturbances. Significantly, those parties and segments of leadership harbouring dissidence of participating in voting under the provisos of Indian Constitution, silently participated in the voting and no whip was issued by their leaders to dissuade them for the democratic process underway.
The mainstream regional parties, NC, PDP, Congress and others had already indicated their willingness to be a part of the process. The interesting thing is that even the Hurriyat of Farooq faction desisted from giving any call for a boycott of election. This is a crucial point and merits a deeper insight.
The Hurriyat (F) has been the bastion of valley Jamat-i- Islami after the demise of the former Jamat-i- Islami stalwart, Ali Shah Geelani. Maulvi Omar had been kept in internment for sometime when he was alleged to be the conduit for transfer of ISI funding for the Kashmir separatists. With that revelation brought to light, it was expected that the Mirwaiz would be prosecuted and exposed for his clandestine activities. But this did not happen and the matter was left in the cold store.
For quite some time, Mirwaiz, the prominent and influential Muslim leader of Kashmir was no, more in news nor did Kashmir Jamaat-I Islami figure as prominently in local media in a big way. Was Mirwaiz re-assessing the situation on the ground and making deep introspection? Was he tracking the highly disturbing situation in Pakistan where apart from financial and economic crisis, a surprising political scenario was unfolding? Was he analyzing the power and shortcomings of the Islamic countries, India’s growing clout with many of them especially Saudi Arabia?
But more importantly, has he been watching with great distress the fast deteriorating relations between the people of POJK and the rulers in Islamabad? Incidentally, Mirwaiz has a good constituency of the Kashmir Valley migrant diaspora in “Azad Kashmir”. His ancestor, Maulvi Yusuf Shah, who was banished from Srinagar by Sheikh Abdullah soon after the Sheikh assumed power in 1948. The almost year-long anti – Islamabad agitation in “AK” and Gilgit-Baltistan has rocked the bottom of the Islamic State of Pakistan. It is Islam versus Islam. This also explains why top Indian NDA leadership has been relentlessly issuing threats and warnings of retaking the POJK in conformity with the unanimous parliamentary resolution passed in 1994 when Congress under PV Narasimha Rao was in power.
No less significant is the impact of the strategy of military and security planners in Kashmir during last two or three years. South Kashmir, especially the region of Pulwama, Shupyan etc. have been cleared of separatist and terrorist and people are happy to see the new era of peace and progress brought by new approach to Kashmirs.
All this and the wise and pragmatic policy of addressing the development issues of Kashmir in a planned manner that created highly conducive atmosphere for the youth providing them not only jobs but importantly with many opportunities of self – employment and entrepreneurship has brought about a radical change in their attitude towards national achievements and opportunities. Thousands of Kashmiri youth of both genders have been provided admission in premier formal and professional institutes in the country where their talent and originality find fruition. JNU is no more the cherished destination where negative political orientation was available to embrace them and then mislead them. The number of degree colleges, universities, medical colleges, IITs, IIMs and polytechnics have mushroomed in the State where young and promising students interact without distinction.
In his comprehensive interview to the PTI, the Home Minister has succinctly referred to these developmental activities. However, the most important part of his interview was one related to the forthcoming assembly election in the UT. He said that New Delhi was bound by the verdict of the Supreme Court that Assembly elections should be conducted before 30 September. He reiterated that now that delimitation of constituencies has been successfully concluded and parliamentary election is concluded according to that delimitation, J&K is now on the threshold of assembly election and reversion of the UT to statehood status.
Now this statement takes away the heat from the stand taken by NC, Congress, PDP, CPI and some separatists parties that BJP-led Government at the Centre wants to dissolve the state and convert it into a “Hindu” majority state. For the separatist elements, the plethora of propaganda attached to this basic argument had become the key to the election process in J&K. So many canards with communal undertone spread against BJP have been blasted by the Home Minister’s statement.
The tailpiece to this narrative is a bizarre story making rounds in political circles in Kashmir. Though not verified formally, it is said that the Mirwaiz is likely to indicate the willingness of his group to participate actively in the Assembly election. Observers relate this rumour to the recent one-day visit of the Home Minister to Srinagar. It is also believed that the reason for BJP not fielding a candidate for parliamentary election is to be trace in the understanding with the Mirwaiz. BJP has to blunt the propaganda of some mainstream political parties that BJP has carved out a strong constituency in Kashmir by fair and foul means to dominate the political stage in Kashmir. This gives considerable space to Mirwaiz and his political manoeuvering which could catapult his group into power after impending assembly elections.
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