New year, old problems

Satwant Singh Rissam
After five long months, a single move of Kashmir based politicians grabbed headlines when eight former legislators met Lieutenant Governor Girish Chander Murmu. These leaders also presented a memorandum to the Lieutenant Governor. On the whole, this memorandum was a list of demands which also gives an insight on the future road map of these politicians. More importantly, it shows the agenda they would be taking before people in Kashmir to start their political activity after facing detentions. To be honest, there was nothing new in this memorandum as what all they have written was already being demanded by many other political – social organizations. After all, the most important point coming out of this memorandum is that these politicians have not raised anything about Art 35A and Art 370. Hence, they all are ready to move ahead without these provisions. And it is quite strange to see Kashmiri leaders going completely silent on Art 35A and Art 370 so soon. Now this thing has set an example for Government of India take forward the issue of Jammu and Kashmir in its own manner.
Notably, this meeting with Lieutenant Governor is a sign of many upcoming things in the political circles here. Firstly, we may soon see revival of political activities in Kashmir through these politicians. Secondly, it reflects that the Government of India has decided to engage these faces who have stopped talking about Art 35A and Art 370. Thirdly, these leaders are quite ready to work under BJP and crave to be part of political setup of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. All these things are really important because work on the delimitation of assembly seats in Jammu and Kashmir is yet to start. The whole target of reorganization of Jammu and Kashmir will become complete only after the delimitation. The first election or government formation in Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir before the delimitation seems impossible. We need not forget that political parties just don’t contest the polls and address problems of people; they have the principal work of spreading their ideology. Fortunately, in case of BJP this delimitation in Jammu and Kashmir will further the political domination of BJP. On the other hand, this will allow BJP to take political mileage across India because they aren’t just working to secure the assembly / Lok Sabha seats in Jammu and Kashmir.
Meanwhile, the recent visit of foreign envoys too has shaped many new political issues here. These foreign envoys interacted with few political representatives, some civil society members and the army top brass. This has given many leaders of opposition a chance to term visit of these foreign envoys as a ‘guided tour’. The same PDP leaders who met the Lieutenant Governor also met these envoys and in turn were expelled from the party. Interestingly, two leaders of J&K Congress too joined this group of politicians and called on the delegation of foreign envoys. After that J&K Congress too issued show-cause notice to these two leaders. Infact, these leaders have responded to their party but no action was taken on them. In turn, this expulsion and show-cause notice by these parties has signaled that there is scope for creation of some new Kashmir based political group in near future. Besides, this group could become a political threat to National Conference and Congress in Kashmir with help of BJP. As far as Jammu is concerned the political fight will continue between Congress and BJP in much harsher manner.
Adding to desperate efforts of BJP to win hearts and minds of people, for the first time after the reorganization of Jammu and Kashmir, a ‘special outreach programme’ was drafted in which thirty-six Union ministers visited Jammu and Kashmir. The programme was held to circulate information about initiatives of the centre government. However, after the end of this programme the whole idea behind ‘special outreach programme’ seems to have failed. Laughably, the foremost reason behind its failure was conduct of this ‘special outreach programme’ in a very controlled atmosphere and with very less public participation. This has once again shown that even in a new year, old problems still continue in new Jammu and Kashmir. In this fast changing political scenario many would agree that old regional parties will have to fight for their political existence. Various politicians, other than the Ex-CMs who are yet under detention must have realized by now that they have to look for alternatives to keep themselves relevant. In addition to it, the period of cracks and contradictions has already started in the regional parties. Furthermore, the Padma Award for Muzzafar Hussain Baig gives a hint that old leaders from many political parties could shift towards the greener pastures in coming days. The transition of erstwhile state into Union Territory appears not so smooth and somewhere after dilution of Art 370 new direction is still not clearly visible.
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