Sunny Dua
Late chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed used to say and I quote, ‘politics is battle of ideas and power of ballot cannot be undermined by the use of bullet’. A strong advocate of democracy, he always favoured strengthening democratic institutions be it Urban Local Bodies (ULB) or Panchayats and even held elections to Municipal Corporations after a considerable gap of 27 years. He always banked upon young describing them as game changers and believed that a vibrant political party can change the fate of people, a thought which he transformed into reality by floating People’s Democratic Party (PDP) way back in 1998.
Having faced worst of militancy, stayed under Governor and then President’s rule and followed a chosen path given by couple of regional as well as national parties, Jammu and Kashmir immediately embraced ‘Change’ and brought PDP to power not once but twice in 2002 and 2014. Breaking into strong National Conference (NC) and Congress bastions, PDP was also able to send one member each in the Lok Sabha and one in the Rajya Sabha way back in 2004. In the 2014 general elections, three of its members were elected to the Lok Sabha. Its strength in the Legislative Assembly was 28 and in the Rajya Sabha two, latest by 2018.
Exactly after twenty years a doctor turned bureaucrat repeated history by choosing ‘Ballot over Bullet’. Shah Faesal quit lucrative job of Indian Administrative Services (IAS), even when he had a long way to go and floated J&K Peoples’ Movement (J&KPM) raising slogan of ‘Hawa Badlegi’ (Wind will change). This is significant for the reason that at a time when established politicians were vocal about educated young joining ranks of militancy portraying quite a grim picture of Kashmir, Shah Faesal chose to join mainstream politics setting a benchmark for young boys and girls.
However, boycotting polls and that too by mainstream political parties is unhealthy. Way back in 90s National Conference had boycotted Lok Sabha poll. The same party boycotted recently concluded ULB polls and now PDP and J&KPM are latest to join the bandwagon. The only silver lining visible, however is that PDP patron Mehbooba Mufti still is contesting from Anantnag and Shah Faesal being novice in politics is pressing people hard to participate in democratic process in a big way while preparing for assembly polls due anytime. This is indeed a healthy sign that despite their compulsions, these parties one or the other way are advocating strengthening of democracy.
While many are describing Faesal as a pawn in someone’s hand others are criticising him of choosing Shehla Rashid as a wrong person to take along. Critical of his quitting secure job which could have led him to rise to become Chief Secretary and serve state in different capacities, many are also averse to his being against established political outfits like National Conference (NC), People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Congress or J&K People’s Conference (J&KPC) and believe that he should have joined the bandwagon and played a secure innings.
Contrarily, Shah Faesal scored over for the simple reason that he at least displayed his vision of leading Jammu and Kashmir and not having remained confined to four walls of his hometown Kupwara or just the region. He also preferred not to tread a ‘tried and tested’ path but decided to test waters for himself without becoming a person of unquestioned obedience of other outfits. Unlike recently floated political outfit in Jammu which at the very onset confined itself to a region, community or town, J&KPM preferred to give people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh an alternative to old guards like Mufti Sayeed.
Shah Faesal’s choice of people, ideology, manifesto or his vision document might not go well down the throat of those into divisive politics but his choice of preferring ‘Ballot over Bullet’ cannot be undone. The people and policies will surely get filtered over a period of time and all like-minded people, who could fulfil aspirations of all three regions and take everyone along, could take a lead. Since filtration takes pretty long time to let residues deposit, voters will remain biggest judges to accept or reject bureaucrat turned politician.
While NC once strongly advocated regional autonomy and PDP favoured self rule, J&KPM has placed its 29 point Vision Document into public domain that primarily advocates using democratic methods and legislative processes for resolution of all disputes, issues and problems. The party, according to Shah Faesal, resolves to rebuild J&K as an inclusive pluralistic society with religious, ethnic, linguistic, and geographical diversity and to revive neglected cultural traditions and arts like Dogra art, Budhist heritage and other folk traditions. It also intends to build an environment of justice and reconciliation in the state by addressing aspirations of all regions and communities, which brings the manifesto more or less close to that of PDP.
The broader contours of J&KPM are being appreciated by sane voices for the reason that it speaks of political justice, dignity, social action, improved governance, public accountability and well being of people of Jammu and Kashmir besides doing away with injustice, a most important aspect that everyone talks but hardly anyone walks. Retired Chief of Integrated Defence Staff, Lt. General Satish Dua, citing killing of a woman SPO and taking a boy hostage by militants too had appreciated Shah Faesal in standing up to raise his voice against such atrocities in the state.
Jammu and Kashmir State during past 87 years has witnessed shifting of power from one hand to another, Governor’s rule, President’s rule and in between turmoil, unrest and peak of militancy. Graves of young used as fodder and sacrifices of soldiers martyred while fighting proxy war besides defending borders during wars with Pakistan and China have all ended up making state a hot spot of South-East Asia. When status quo of Jammu and Kashmir continued to be same in these years, strengthening democracy remains only viable alternative to any other thing that consumes lives.
NC, ever since its rechristening from All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference by Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah in 1939 had been trying different permutations and combinations to stay in and out of power but continued to stick to democracy. Similarly, PDP despite its rhetoric is continuing to being a mainstream political outfit longing to rule the state through vote bank politics. That’s what is needed. On the other hand, since share of votes in the state especially in Kashmir is going to further get divided in between half a dozen regional parties, it’s proving scary to those winning hands down or indulging into politics of convenience by entering into pre or post poll alliances.
So far as long, all these political outfits continue to frame manifestos, canvas, differ, encourage polling, get elected or forge alliances as part of greater democratic process, it makes no difference who floats which party and takes on board whom. But for Shah Faesal politics in Jammu and Kashmir is Herculean task for the reason the state has been left bleeding with regional and communal divide. He will have to win over masses, assure them that he means business and can bring development at par with any other state in the country besides channelize youth who till now have been used as mere fodder or vote bank.
If he intends to ride on the plank of development, remove fear from the hearts and minds of people besides do away with trust deficit, restore faith of people in the democratic system, bring in revolution and not make false promises by being practical, sky is the limit for him. The given fluid situation of Jammu and Kashmir best describes Faiz Ahamd Faiz’s couplet ‘Dil na-emeed nahi, na-kaam hi to hai, Lambee hai gum Ki sham, magar sham he to Hai…’(I haven’t lost hope, but just a fight, that is all…The night of suffering lengthens, but just a night, that is all)
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