Col Dr Virendra K Sahi
The marriage of compulsions between two diverse political parties with opposing aspirations, conflicting agendas and countering pre-polls assurances to their respective electorate has culminated in an expected break up. The nearly balanced polls verdict by the people of Jammu viz a viz Kashmir made it clear that both the emerging majority parties had to be on board to form a Government. Any combination by ignoring either one of them would have been more confusing and lesser stable.
The hind thought of Ghulam Nabi Azad after the breakup of an option of initially bringing together Congress, PDP and NC was neither possible nor practical leaving a whole big chunk of public representation of Jammu region out of power. It only exposed the deep rooted sick psyche with which the J&K State has been governed by ignoring and discriminating against Jammu region for the past seven decades. The Muftis of PDP saw to it and hence the coalition came about and continued. Any such effort even now, with BJP in the centre, would have been equally futile. The third largest party NC gauged it right and declared to stay out, though calling for early election to cash on the failures of the failed PDP-BJP Alliance Government and guarding against any (possible) chance of revival for the suspended Legislative assembly by the second largest party BJP using makes / breaks.
The cards held by the BJP’s higher command close to their chests thoroughly depend upon the success level of the police action supported by the Army in neutralizing well bedded in radicalization and flushing out the foreign supported, radicalized, indoctrinated, motivated, armed, trained and indoctrinated generation plus of the “innocent mislead angry” youth so dear as “children” to the Kashmiri leadership of all hues including the so called main stream. It is an uphill task, since softer options have all been spent out in past 70 years. The last nail to the coffin of ‘giving peace a chance’ was driven by the evil perpetrators of terror working at the behest of external and internal enemies of the nation. The cold blooded murders in ‘Mayeseyam’ (Month of Ramadan) of the two ‘Rozedaars’ (believers observing fast), bold Journalist Sujaat Bukhari and the brave heart soldier Auranzeb; both sons of the soil was the cruelest possible response to the ill-placed ‘daryadili’ (magnanimity) of Indian Government. Also a rebuffed slap on the J&K State Government’s ill-thought recommendation to suspend Operation ‘All Out” when the combined troops including State police under the unified command had gained an upper hand and were achieving good results. The resultant compelled actions in the offing now may get as disastrous for the local Kashmiri populace as was the releasing of stone pelters from the ‘safety’ of prisons to get recycled and killed as gun fodder. The real alien ‘directors’ of these evil and wicked plans have no love lost for Kashmir and the Kashmiris, while the local stooges play their game for personal gains.
There is a silver lining to the darkest of clouds. Circumstances have placed before the Governor an opportunity once again for the fourth time to use all his vast experience, abundant local understanding, profound knowledge of the functioning /non- functioning of the J&K State Government machinery and total insight into the bureaucratic tangles down to the movement of files and what all holds that movement. He can make history if he can bring back the derailed governance back on rails and gets it steaming off. Any governor in our system of governance breathes through the political mask of the ruling party in power of the Sate concerned. However, the Governor’s rule is an exception and one must make most of it for the cause of the nation at large well above the regional local inhibitions, overcoming compulsions. It may call for a major overhaul of the bureaucracy down to lower red tape echelons. That in itself is a very tall order.
First concern of the State and of the nation has to be establishing peace in the few disturbed districts of Kashmir Valley. Most of it has to be done by the Police/ Military actions on ground.. The results may show better with political interference put aside. The Civil Government may not need to put all its focus and energy into these 3/4 indoctrinated districts in the Valley under Police action; who have worked their way to this situation. The civil Government must also care for the so far ignored but yet peaceful districts, mainly of Jammu and Ladakh regions, the nomads, migrants and the 70 years settlers of West Pakistan refugees. They all are the real victims of non/ mis- governance. Revival of the grass root democratic institutes, repeatedly announced by the government may be an urgently required necessity. There could be no better time to put them in place and empower them when the politicians who don’t wish to share power with them are at bay. Lot has to be done about the disturbed and tormented population close to the IB/LoC. Restoration of education of the border youth, scuttling the menace of drugs peddling into these areas are other matters of great concern. They need safe homes, bunkers and promised safe land plots, Government insurance to crops, lives, livestock and agriculture machinery. The youth are frustrated and need special employment packages, lest they get restless and go astray.
The Governor has done well by soothing the lower revenue staff of Girdawars and Patwaris, SAA teachers and the Anganwari workers; actions are now need to go beyond words. There are some 90,000 ex-servicemen (ESM) and 60,000 servicemen in the J&K State with influence on 1.5 Crore population. The Fauji colonies are in a jam for over two decades. The Governor is personally aware of the details as President of the Sainik Welfare Organization. There are issues related to SRO 43, job reservations and squeezed low paid Sainik Welfare staff and infrastructure. These disciplined souls do not go to streets and agitate, but do deserve consideration.
The sitting MLAs of all political affiliations will do well for themselves, their parties, constituencies and the nation to go back to the public that elected them and serve them sincerely and selflessly-a purpose that they were elected for in the first place. The so called self styled local ‘big-wigs’ may please refrain from taking up and propagating the national level agendas on foreign policy, defence, internal security and finance of the Indian nation that includes J&K State. For a change, they should look after their own constituencies, lie low and talk less.
(The author is a defence analyst and columnist)
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