Sir,
Mufti Sayeed’s first term as Chief Minister of J&K has been considered comparatively better than of the congress and NC rule. But this time the situation is bit different, both favourable as well as unfavourable for him. Favourable in the sense that BJP would too like to be at the helm of affairs for six years in J&K to further consolidate its position in the State especially in the Valley, thus indirectly ensuring smooth sailing for PDP also. And unfavourable in the sense that Mufti Sahib’s hand-shaking with BJP is not going to be taken that lightly by the people of Kashmir who preferred PDP over NC because of party’s somewhat pro separatist stance during all this period of PDP’s existence. The party’s patron has to justify to the people of Kashmir, what necessitated this hand-shaking with a pro Hindutva party at this juncture.
Apart from providing good governance and involving commoner in developmental activities Mr. Mufti can achieve this end, to my thinking, by encouraging Kashmiri intelligentsia to come to the fore and speak their mind. A clear and a very sincere message should go to the masses that in a multiculturalist and multi religious India there is far better chance for Kashmiris to aspire and preserve their distinct identity. This is in much contrast to our neighbouring country where even two sects of Islam don’t see eye to eye with each other. The peace loving elite community of that country are fed up of this hooliganism and have already started daring to condemn the menace of sectarianism and terrorism.
BJP, on the other hand, too needs to prove by open utterances and also deeds that this union is definitely going to ensure a glorious future for the people of this state and its image of being a Hindu hardliner party is just the mania of a very small section in the party and for that matter no other religious group, community or even most political parties in India are fully free from.
Yours etc…..
Harjinder Singh (Retd. DFO)
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