In J&K Promises are Meant to be Broken
Masood Ali Mir
Freelancer, Srinagar
e-mail: masoodalimir@yahoo.co.in
The last six months of 2008 witnessed political tensions in J&K, as a result of the Government’s approach to communalize the Shri Amarnath Yatra and the Kashmiri tourism industry. There were other reasons for the public anger, too, including human right violations, bureaucratic corruption, unemployment, political rivalry among mainstream parties, regional hatred and alarming social, moral, and ethical degradation within Kashmiri society.
In the 2008 State Assembly elections, there was an unexpectedly high turnout, almost 60 per cent. Observers are of the opinion that the unpopularity of the separatists groups, the failure of election boycott campaign at the grassroots level, and the high-voltage election campaigns by the mainstream political parties produced such high voter participation. The National Conference (NC), Congress (I) and Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP) in particular left no stone unturned in order to motivate the people to participate in the elections. They succeeded, and people came out in large numbers to vote.
Omar Abdullah was a prominent figure in the election campaign. He managed to reach out to the people while other politicians preferred to remain under their security cover. His approach and body language during the campaign was impressive. His speech in the Indian Parliament against the land transfer not only impressed the J&K voters but also opened the hearts of the Congress elite to him. During the campaign Abdullah made numerous promises to the people, starting from autonomy, bijli, sadak, and pani, to the facilitation of dialogue between India and Pakistan over J&K.
The divide created by the Shri Amarnath Yatra land transfer between Congress (I) and PDP provided a much needed chance to the National Conference to take over the Government after the six years of the Congress (I)-PDP coalition. Before the seat-sharing formula, the Congress (I) made it a condition to the NC that they would support only a government led by Omar Abdullah. Interestingly, Omar Abdullah was made Chief Minister for six years, which seemed to be a tactical move by the party.
After taking over the reigns of power for the first time, Abdullah, now the youngest Chief Minister of the state, reiterated his commitment to the restoration of autonomy and good governance. When he took over, the people were expecting much from him because of his clean image, young age and international outlook. However, after being in office for more than six months, people do not feel any changes have come at the ground level. The situation continues to be same as it was during his predecessors. The lives of the masses do not seem safe, especially in the Kashmir valley. Corruption and misuse of official positions by the bureaucrats continue. When the people protest against anything they are killed. During the Congress (I)-PDP rule and the Governor’s rule, Abdullah himself had condemned the use of force against the protestors, but now the same tactics are being are used. The government has failed during its six months of rule to provide any scheme of employment to the growing numbers of unemployed youth, human right violations are its peak, and more kidnappings, rapes, murders, molestations, and disappearances have been reported. The law and order situation in the Kashmir valley is going from bad to worse. The state has never seen such decline in moral, ethical and social values. Furthermore, the expansion of the cabinet after six months and the distribution of portfolios among the Congress (I) ministers by Saifuddin Soz instead of the Chief Minister shows the compulsions of the coalition government.
The new government is yet to decide what to do regarding the restoration of autonomy, as it seems the Congress (I) is not ready to discuss this issue at the highest level. As the recent joint statement the two prime ministers of India and Pakistan show, J&K has not even been mentioned in the composite dialogue.
The above-mentioned points make sound ground for the people to protest against the inability of the government. Before the elections the people were promised great things, and now, as these promises are left unfulfilled, they are angry, and so they protest. They voted for bijli, sadak, and pani and above all for safety, and it is the responsibility of the government to provide these to them. If the government’s promises are not realized, it is natural for the people to protest. As Machiavelli puts it, "when neither their honour nor their property is touched, the majority of the people live content.” The people of J&K are not yet able to live content.
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