Abbas team line sells, Geelani yells

By B L Kak

Whatever the attitude adopted by cynics and potential trouble-makers towards the Kashmir Hurriyat Conference's moderate faction led by the Shia cleric politician, Maulvi Abbas Ansari, there is no doubt that the hard-liners within the secessionist lobby spearheaded by Syed Ali Shah Geelani are confronted with an uneasy problem arising from the fact that a large number of Kashmiris are seemingly tired of the secessionist leaders repeating the same old slogan and shibboleth. Things for the Abbas faction are not unpleasant, partly because Geelani and his men on the Kashmir scene have nothing new to say and partly because Islamabad has committed itself to the task of cooperating with New Delhi in promoting peace and friendship between the two sides.

The group owing its allegiance to the known Pakistani 'patriot', Geelani, laboured hard to scuttle the talks that took place between the Deputy Prime Minister, L K Advani and the Hurriyat delegation in New Delhi in January, days after Atal Bihari Vajpayee's successful political journey to Islamabad. The Advani-Hurriyat parleys were held, significantly followed by assurances from the both sides of continuing the dialogue process for the resolution of the issues involved.

With new winds sweeping the region after the January meeting between Pakistan President, Gen Parvez Musharraf, and Atal Behari Vajpayee, the possibility of a new line by Pakistan in relation to Syed Ali Shah Geelani cannot be ruled out. After all, Islamabad will have to take due note of the fact that ailing leader (Geelani) does not even have the support of his own organisation, Jamaat-e-Islami.

Geelani may try to go about as what his loyalists call 'most popular' secessionist leader. But he has ceased to be the man of the masses; he has nothing new to say. And at meetings as well as interviews he repeats well rehearsed lines without even changing a word. The number of Geelani's critics is by no means smaller.

These critics argue that Pakistan talks of the Kashmiris only with its own interest at heart. And they are of the view that Islamabad is now fearful that the Kashmiris by and large are not particularly enthused about Pakistan. All secessionists are not necessarily pro-Pakistan. Islamabad has not disputed yet another fact that the new Government headed by Mufti Mohammed Sayeed is talking a language that has reduced, if not eliminated, the sense of alienation in the Kashmir valley. Pro-independence feeling is pretty sharper than the accent in support of Pakistan.

Under these circumstances, Pakistani policy makers would be committing yet another folly by jumping from the Hurriyat Conference to the Geelani group in the Valley in a bid to strengthen the diminishing pro-Pakistan lobby in the Indian border State. The Hurriyat group led by Maulvi Abbas, which eventually agreed to descend on the Indian capital for talks last month, is known in India and Pakistan for its moderate approach and behaviour. This group may not be popular among the Kashmiri masses. But the group's operators have, in spite of serious threats from a section of their co-religionists, demonstrated courage to join peace process initiated by New Delhi.

Gen Musharraf has been living a trifle too dangerously for his own good. The recent assassination attempts against him have brought about a change in him and in his attitude towards India and Indian Kashmir. No wonder, several among the anti-India elements in Kashmir do not like the changed attitude of General Musharraf.

His recent offer to drop the UN resolutions on Kashmir, and his orders banning several outlawed terror groups, who were trying to resurface with changed identities most certainly won him strong detractors. Several disquieting factors underline the assassination bids. Rawalpindi happens to be the General Headquarters of the Pakistan Army, and hence it is that country's most militarised city. The attacks highlight the fact that the place falls very much within the zone of terror.

Secondly, ISI chief, Ehsan-ul-Haque is also stationed there. It must be kept in mind that Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and the anti-Shia outfit, called Sipah-e-Sabha, have already visible profile in Rawalpindi. The attacks came soon after Gen. Musharraf had worked out a deal with the Islamist Opposition, according to which he had agreed to the demand that he will shed his uniform by the end of 2004 as also relinqish most of his present powers.

Obviously, it was at the instance of Gen Musharraf that Islamabad's official line after the Advani-Hurriyat talks in New Delhi ran thus: A delegation of the Kashmir Hurriyat Conference is welcome to Pakistan. According to one school of thought, this line became real than apparent after some reports informed Islamabad that Syed Ali Shah Geelani does not have support from the Kashmiri separatists except a few nondescript leaders who actually take away from, rather than add to, his credibility.

As many Kashmiri Muslims do not consider Pakistan a paradise that it once appeared to be. In the Valley, alienation from India continues to be the subject matter for discussion. But there is no denying that the continuing violence at the hands of Pakistan-sponsored terrorists that has taken a heavy toll of Muslim lives in Jammu and Kashmir, constitutes another major factor that has deepened a sense of alienation from Pakistan.

It can be inferred, if not finally concluded, from this that as the average Kashmiri Muslim now-a-days rarely speaks of Pakistan as a Mecca for his aspirations and desires, the road from Srinagar no longer leads to Islamabad. If the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad route is eventually and actually opened, the possibility of many Kashmiris travelling to PoK (Pakistan occupied Kashmir) with return tickets in their hands cannot be ruled out.

Anti-Delhi sentiment or feeling persists in the Valley. But most Kashmiris are not for a confrontation between India and Pakistan. Wars-- real and verbal- have been interspersed with peace initiatives and high profile summitry laden with aggerated expectations of peace. Despite these ups and downs, Atal Bihari Vajpayee has stayed with the line that friends can be changed but neighbours cannot. It is to be accepted and acknowledged that few Indian Governments have experimented as much with Pakistani policy as that of the Prime Minister Vajpayee.

India has to focus on improving its national capabilities in counter-terrorism through expanded cooperation with other nations. And rather than bemoan the fact that India did not figure in the list of terror- victims in the US President, George W Bush's recent speech in New York, New Delhi requires to pressurise Washington to step up bilateral cooperation against terrorism.

At the same time, it is important for the Government to keep the Kashmiri separatists on board, particularly as many of the confidence building measures will concern Jammu and Kashmir directly. The modalities of opening the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad route, for instance, will have to be worked out with other issues like more autonomy for Jammu and Kashmir on the agenda for discussion.

It will be interesting to see how L K Advani, always opposed to even the little autonomy available to J&K under Article 370, and the Kashmiri separatists supporting self-determination, will bridge the gap over the coming weeks and months. But there can be no two opinions that they must narrow the differences to work out a solution that will be durable and lasting.

There are not many in India willing to see a solution that ends in the secession of Kashmir. There are some, like a section of the RSS, that believes in the trifurcation of J&K. But this is not a popular view within the Sangh. The internal dialogue will form the backdrop for the India-Pakistan dialogue, with both having a bearing on each other.

Political rallies

By Kusum Kasar

Every rational, responsible, unbiased citizen of the country would agree that during recent times these so called political rallies have become a public nuisance, headache and obstruction to the people in general, hampering the growth of the country.

It is not understood that what benefit these rallies are delivering to a common man, but is amply clear beyond any doubt that on the day of a rally local people are put to an unimaginable inconvenience, and an un-conceivable embarrassment. The patients going to hospitals, students going to their respective institutions are stopped, frisked and kept hostage for long hours. Many young people miss their life time interview opportunities, businessmen their assignments, higher officials their important engagements. The cancellation of examination is the common phenomenon which these rallies cause without any prior notice. These mega-rallies bring the life to a stand still. People are deprived off even essential utility services like buses, matadoors, taxi's which are not allowed to ply on their routes Consequently, flights and trains are missed, precious lives are lost for want of treatment, small kids coming from schools are kept packed in buses in hot summer months, traffic jams and long lines of stucked up vehicles are visible for many hours.

The scene is more ugly, specifically when some VVIPs are coming to address these rallies.Security is much tightened to add to the woes of the public increasing their hardship and worst of all the educational institutions are declared to be kept closed by the administration. Isn't if indicative of our mental backwardness? Where party politics is above every interest. In poor India where basic amenities of life are very hard to eject out, crores of public money is wasted in organising these rallies. This wealth can be utilised in the welfare and development of the nation. Administration should be instructed not to make compromises with our educational system in India at any cost where the Govt is already committed to bring 100 percent literacy, Especially in the capital, these rallies are day to day scenes, resulting in the traffic jams forcing people to take longer routes to reach their destination.

What is happening in fact, is that Charismatic leadership having crowd pulling capacity is decreasing fast. Only a particular section of the society i.e labourers, mostly illiterate people, leaders of the lower rung who are instructed to bring the people, by means of hiring from sub-urban areas. Even the students are lured to increase the number to show the strength of the rally. The stuff that attends is not up to the mark, even not aware sometimes who is coming? What is the motive ? To which party he belongs? Their one point programme is to have a free food and outing on the instructions of their thekadars and local leaders.

The latest trend to invite glamorous faces from the film industry to pull the crowd is on a rise. Every Tom, Dick, Harry who have nothing to do with politics reaches to attend the rally, just to have a glimpse of their favourite hero or heroine. So ultimately, the outcome of these rallies may be in the shape of some benefit to the concerned party but much harm is done to the society at the cost of environmental hazard of noise pollution.

Such acts are counter productive and expose the Government's seriosness towards the cause of the people, increasing the stress and pressure on our police & paramilitary forces, in managing the rally to go on peacefully. It is very difficult for our administration to maintain law and order situation in an already militancy hit state where these energies can be better used up in contributing in nation's welfare.

It does not mean that political parties donot have right to campaign and make people aware of their strength and manifesto etc. But there are many decent ways to achieve this motive.

* There should be some specified places for such gatherings which must be outside the city so that the inhabitants of the city who are not interested and business establishments are not affected.

* The rapid expansion of mass media now-a-days all over the country which is not now limited to urban population only is the best source through which the messages can be conveyed to the larger section of the nation. This is the right mode to have an access to the different territories.

Now a days, throughout the Globe, papers, magazines, pamphlets etc splash important information. This is an effective via-media for conveying message & policy matters of the parties to enlighten the people about various issues. Press people can give coverage to the Press conferences of popular leaders and they can even go for live telecast of their public address, through different TV Channels CDs & tapes can be distributed among the masses by the party workers.

In our democratic set up, we should take up this issue above all the party politics. All the political party leaders should sit together in one forum to find out an acceptable solution. Collective leadership can formulate certain norms to fight out this menace through which they can have more access to the public without disturbing and displacing their day to day routine to minimize the possible obstructions.

The concrete steps should be taken, rules are to be framed to check their number, to save the common man especially our youngster in their career years so that even one moment out of their precious time is not lost. Intellectuals of national recognition should come forward proposing the best possible solution, keeping in mind the general public. Otherwise days are not far off when these political rallies held up frequently may be countered by aggrieved students, their parents and people affected in the shape of protest rallies as a result of the awakening of the masses. So the remedial measures should be taken by our political bosses.