Col J P Singh, Retd
Sunday’s swearing in of PDP-BJP coalition in Jammu and Kashmir is both historic and hysterical. Historic because it is first such experimental coalition post independent India where unexpectedly North and the South Poles have met together. It is hysterical because the excitement over such experiment has crossed all proportions making unthinkable a reality. Ideological difference between BJP and PDP are sharp and deep. One of the two has been romanticizing with soft separatism and the other partner has been gunning down the special status of the state. To my mind, it was the BJP which was more keen to lay its hands on the power at the first such opportunity in J&K because it is creation of history for them. Articulating divisive, disruptive and discriminatory narrative of the past, Saffronisation / Islamisation rhetoric of the present and developmental vision of the future, a contradictory BJP-PDP govt is finally in place. In the short term it seems rewarding but in the long run it has the potential of putting BJP on the self destructive path in Jammu region where it is riding a galloping horse because the bitterness in the bonhomie is inbuilt. This irony becomes more stark when credit for the peaceful election process has been given to Pakistanis, militants and separatists by none less than the newly sworn in Chief Minister immediately after the departure of the Prime Minister who came to Jammu to strengthen this path breaking alliances to usher an era of communal harmony, peace and prosperity in this turbulent part of the country. This stark irony makes many skeptical of workability of this conflicting coalition. So am I. Yet the leadership of both sides be complimented for successfully treading a bumpy track to hit the light at the end of the dark tunnel.
How Kashmir reacts more to this arrangement is to be seen but Mufti Sahib is weathering a storm of criticism in Jammu for junking it in power sharing arrangement and at the same time in Delhi for giving credit to Pakistan, Hurriyat and militants for peaceful conduct of election; not to talk of PDP legislators calling Parliament attack convict Aful Guru’s execution as ‘travesty of justice’. His cabinet has no Hindu (Dogra, Sikh or Christian) PDP leader from Jammu and none from Ladakh. People are asking, ‘how can Mufti Sahib claim to be Chief Minister of J&K which is comprised of three distinct regions, Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh when he has given no representation to his own party form Jammu and Ladakh. The fight for the identity and equality of Jammu and Ladakh is long and bitter one. In the backdrop of this fight Mufti Sahib does not appear to have lived upto the expectations of people and promises he made at Jammu prior to the election. This in turn will invite counter reactions from the valley with possible intensification of cry for azadi. Though Ladakh gets a minister form BJP quota, Kargil has been left out. There will be considerable heartburn in Kargil despite Zanskar MLA having voted for PDP candidate for Rajya Sabha. Ladakh is demanding Union Territory status since long. Three regions have severe political, economic, communal and developmental issues besides contradictions. Thus PDP cannot claim to be a state party or having an inclusive agenda. To junk Jammu and Ladakh to embrace separatist Hurriyat seems communal. This is against the aspirations of people of two regions. To credit Pakistan for peaceful conduct of elections in J&K negates world wide claim that Pakistan is hub of terrorism in the sub-continent. Does Mufti Sahib mean that Pakistan is promoting democracy in Kashmir and not the terrorism as claimed by India by various resolutions passed by the Parliament. Sagacity of Dogra leaders who worked hard for the identity and growth of PDP in Jammu region is at stake. More than their sagacity their future is also at stake. Ensuring balancing between diverse aspirations and one sided power sharing will be a tight rope walk for them. Mufti’s ability to reward them for strengthening PDP in Jammu is at test. It has been reported that Gen Zorawar Singh Auditorium was largely filled with PDP enthusiasts of Jammu during the swearing in ceremony. The grand ceremony at Jammu with the absence of any Dogra / Hindu minister in PDP has made post election Jammu-Kashmir divide obvious and PDP’s agenda of self (exclusive valley) rule over riding factor in the politics of J&K. The very start has hit a bumpy road. It depends upon how PDP Jammu and Ladakh leadership accepts concentration of power back to the valley as before. Given the sense of prevailing neglect of Jammu, when it has gone unrepresented in PDP govt, the possibility of this region dumping PDP at a future date could not be discounted. Over the years many social and political outfits have been demanding trifurcation of state. The simmering discontentment can intensify such demand within the PDP.
The people of J&K are fed up of endless factionalism. They have been voting for all the four main political parties for peace and development since long but have always been cheated. This time also they have voted in large numbers. They voted for Mufti in the valley for scuttling BJP rise in Kashmir and in Jammu people voted for his good track record in his last inning. In Jammu people voted overwhelmingly for Modi’s developmental agenda and in the valley they voted for the BJP for good governance. But the results surprised one and all when BJP swept entire Jammu and PDP swept the valley. Such verdict does not augur well for the state if not channeled properly. Jammu leadership must remain alert to complications of success and all possibilities of failures of such lop sided power sharing within the PDP and within the coalition. But the success of this experiment in only Muslim majority state in India will send a positive message to minorities in the country and more importantly strengthen the regional bond in J&K.
Mufti’s latest statement has put BJP in the tight spot particularly after the BJP led govt in Delhi had cancelled Foreign Secretary talks after Pak High Commissioner met Hurriyat leaders in New Delhi. People of Jammu are also embarrassed. BJP has maintained a strong position against Pakistan on bilateral issues and zero tolerance against terrorism. On the contrary Mufti is pro Indo-Pak dialogue and promoter of a softer approach against separatists and militants. That makes BJP uncomfortable with Mufti’s controversial statements soon after swearing allegiance to the constitution of India. Reacting to Muftis statement BJP sources are accepting that it is an unusual and unnatural alliance. They are expecting some more turbulences. They want un-natural alliance be given chance to mature because Mufti will know that he can’t afford to embarrass Delhi every now and then and take a risk of dealing with hostile govt in Delhi at every turn.
Opposition rocked the Parliament over Mufti’s statement. Describing the statement ‘anti-national’, opposition demanded a statement from the Prime Minister and wanted a Parliament resolution condemning Mufti. They wanted a resolution to hail the role of EC and Security Forces in peaceful conduct of J&K elections. In the uproar in Lok Sabha, Home Minister disassociated the govt with such statements. But the opposition still wants a clarification whether Pakistan is promoting democracy in the valley or terrorism.
As is the case with any new govt, there are many security, administrative, political, religious and regional challenges. The future lies in the initiatives the political leadership takes in its formative years. Let us hope they are taken in right earnest for overall development of J&K in accordance with aspirations of the people of three regions.
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