Has CM Mufti emboldened separatists in J&K?

Not everyone in Jammu and Kashmir is optimistic about the alliance between the Peoples Democratic Party and Bharatiya Janata Party. Upasna Pandey/Rediff.com spoke to Kashmiri Pandit organisations to find out how they view the new coalition politics in the valley.    

Displaced Kashmiri Pandits, who had found support in the Bharatiya Janata Party over the past few decades, are wary of the alliance between the BJP and Peoples Democratic Party. They say the BJP needs to tread with caution as the ‘north pole-south pole’ alliance could damage to the party’s credibility in the long run.

Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s comment crediting Pakistan and militants for peaceful polls in the state and his party MLA’s comments on Afzal Guru’s hanging is hurting the BJP's credibility among the Pandits.

Some are even calling it a failure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. They say his image will be tarnished in the long run because of the PDP-BJP alliance.

Rediff.com spoke with some Kashmiri Pandit organisations to understand how they see the various elements of the Common Minimum Programme that forms the basis of the coalition.

All India Kashmiri Samaj general secretary Romesh Raina said the PDP chief’s remarks were “uncalled for.”

“The Kashmiri Pandits don’t consider the Hurriyat as a stakeholder in Kashmir’s agenda. They have only contributed in worsening the condition over the years,” he said.

Raina said he is not shocked by the PDP’s soft stance on separatists. “The PDP will continue to make such statements because they have political compulsions in Srinagar, while the BJP has political compulsions in Jammu.”

The two core issues of how Kashmir is to be governed and the volatile India-Pakistan relationship needs to addressed separately. “It is not right to embolden the separatists by mentioning them in the Common Minimum Programme,” he said Raina.

But the Kashmiri Pandits continue to have faith in Prime Minister Modi, who brought the issue of their rehabilitation to the fore during the Lok Sabha elections.

“I feel Kashmiri Pandits represent a sentiment for the entire nation. The BJP manifesto in the assembly election mentions focus on tourism, infrastructure, modernism and empowerment. We are hopeful that the new government will deliver on empowering us as a community,” Raina said.

Talking about the CMP’s view on the phased pull out of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act in the state, Raina said, “This is linked to the military strategy to contain terrorism. It has to be in consultation with the security establishment and not done with a stroke of a pen one day. The AFSPA has a role in ensuring peace in the valley, so it cannot be sudden and has to be deliberated upon with care.”

Another precariously handled topic in the CMP is Article 370. “BJP needs to be more vocal about it and call for a debate,” he said.

“Give Kashmiri Pandits minority status in the state and allow us the right to control the management of our shrines and temples. This needs to be passed as a bill in the assembly,” Raina said.

Also there is hope that there should be reservation for Kashmiri Pandits in the legislative assembly.

But the All India Kashmiri Samaj’s optimism is missing among other Kashmiri Pandit organisations.

Dr Ajay Chrungoo, chairman of Panun Kashmir, which has been fighting for a separate territory for Kashmiri Pandits said the country needs to be cautious, as for the first time we have formally acknowledged the role of Pakistan and separatists in the election process in India.

“This is the beginning of a new kind of disruption in the valley,” said Chrungoo.

“It is a well-known fact that for many years the election process has been disrupted by separatists in the valley, who have boycotted and even managed to intimidate village 'pradhans' and other elected representatives. If anyone deserves the credit for the peaceful election process, it is the security establishment and the voters who made it possible,” said Dr Chrungoo.

He agreed with Raina that Pakistan and separatist elements have been ignored and dormant in mainstream politics, but Chief Minister Mufti has brought them back into the mainstream once again.

“Mufti made his agenda clear on day one when he said he gave priority to his politics in the state rather than the governance of the state. In his previous term as CM too he viewed the elections as a process for creating framework for day-to-day governance and not as a representation of the sentiment of the people,” added Chrungoo.

“This is a complete subversion of the democratic process where the non-democratic players are being given space by democratic players, who in return hope to get their support to govern the state,” he said.

Talking about the CMP, Dr Chrungoo said that it reflected the deterioration in conceptual framework for running the government rather than any stability. He dismissed the BJP on its seriousness towards the issue of rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits.

“There is no difference between the Congress and BJP, the latter is also making cosmetic gestures to keep the issue alive, that’s all.”

Chrungoo said there was no clarity on how the government planned to tackle the issue -- as merely a problem of unemployment, an economic package, or the forced displacement of the community, or all three rolled into one as a comprehensive strategic plan.

Hira Lal Wangnoo, a Kashmiri Pandit social worker felt it was unfortunate that the CM made such statements at the onset of his term. “He should have started by giving credit to the Election Commission, security establishment and people of the valley. He could have then also acknowledged the role of separatists. But he chose only to mention them.”

Wangnoo felt the CMP “should have made the rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits’ a priority agenda, which is also supported by a large number of Muslims in the valley, who are disheartened by the absence of the Pandits in the valley.”

“It is the duty of the BJP and PDP MPs to ensure progress of the rehabilitation process. It is time to turn promises into reality to restore the cultural heritage of the state, with the two communities walking hand in hand,” said Wangnoo.

Image: A Kashmiri Pandit attends a rally to mark World Refugee Day in New Delhi. Photographs: Mukesh Gupta/Reuters