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The
People’s Democratic Party (PDP) that fought elections in the state on the slogan
of bringing peace and a political solution to the Kashmiri people has, at last,
ended up in collaborating with the Congress party to taste power. This came out
after much squabbling and bargaining over the post of chief ministership that
went on for fifteen days of hectic activity in Jammu, Srinagar and Delhi. At one
time the President’s rule was imposed in the state, as no one party was able to
claim the support of the majority of legislators. The governor gave the parties
unusually more time to trade off and bargain over an alliance lest the
"democratic process" aborts halfway to the consternation and torture of the
Indian ruling classes that had build up a universal propaganda campaign in the
favour of Indian "democracy" and against the aspirations for independence
of the people of Kashmir. That would have been a great miscarriage which,
however is, saved for the time being, but not without many a blots of stark
opportunism and open exhibition of lust for power. Now it will be a four party
alliance that will rule with a thin margin of two votes which have, of course,
been provided by the revisionist CPI (M) that has long been in service of the
Indian ruling classes. The extravaganza is set to rule for "six" years, as the
constitution allows, and will alternate between the PDP and the Congress for
each to share a three year’s ride.
Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, the new CM, owes his political carrier to the congress
party, left it and joined the opposition led by VP, became central home minister
in his cabinet, launched his own political outfit, the PDP, to fish in the
troubled waters of Kashmir, promising a solution for the long bloody strife and
posing as an election oriented alternative to the All Party Hurriyet Conference
with a strong voice of much of what the Hurriyet says, except the independence
of Kashmir. Many of its candidates have been voicing that the PDP stands by the
people, even up to the point of getting independence if they desire so. It did
not fight the elections on the plank of independence for Kashmir, though
strongly defended the militants and their cause, and severely criticised the
atrocious behaviour of the security forces telling the people that it would end
the state terror once it rose to the seat of power, and thus, would bring in an
atmosphere of peace and an environment for a negotiated and peaceful settlement
of the question. Big talk as it was, it got all the seats in the valley where it
had fielded its 16 candidates. A mandate that was partly due to the strong PDP
appeal to the people that it would work in accordance with their aspirations and
their interests. Now the course is again set for the people to wait and see, and
of course, to be betrayed.
The
very first work out that has taken grilling fifteen days to form a government
with a following of mere 16 members out of 87 is quite ominous. There is no
question as to the greed for power which has come as the first act of
"amelioration." Secondly, there is the truck with Congress that has a long
history of anti-Kashmir and which is the real culprit right from the times of
Nehru to cheat and betray the people of the state and for imposing tyrannical
governments down the decades. PDP’s allies, including the CPI (M), are deadly
against the cause of independence. The people cannot expect that the blood will
stop flowing just because Mufti said certain things and promised a heaven. He
has adopted the course, which he aspired to: the seat of power. He is
collaborating with the same enemy of Kashmir who had bought up the Sheikh family
as agents of the Indian ruling classes. This family the Kashmiris detest most as
none of its members could manage a return to the assembly and which is
responsible for unleashing the reign of terror and murder in Kashmir in the name
of Indian nationalism.
The
PDP has reached an agreement with the Congress and two other parties which is
termed as a common minimum program (CMP) that will be the "guiding" arrangement
for the future rule. There is a double kind of speak in the CMP that seems to
retain PDP’s public promises and the requirements of the Indian occupation at
the same time. It is an ambiguous document that reflects the needs of the
opportunist alliance that has come to stay through the "democratic process."
Just
a look at it reveals its dubious character and hence its distrustfulness. Let us
look at a few examples as have appeared in the daily press:
"The
goal of the coalition government is to heal the physical, psychological and
emotional wounds inflicted by 14 years of militancy, to restore the rule of law
in Jammu and Kashmir , to complete the revival of the political process, which
was begun by the recently-concluded elections, and to request the government of
India to initiate and hold, sincerely and seriously, wide-ranging consultations
and dialogue, without conditions, with the members of the legislature and other
segments of public opinion in all the three regions of the State, to evolve a
broad-based consensus on restoration of peace with honour in the State."
"The
coalition government will take all possible measures within its power, to
protect all the people in Jammu and Kashmir from violence and militancy, whether
originating from within or outside the State, and to encourage those young men
from the State who have resorted to militancy to return to their families and
the mainstream , with the belief that they will receive security and justice
according to law."
The
very first objective indicts the militants for "inflicting" the wounds
while exonerating the state of its crimes. Though in the very same breath it
talks of "consultations and dialogue" but mainly with the
"legislators" and "other sections of public opinion", without
mentioning about carrying out a dialogue with the Hurriyet or the militant
organisations. They want "peace with honour" by making the militants
surrender so as to get them into the "mainstream."
Of
course, for "restoring peace" the CMP promises to review "all cases of
detenus being held without trial for long periods." It does not say that no
body will be held in jail without trial, the practice of which, obviously, will
continue.
"All
cases of custodial killings and violations of human rights shall be investigated
and persons responsible for them will be identified and punished." Watch
out! It is a most repeated and most violated promise in India. Punjab, Delhi,
Gujarat, etc. are the cases in point. One can rest assured that Kashmir can be
no different. The State never punishes itself.
"The
government shall formulate a comprehensive relief and rehabilitation package for
those families affected by the militant violence……" The J&K State has
already one for the said purpose and inherent in it is that the movement is
anti-people and the State is pro-people.
"The
government will reach out to the children, widows and parents of the deceased
militants…to provide their widows, orphans, parents…" this and that, this
and that, this and that …and so on. This scheme is already age-old and paints
the state’s face as human, while at the same time indicates that the young men
are dying without a cause and irresponsibly abandoning their families in the
lurch. It is a slur being put on the freedom movement and meant to serve wrong
intentions while they well know that they are not going to do anything except a
few highly loud programmes for propaganda purposes. Why someone would want to
destroy such a benign state structure that is so much concerned for its
subjects!
"The
government shall give top priority to ridding the administration of corruption,
nepotism, especially in the award of Government jobs, and contracts…" What
hell this Indian democratic system was doing before the elections in Kashmir?!
Forget about the corruption, nepotism, hawalas, scams, loot etc. hellishly
prevalent throughout India in the criminal state-structure set-up. The J&K
government is going to bring in a revolution from above under the guidance of
the same very political defenders of the system and through the same degenerate
bureaucracy!
"A
commission will be set up to make recommendations for reform of the police
administration…" They don’t tell why this damn thing is being promised while
the grave fact is that the Indian "democracy" cannot work without the
criminalisation of the police and a great many police reform programmes are
already lying dead in the files since the last 50 years. And how this can be the
part of a minimum program while it is a program that won’t be taken up in the
whole life of this set-up, until it is swept aside by the people and bludgeoned
to death as it is absolutely incorrigible. The PDP and the Congress are
promising a moon to the child.
"The
government will ensure that the Special Operation Group (SOG) are
assimilated/relocated within the regular police establishment." The proposal
enumerated one point above this one automatically stands rejected as SOG is the
most notorious terror outfit of the State in J&K. This, in fact, encompasses the
whole ‘reform’ program of the police forces that will be further criminalised
with the integration of the SOG in it. One should note here that the PDP
promised to "DISBAND" the SOG before elections if it ever returned to power. It
backed out even before swearing in (as the CMP was chalked out before the four
party decision of an alliance was declared).
And
lastly, the alliance has decided "not to implement POTA to the State of J&K"
as, mark it, "there are enough laws in existence to deal with the
militancy." The PDP had promised to "fight" against POTA and not
other repressive laws of the state and will use the latter to suppress the
aspirations of the people and their struggle for freedom!
The
whole of common minimum program is against the freedom movement and the
militants and not to serve the interests of the people of J&K and to accord to
the aspirations of the people. That is the crux of the new set up in the J&K
and, is essentially, the same as the previous one. The PDP, in fact, has adopted
the conditions put forward by the Congress party to get to the throne. It sold
out the people whom it begged for votes.
The
democratic process in Kashmir has offered to the people the same old poison in a
new bottle. The PDP sought votes in the name of militant’s cause and for putting
an end to the state sponsored terror. Now it sees militancy itself as the main
problem in Kashmir and is only suggesting some cosmetic measures in the name of
remedying people’s sufferings. One only has to make a cursory glance over the
pre-poll statements of Mufti and Mehbooba Mufti to see the difference then and
now.
The
great hullabaloo and fanfare that was associated with the "democratic
exercise" has brought in a naught for the people. Whatever hopes a part of
the population had expressed and desired to come through the election process
are bound to belie in practice. Kashmir will witness (and hear) the same old
story.
October 28, 2002
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