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Journalism of Courage
After the rhetoric in Srinagar, and attendant chants of caution in New Delhi, it8217;s time to once again gauge the message in the chinar leaves. Therein lies an unexpected luxury. Just a few days ago, when National Conference legislators were thumpingly echoing Farooq Abdullah8217;s shrill determination to pass the autonomy resolution in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, it seemed that the state was inexorably heading for a showdown.
Now, however, after the resolution has indeed been passed, sanity and reason have not quite evaporated, and the feared Srinagar-New Delhi confrontation has not quite materialised. Instead of brainstorming over firefighting measures, quiet assessments can be made. Phew. Retreating from his unyielding posture of the last fortnight, Farooq has deftly averted disharmony. He says he will despatch his partymen to New Delhi and various state capitals to explain their demands and allay apprehensions. The Centre for its part too has averted any hint of a showdown. Home Minister L.K. Advani haswisely cooled tempers by clarifying that the issue will ultimately be dealt with by Parliament.
For all the rashness Farooq has often shown an inclination for, for all the fears expressed about the lackadaisical administration under him, the National Conference has time and again given proof of its capacity for reconciliation. That there is a huge chunk of public opinion in the Valley veering towards maximum autonomy yet stopping well short of azaadi is evident; for a government seeking intermediaries to build bridges with these alienated citizens, the National Conference8217;s efforts to win their support would make the negotiations underway that much easier.
It must, however, be emphasised that this march towards an end game is taking place on a very tight rope. The line between adopting extreme postures to secure positions of strength in negotiations and tilting towards chaos and conflagration is extremely thin. It is in this context that care will have to be taken to ensure that the one-upmanship battle between the National Conference and the Hurriyat does not become a self-sustaining spiral. And even as he captures lost ground in the Valley, Farooq has demonstrably sparked fears in Jammu and Ladakh. Clearly, as varying shades of opinion jostle for a hearing, immense care will have to be taken to see that the negotiating table does not transform into a Tower of Babel. In this quest, all the protagonists must demonstrate their willingness to cede some ground. That is Farooq8217;s next challenge.
