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Journalism of Courage
Opportunities such as the one thrown up by the J&K elections come but rarely in the life of a nation. Never has there been such a favourable conjuction of circumstances, national and international, to evolve a solution to the problem which has dogged the sub-continent for over five decades. The world has hailed them as a credible exercise. A large chunk of Kashmiri opinion believes that the polls were free and fair and there could not be a greater testimony to this than the defeat of Omar Abdullah in Ganderbal.
The reasonably good voter turnout, despite heavy odds, showed that the people of the ravaged state want peace and a negotiated settlement. The rejection by Jammu of the idea of trifurcation is no small thing. Of course, it is not without irony that the RSS, Islamabad and several think tanks in the US should all advocate the trifurcation of the state as a step towards a solution. The unstated idea behind it is the creation of a state for the Hindu majority Jammu and a union territory for Buddhist Ladakh — both of which will remain with India — while paving the way for granting a special status for the Muslim-dominated Valley. Of course, the RSS, Islamabad and the American think tanks have their own ideas on what the special status for the Valley could be.
This may appear pragmatic but the creation of a state on the basis of religion — an idea the country rejected in 1947 — would spell the beginning of the end of India as a multi-faith and pluralistic entity. It would also make the 150 million Muslims within India more vulnerable. The people of Jammu not only said a firm no to it, they made it clear that their overriding anger was directed against the misrule of Farooq Abdullah. Like the PM had predicted, it has well and truly turned out to be a vote for democracy and for Kashmiriyat.
The Kashmir elections has also thrown up a new crop of leaders. If the Congress is smart, it will give the leadership of the state to Mehbooba Mufti, a new and young face. If there is anyone in J&K who deserves the post, it is her. She tirelessly campaigned throughout the Valley at great personal risk, propping up her fledgling party as a serious contender for power. A Muslim woman leading J&K would provide Pakistan something to introspect over. Then there is Ghulam Nabi Azad. Although he went to the state somewhat reluctantly, he has suddenly been catapulted to the position of a popular figure, from being the rootless leader he once was. In a democracy no one should be dismissed and certainly not Omar Abdullah, although vanquished for the moment. The fight has just begun for the young Abdullah, who heads the NC, which has emerged as the single largest party in the state despite its rout.
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If the Congress is smart, it will give the leadership of the state to Mehbooba Mufti |
As things have turned out, the Kashmir problem will now have to be resolved through a national consensus and this, too, is a happy situation. After all, the government to be sworn in will in all probability be a coalitional one, comprising the major opposition party and a regional group. This could build greater checks and balances into the situation.
The emerging scenario will call for statesmanship on the part of the prime minister. He will have to seize this as an opportunity to further the peace process in J&K, and with Pakistan. Sonia Gandhi, too, will have to rise to the occasion. The euphoria in the Congress is natural. But J&K has to be something more than just the 15th state under Congress’ rule. J&K could help showcase the values the Congress says it stands for, it can come to represent the ‘core of Indian nationhood’.
The question of chiefministership is important, of course. But as important is the issue of a common minimum programme, which the Congress has to draw up with the PDP and friendly independents as a sustainable mechanism of coordination. The manifesto of the PDP almost reads like the demands of the All Party Hurriyat Conference, with its promises to repeal the Disturbed Areas Act and disband the Special Operations Group. Without a common minimum programme, the NC would soon have the government in a spin, as it is bound to raise its demands for autonomy with greater vigour.
The mandate this time is specifically for good governance and Sonia Gandhi should maybe constitute a sub-group on Kashmir in the CWC, made up of people like Manmohan Singh, Natwar Singh and some others, to give economic, foreign policy and political inputs on a regular basis. The Congress cannot deal with J&K like any other state under its rule.
If Sonia Gandhi gets this right, she will acquire a profile that will make criticism about her foreign origins appear unimportant. If the Congress loses this opportunity because it acts in a big brotherly fashion, or if it starts to strike deals with the NC, or if its local leaders act as the new maharajas of the state, the people will never forgive the party.
