State of unrest

Amid the stirrings of peace, the mainstream political parties in Kashmir are engaged in a game of one-upmanship. This has, of late, led to a...

Amid the stirrings of peace, the mainstream political parties in Kashmir are engaged in a game of one-upmanship. This has, of late, led to a startling development. The mainstream National Conference, has found an ally in the separatist Hurriyat Conference over the issue of human rights violations in the Valley. This is despite the fact that the NC has all along been a strong critic of the Hurriyat for its separatist policies. Now, it not only joined a dharna organised by the latter, but also held its first ever demonstration over the issue of human rights violations early this month.

Senior NC leaders justify the change in stand, saying that there is no harm in joining with the Hurriyat Conference on issues of common interest. Their critics attribute it to the frustration in NC ranks after losing power to the ruling PDP-Congress coalition nearly two years ago.

These developments indicate one thing for certain — the tragedy is that separatist, especially anti-Delhi, sentiments are more capitalised upon in Kashmir. Even the People’s Democratic Party came to power by raking up issues like human rights violations, disbanding of SOG, repealing POTA, etc. Significantly, even after having come to power in the state, many PDP leaders, especially Mehbooba Mufti, continue their rhetoric against the Centre, and especially against the security forces over the issue of human rights violations. Even New Delhi appears more keen on bringing the Hurriyat to the negotiation table rather than listening to the mainstream opposition parties in the state.

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In the given situation, when talks are in progress to open the Uri-Muzaffrabad road, separatist Hurriyat leaders are allowed to move around freely criticising security forces, top militant leaders are being released from jails and incentives are announced to woo militants, the National Conference feels isolated in the Valley. After its ouster from power two years ago, it was already nursing a feeling of having paid the price of being more loyal to Delhi. Later, the onslaughts on it by the ruling PDP-Congress coalition, like the taking over of the properties of the Auquaf Trust and the Sher-i-Kashmir Medical Trust, strengthened its belief that it has been ditched even by Delhi.

During the last two years, while a number of NC activists have been killed in view of the withdrawal of their security cover, a considerable number have joined the PDP. To checkmate this trend, the NC appears to have realised that it can survive in the Valley only by taking up anti-Delhi postures. As the ruling PDP is already raking up the issue of human rights violations, the NC wants to go a step further to put the former in the dock.

Ironically, this game of one upmanship appears to be going on within the PDP-Congress coalition as well, with the implementation of the much talked about Wazir Commission report recommending creation of three new districts in the Jammu region nowhere in sight. The ruling coalition partners had also taken up cudgels against each other over the issue of the duration of the annual Amarnath pilgrimage to South Kashmir Himalayas this year.

Police personnel seen to control the situation during a massive protest over the statehood demand and the inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule, in Leh on Wednesday. (ANI Video Grab)

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