Sep 28, 2024 05:04 PM IST
There is a multi-cornered contest between the National Conference-Congress alliance, the PDP, smaller parties such as the Apni Party, and independents
Jammu and Kashmir is voting in its first assembly elections in a decade. The people of Jammu & Kashmir have repeatedly been stung by deceit and betrayal, and their perceptions are shaped by the ways in which the political landscape has dramatically shifted and transformed their lives in this period.
The campaign is seeing a multi-cornered contest between the National Conference-Congress alliance, the Peoples Democratic Party, smaller parties such as the Apni Party or DPAP, and independents backed by the Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir. A figurehead for this churn is Sheikh Abdul Rashid or Engineer Rashid, who was detained under UAPA in 2019 and held in Tihar Jail on allegations of terror funding.
Last month, he was granted interim bail by a Delhi court. His participation in political campaigning could impact electoral dynamics, particularly in northern Kashmir, which comprises 16 assembly segments. His campaign is also significantly benefiting the BJP in 24 segments of Jammu.
Since campaigning began, Rashid has been singled out by opposition groups and called a proxy of the BJP, with his release seen as part of a strategy to divide the mandate in Kashmir.
However, it’s important to recognise the broader context: The BJP is struggling to establish a stronger presence in the Jammu region and needs a polarising figure to effectively capitalise on this situation. Rashid appears to be the best bet.
His rhetoric – which is more about sentimentality and self-identification as an Islamist – lacks substance and risks portraying the broader Kashmiri Muslim community as religious fanatics. This could communalise the elections, especially in the Jammu region, and blunt popular anger over a failure to deliver good governance.
In the 1950s, when the Sheikh Abdullah-led National Conference began advocating for the needs of the people of Jammu and Kashmir — such as land, jobs, education, and health care — along with championing the federal structure of the Indian Union, he was removed from power. This marked the beginning of the marginalisation of political leaders. Figures like Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad, Ghulam Mohammed Sadiq, and others were examples of client leaders with no genuine mass base.
Over decades, many instances of political manoeuvring and injustice affected Jammu and Kashmir. After the suspension of electoral democracy, in 1996, Farooq Abdullah emerged victorious and pushed for autonomy through a resolution passed in the assembly. But this proposal didn’t find favour with New Delhi, which introduced the concept of self-rule, through the PDP, led by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.
This tactic was a ploy to disenfranchise and divide the people, culminating in the formation of splinter groups such as the Apni Party, led by Altaf Bukhari, formerly associated with the PDP; Peoples Conference, led by Sajad Lone; and the Democratic Progressive Azad Party, led by Ghulam Nabi Azad.
On one side, the National Conference delivered on its promises to the people by implementing land reforms that fundamentally changed lives. These reforms provided land, the means for sustenance, and livelihood to all, offering economic mobility and a foundation for aspiring to a better future.
The National Conference managed to forge a strong and enduring relationship with the people. The party’s relationship with the people has become a fundamental aspect of its identity, as it has significantly shaped and influenced their lives. That’s why the Bharatiya Janata Party considers the National Conference as its primary adversary in the Valley.
In contrast, splinter figures have come and gone, because they lacked a deep normative connection with the people, and could be dismantled anytime.
Now, a new formation — featuring a dangerous mix of imaginary political illusions and a façade of politics of identity and morality – is being pushed through the figurehead of Rashid and other so-called independents. This strategy aims to undermine the real representation of Kashmir’s rights and resources. This attempt is trying to exploit Kashmiri sentiments and aspirations, and hide the truth – that the only force which can fight for the people’s interests is a cadre-based political party in the Valley.
Irfan Gull is a National Conference leader. The views expressed are personal.
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