The three part series carried by this newspaper on the performance of the parliamentarians elected to the 14th Lok Sabha from the valley reveals some very disturbing facts. The three MPs who were elected from the valley in 2014 did not represent the people in the highest forum of Indian democracy. Can there be a bigger failure of the party? Muzaffar Baig attended just over 10 per cent of the sessions, while Mehbooba Mufti and Tariq Karra attended about one third of the proceedings. Is this not complete abdication of responsibility on their part? As it is the electoral process in the state lacks credibility because of the low level of polling. To add insult to injury, the MPs of J&K PDP have virtually abstained from the Parliament. Even when they have rarely attended, they have been mute spectators. Records show that they have not participated in any significant debate nor did they raise issues and questions about the happenings in the state. From their lack of participation, it is obvious that the PDP’s elected members to the Parliament didn’t take either the Parliament and its proceedings seriously. This at a time when the valley has been on the brink. So who will represent the case of Kashmir, who will make the country listen to the woes and anguishes of the Kashmiris if our elected representatives don’t highlight our state of affairs in the highest law making institution of Indian democracy? No wonder that the people of Kashmir valley have become totally disillusioned with not just the politicians but also the democratic system. The dialogue within the Indian Parliament is as important, if not more, as talks with Hurriyat and Pakistan. In fact the former must precede the latter. PDP owes the people of the valley an explanation as to why none of its MPs fulfilled their political responsibility or discharged their moral obligation.
Absentee representatives
