Amid tensions between India and Pakistan, mainstreampoliticians in Kashmir are trying to look for a space for themselves. Todaythey don’t find themselves placed anywhere as all their narratives and slogans havevanished. They are left with nothing to sell.
Soon after the Indian fighter planes carried out anairstrike at Balakote in Pakistan mainstream leaders in Kashmir made ferventappeals to India and Pakistan to exercise restraint. But no collective appealwas made. May be coming together would have hurt their ego?
Just one day before the airstrikes were carried out they(politicians) were issuing statements on the importance of Article 35A andArticle 370. It seems till then they were under the impression that warrhetoric is confined to news studios of TV channels only and it won’t go beyondit. And they could turn safeguarding Article 35A and Article 370 as their mainelection planks. They were under the impression that 10,000 paramilitary menwho arrived in Kashmir earlier this week had been air dropped to tackle thesituation which could emerge if the special status of the Jammu and Kashmir isrevoked.
Indian Air Force carrying out airstrikes and Pakistanretaliating has led to situation taking an entirely different turn. Formerchief ministers of J&K Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah have remainedactive on twitter and have been airing their views frequently. But it seemsthat neither India nor Pakistan is taking them seriously.
Whenever mainstream leaders are in power in J&K theycreate an impression that they are very close to the power corridors in NewDelhi and all the decisions are taken after consulting them. As rulers theytalk about resolution of Kashmir issue and leave no chance to prove that theyare the important stakeholders in the country’s foreign policy. Recentairstrikes shattered the myth that they (Kashmiri politicians) can play anyrole vis-à-vis Kashmir.
If the tension between India and Pakistan deescalates thesepoliticians should put up a brave face and tell the people of Kashmir that theycannot cross the line. They have to muster courage and tell the people thatstate government can just resolve their day to day issues and the real powercentre lies in Delhi. They need to stop selling dreams to the people, who votefor them for one or other reason.
Kashmir has been pushed to the edge as India and Pakistanhave decided to exhibit how powerful they are and what can they do. Since theday Governor’s administration started making preparations for emergency likesituation Kashmiri leaders started making noises. Leaders of NationalConference and Peoples Democratic Party even hit the streets and stageddemonstrations but no attention was paid towards the hue and cry raised by thepolitical leaders and their activists.
If Kashmir comes out from the prevailing mess, politicians,who have ruled J&K in the past, would have to coin new slogans to woo thevoters again. Recent developments have left people of Kashmir disillusioned.They (people) have realized that they are helpless and the politicians who duringall these years have been projecting themselves as the “Messiahs’ of Kashmirisare “toothless tigers” who can just roar and do nothing. A common man inKashmir has realized that there is no one who can pull him out of the crisisand prevail upon the big .powers like India and Pakistan. He (common man) hascome to know that the politicians who during all the years used to come to himfor votes have only one aim that’s to rule him and enjoy all the privileges.
If Kashmir leaders want to remain relevant they would haveto come together to save Kashmiris. They have to come forward and tell NewDelhi and Islamabad that Kashmir is no battlefield and people of Kashmir cannotbe turned into cannon fodder. If they fail to put up a united front at thispoint of time no one would trust them again. Their credibility is at stake as the people have started believing thatthey can do nothing except offering “lip service” and issuing statements. They(politicians) are facing a litmus test and if they don’t pass the test it wouldprove suicidal for them.
(Javaid Malik is Senior Editor Greater Kashmir)
malikjavaid123@gmail.com