Unseasonal snowfall wasn’t the only problem odd encounter Jammu and Kashmir has had to confront this winter. The State somehow is now forced into an unseasonal election, forced on it by rulers in New Delhi, a farce some would say, with some reminding us that round II of poll was already notified along with the first (Urban bodies) and God and New Delhi willing the third – an early election to the moribund State Assembly may well be held prematurely, a good two years before its normal term comes to end. If all goes well for the ruling Janata Party in New Delhi in the upcoming polls in five States after in the year set off for enactment of the phase II of the farce and who knows, all going well for the ruling party in Delhi, the third and final phase may be upon us sooner rather than later, along with the parliamentary elections due about a year later.
Yes, your guess is as right as mine for that eventuality (the third round in Kashmir in about a year’s time), would occur only if the Modi Government in Delhi decides in favour of following up the present six months’ of Governor’s rule by year’s end with another spell of President’s rule, that third eventuality would arise if Centre carries the exercise to mid 2019 by which time the forces of Hindutva and their fearsome cry of Hindu nationalism would surely have been in fully cry all over the land. Forget Sarva Dharma Sambhav (religious tolerance) and Vasudeva Kuttambakum (universal family of man, mindless slogans, which we have been taught by no less a person that Messr Modi and Bhagwat is another name for cultural nationalism or arrogant majoritarianism, if you will..
The phase two of emasculation of Kashmir, the panchayat polls, will , of course, have, as is suggested by New Delhi and its Governor in the State, upgraded our sense of democratic aspirations; the panchayat polls we have been reminded often in recent weeks is foundation on which rests the edifice, democracy. That’s where grassroots democracy begins, moving step by step to urban, semi urban institutions such as panchayats, municipalities, municipal corporations, In Kashmir’s case it would automatically mean the rebirth of the now defunct legislative Assembly and the Council thence would flow the two to urban institutional institutions, municipalities and corporation, and finally to (a) restoration of the moribund or reelected State Assembly should that be in accord with the BJP’s political designs. A re-elected Assembly (the existing one has another two years to go) would automatically mean further extension of Central rule which may not, I dare say, suit the BJP’s present political designs. Its first preference would remain a cobbling together of a coalition with valley partners willing to bow to its terms and conditions. the State. In any case, the valley at the moment doesn’t have much to look forward to – apart, of course, from the shenanigans of the likes of Mr Sajjad Lone and other stray soldiers of fortune, weighing the pros and cons of whatever the Bharatiya Janata Party puts on offer. Personally, having witnessed scores of elections in many Indian States over the past many decades, I know BJP will throw open its overflowing coffers once it senses a catch by itself or through the legislature, it will be a no holds barred battle; Lone will be encouraged to fish in the troubled waters, panchayat elections promising him an additional tool, courtesy the BJP, the wherewithal to sustain his viability. Meaningless all this seems though given the big picture wherein the dramatis personae, Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, Mohan Bhagwat and the new man on board Yogi Adityanath, the UP Chief Minister are moving heaven and earth, with all the gods and goddesses thrown in, seem engaged in a macabre dance, demolishing anything that doesn’t look like pure Hindu. Left to them and the hordes at their disposal the Ram Mandir might already have been built in Ayodhya, Illahabad, the city of Akbar’s dreams, named after his Deen-e-IIahi, a sleepy old village grown into a major metro city of the times, Allahabad, home to one of India’s oldest Indian Universities, the seat of India’s three (if I am not wrong) oldest High Courts, a throbbing cultural centre, home to the best of Urdu and Hindi poets, lawyers and what have you, suddenly turns into Prayagraj, confluence of Ganga, Jamuna and the invisible river Saraswati. Faizabad converts itself into Ayodhya where the ‘band’ ‘baja’ of the Ram Mandir (it will be there sooner than you imagine, Yogi has said); the contours have already been charted out, the Shia Sunni Board lined up foregoing its claim to demolished Babri Masjid, actual construction of the Ram Temple a mere formality to commence sooner than most believe. The administrative State paraphernalia is largely in place. Yogi Adityanath, please be informed, changed his own name to pass himself on as the inheritor (adopted perhaps) of the aged Mahant of the rich Gorakhpur Math. The old Mahant was a saffron Lok Sabha member for a few terms.
Modiji’s successor as Chief Minister, in Ahmedabad doesn’t want to be left behind and he has already announced a likely change of name for Ahmedabad. Y’ see how can you allow premier institutions or cities, towns, rail stations or even bus stands and lanes and bylanes be name after Mussalman invaders. The invaders may have been citizens for as long 1200 years, served Moghul and the Rajput Kings, never mind the East India Company, distinguished themselves centuries ago as great Indian musicians and artists been to India what a Beethoven, Baach or a Michel Angelo may have to the West. But that must have been much before we Hindu India learnt of Vasudeva Kutamabakm or Atithi Deva Bhavo.
The good thing about saffronites is their need-based ambivalence. Don’t expect me to translate. Even a 10-year old at the madrassa near my Gurgaon home will tell.