The time when BJP Government commanded and controlled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is re-experimenting all old conventional methods to restore calm in the state, all options of engagement over Kashmir have been virtually blocked over Kashmir resolution as Modi government is flatly refusing to accept any proposal for engagement with the separatist and tends to dictate conditions to Pakistan for the resumption of bilateral dialogue with focus on Kashmir. Even after witnessing an unprecedented low turnout and killing of nine civilians on the polling day in three districts of Srinagar parliamentary constituency, the Modi government has decided to go ahead with the reschedule bye polls in four districts of Anantnag parliamentary constituency only to sent out a message that New Delhi tends to impose popular rule with more than 5% and less than 10% mandate on about one crore souls in Jammu & Kashmir state. Keeping in view the turn out percentage in both assembly and as wells as parliamentary elections in recent year, the lowest turnout ever recorded in any election exercise in any part of the state shows the intensity of anger and resentment against the misrule of PDP-BJP coalition government headed by Mehbooba Mufti. Though the lowest ever turn out recorded in the recent bye elections in three districts of Srinagar parliamentary constituency was by all standards of understandabilities a referendum over the acceptability of the PDP-BJP alliance for power sharing in the state but the top brass of both PDP and BJP are not ready to accept the verdict of the people against the BJP coalition government in the state. Even after committing itself to work on the agenda of alliance reached with PDP for running a coalition government in Jammu & Kashmir the BJP has hurted and humiliated its ally PDP by laying legal traps over ban on beef, article 370, display of state flag on government buildings and government vehicles in the state high court, Delhi high court and Supreme court.
The hostile leadership in Delhi has failed Mehbooba Mufti to prove herself as a healer, humanist, and a progressive and liberal politician who can bring the political process to immediate fruition.
The autocratic way of working with PDP in running the affairs of the government even on matters related to contentious issues like article 370 and engagement with the separatist leadership in Kashmir has rendered irrelevant not only PDP but also other mainstream political parties sitting in opposition particularly National Conference and Congress. Denying engagement in an extremely hostile political atmosphere and collapse of the law enforcement machinery speaks volumes about the failure of the government in understanding the situation on ground in Kashmir. Irony of the fact is that Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh directly overseeing the Kashmir situation for last more than two months tend to remain committed votaries of RSS scripted policy over Kashmir and unfortunately Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has met with failures whenever she tried to persuade both Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh to work on the agenda of alliance scripted by PDP and BJP for running the affairs of the Jammu & Kashmir government for a full term of six years. Unfortunately Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh during their latest meeting with Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti instead of trying to work on the agenda of peace and conflict resolution have decided to work the agenda of imposing their whims and wishes over an angered population unwilling to accept any political dictations from New Delhi. The hostile leadership in Delhi has failed Mehbooba Mufti to prove herself as a healer, humanist, and a progressive and liberal politician who can bring the political process to immediate fruition.
