Be it the issue of Hurriyat Conference (M)’s critical remark over Mehbooba Mufti’s outrage on display of ISIS flags at Jamia Masjid Srinagar or the public outcry against National Conference President Farooq Abdullah after his “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” shouts at a conclave called in the memory of first BJP Prime Minister late Atal Bihari Vajpayee after his death anniversary in Delhi last year, the attempts of Kashmir’s mainstream leaders particularly Muftis’ and Abdullahs’ to change public perception about their past practices by emotive remarks on political and religious sentiments won’t work in election time . Nothing new for the people of Kashmir to see Muftis’ and Abdullahs’ speaking for India and political parties in power at the centre while in power and for the political and religious sentiments of Kashmiris’ when in opposition or out of power in the state. True it is that Kashmir’s mainstream leaders including Abdullahs’ and Muftis’ have not changed their posturing but people of Kashmir have change their perceptions about mainstream politicians as is obvious and evident from the reactions of the common Kashmiris to the statements of mainstream leaders on social media sites.
Mehbooba Mufti conveying her outrage over the pulpit incident at Jamia Masjid Srinagar is her abortive attempt to rediscover the agenda which brought her party to power twice in last sixteen years and now PDP Chief can’t see her party reconnecting with the people in Kashmir after giving political space to the communalists in the only muslim majority state of the country .
While National Conference is still remembered for scripting chapters of black laws and militarization of populated areas under the garb of fight against militancy from 1996-2002 and 2008-2014 the PDP can’t be spared for offering political space to communalists in Jammu & Kashmir the only muslim majority state of the country. Mehbooba Mufti conveying her outrage over the pulpit incident at Jamia Masjid Srinagar is her abortive attempt to rediscover the agenda which brought her party to power twice in last sixteen years and now PDP Chief can’t see her party reconnecting with the people in Kashmir after giving political space to the communalists in the only muslim majority state of the country .