Making factually incorrect statements about Kashmir had until now become the routine for the leaders of BJP and Congress and the reporters of national news channels instigating provocations in Kashmir but lately top columnist writing Sunday columns for “Indian Express” Taveleen Singh has tried to rub the salt into the wounds of worst hurt and humiliated top mainstream leaders of the traditional regional parties of Jammu & Kashmir. While the fact remains that the worse moment for Jammu & Kashmir’s mainstream leaders particularly those heading traditional parties National Conference and PDP was the bringing down of the flag of erstwhile Jammu & Kashmir state from the government buildings and official vehicles of top helmsmen of Jammu & Kashmir Government without the consent and approval of an elected government and henceforth an elected assembly, Tavleen in her latest column in the “Indian Express” accuses Mehbooba Mufti of insulting the national flag and subs Farooq Abdullah for linking abrogation of article 370 to LAC standoff with China in Easten Ladhak . In fact Mehbooba Mufti wanted to convey it to New Delhi that the flag of erstwhile Jammu & Kashmir state is dearer to her because of the only fact that a separate flag was identity of the Jammu & Kashmir’s position in the constitution of India. Mehbooba pointed a finger to flag of erstwhile Jammu & Kashmir state during a press conference in Srinagar only to demand restoration of it’s position in the Indian constitution and not to insult the tricolour- the national flag of the country. Remarks of two former chief ministers of Jammu & Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti and Farooq Abdullah can under no circumstances become the basis for withdrawal of statehood and special status to Jammu & Kashmir as parliament and Supreme Court are only two institutions empowered to take calls on the constitutional position of Jammu & Kashmir. Finally the Central Government has to respect the whims and wishes of the people of Jammu & Kashmir and not necessarily of the mainstream leaders coming together to fight politically and legally the restoration of statehood and special status under Gupkar Declaration or the others opposing Gupkar declaration.
Reducing political space for the signatories of Gupkar declaration won’t take central government nearer to the people at the grass roots but would instead generate public sympathy for them across Kashmir Talking much about land grabbing and financial embezzlements in key government institutions and doing little to probe the land scams and money laundering cases speaks volumes about a confused policy the central government is pursuing only to render the signatories of Gupkar declaration politically irrelevant. The measures taken by the central government are opening up new opportunities of public appeasement to traditional parties headed by Farooq Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti and the likes.
Finally the government has to decide the future on public responses to the enforcement of new laws and measure taken during last thirteen months in Jammu & Kashmir. Central Government scrapping it’s own domicile law imposed by it early this year when mainstream leaders including Mehbooba Mufti and Farooq Abdullah were in detention speaks volumes about the failures of the incumbent central and present dispensation in New Delhi. Instead of blaming mainstream leaders for the current mess in Jammu & Kashmir, the central government can restore peace and normalcy only through a process of a political reach out and political reconciliation in Jammu & Kashmir. Reducing political space for the signatories of Gupkar declaration won’t take central government nearer to the people at the grass roots but would instead generate public sympathy for them across Kashmir Talking much about land grabbing and financial embezzlements in key government institutions and doing little to probe the land scams and money laundering cases speaks volumes about a confused policy the central government is pursuing only to render the signatories of Gupkar declaration politically irrelevant. The measures taken by the central government are opening up new opportunities of public appeasement to traditional parties headed by Farooq Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti and the likes.
