A curb on dislikes and freedom for likes is unfortunately a new norm of democracy in Kashmir and as such people in Jammu & Kashmir ask a question to themselves that whether this new norm of democracy is really democracy or democrazy. Mainstream leaders detained off and on now by the incumbent Government in Jammu & Kashmir used to detain separatist leaders in yesteryears whey they were controlling the affairs of the erstwhile Jammu & Kashmir state government. Interestingly the charges for the detention against mainstream leaders used by the incumbent Jammu & Kashmir Government these days are similar to charges used for the detention of separatist leaders by the very mainstream leaders while in power in the yesteryears. Now only those mainstream leaders are given the freedom of right to speech and expression who face the allegations of collaborating with the central government from the people in Jammu & Kashmir and those opposing them are house detained or formally arrested. Last week when Abdullahs’ and Muftis’ were house detained, the leaders of Apni Party choose the same day for a party convention at Shopian. While the personal liberty of the citizens irrespective of their political affiliations has been upheld by several top courts of the country in recent months, the Jammu & Kashmir Government has been selectively imposing curbs on mainstream leaders without rhyme or reason. Last week when Abdullahs’ and Muftis’ complained of restrictions over their movement from the four walls of their residential places. the police cited security concerns for VIPs a reason for the restrictions on both Abdullahs’ and Muftis’. Question can be asked that if the security concerns of VIPs was a reason for restrictions on Abdullahs’ and Muftis’ then why the government allowed top J&K Apni leaders to move out to Shopian for a party convention and there was no restrictions also on the movement of several top Congress leaders who attended several political meetings both in Srinagar and Jammu the same day.
People asking questions on grounds of discrimination can’t be denied the right to dissent as law abiding citizens of the biggest democracy of the world and same holds good for the people of Jammu & Kashmir who always respect both democracy and as well as the democratic institutions with the hope that their democratic aspirations will also be respected by both people in power and as well as the opposition.
The security concern for the leaders of the mainstream parties who only last month participated in DDC elections is a welcome move by all standards of undstandabilities but restrictions or detentions under the garb of such arguments would always come into question both within and outside Jammu & Kashmir. Decisions taken without proper application of mind just to satisfy the ego of the power wielding politicians and their collaborators in any part of country reduces democracy to democrazy. People asking questions on grounds of discrimination can’t be denied the right to dissent as law abiding citizens of the biggest democracy of the world and same holds good for the people of Jammu & Kashmir who always respect both democracy and as well as the democratic institutions with the hope that their democratic aspirations will also be respected by both people in power and as well as the opposition.
