“The leaders divide people along the religious, regional and ethnic lines just to win elections more intensely in Jammu & Kashmir than any other state or union territory of the country.”
In the season of elections political parties unveil election manifestos’ to make promises but in Jammu & Kashmir regional political parties are known for making new promises and burying the old ones. These days when assembly elections are being held almost after a decade we find political defectors quitting one party and joining another just to secure their own future instead of drawing roadmaps for welfare of the people. Experiences of several decades have shown that during election periods political opportunists tend to be public sympathisers but they overtly and covertly abuse power and authority after the elections just for extending pecuniary benefits to their collaborators and followers. Unfortunately the rise of political opportunism has damaged the very basic spirits of democracy not only in recent years but in decades of electoral politics in Jammu & Kashmir. Winning an election by hollow sloganeering is as such the decades old norm of electoral politics in Jammu & Kashmir. Unfortunately the leaders divide people along the religious, regional and ethnic lines just to win elections more intensely in Jammu & Kashmir than any other state or union territory of the country. In election seasons poll contestants raise slogans for their own political conveniences just to impose their own decisions over the people against their whims and wishes. Unfortunately consultations and consensus has never ever been the norm of mainstream politics in decades old electoral politics in Jammu & Kashmir. Had the public representatives of yesteryears adopted the practices and procedures of consultations and consensus in law making institutions, the politics of regional and religious divides won’t have spoiled the very basic spirits of electoral politics during decades of popular rule in erstwhile Jammu & Kashmir state.
“Ironically people of Jammu & Kashmir are being exploited by their own leaders who are least bothered about the strength and integrity of the institutions of public representation. In our present political culture a political worker only exploits gullible people and tends to silent vigilant citizens who dare to raise voice of dissent against the political opportunism of the present day political turncoats in Jammu & Kashmir.”
Unfortunately the regional political parties have not learnt lessons even from the changes that have reduced a full fledged state to a union territory. Had public representatives worked for the growth and integrity of the institutions of public representation the people in Jammu & Kashmir won’t have stayed away from electoral politics and instead supported boycott politics for decades together. Ironically people of Jammu & Kashmir are being exploited by their own leaders who are least bothered about the strength and integrity of the institutions of public representation. In our present political culture a political worker only exploits gullible people and tends to silent vigilant citizens who dare to raise voice of dissent against the political opportunism of the present day political turncoats in Jammu & Kashmir.
