“Political emotions raised mostly by the poll contestants are always in contrast with the aspirations of the people. Presently the campaigning for the assembly elections is sky rocketing the political emotions to new heights”
Political emotions always flare up during elections more in Jammu & Kashmir than in other parts of the country and are always in contrast with people’s aspirations given the fact that politicians always raise emotions in election campaigns just to further their own electoral prospects in the elections but not for fulfilment of wishes and aspirations of people. So obviously political emotions raised mostly by the poll contestants are always in contrast with the aspirations of the people. Presently the campaigning for the assembly elections is sky rocketing the political emotions to new heights and neither the leaders of political parties nor their poll constants leave any stone unturned to exploit the emotions of people only to further the causes of their poll prospects in the upcoming assembly elections. Unfortunately personality cult in politics heads to no dead end in Jammu. For decades the symbol of personality cult politics in Jammu & Kashmirr was late Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah the founder of National Conference the oldest political party in Jammu & Kashmir and for yet another decades the personality cult politics was part of electoral contests between Mufti Mohammad led PDP and Farooq Abdullah led National Conference. Presently also the personality cult politics is parts of poll campaigning of the regional political parties of Jammu & Kashmir, For NC it is late Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, For PDP late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, For J&K Apni Party Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari, For People’s Conference Sajad Gani Lone, For Democratic Azad Party Gh Nabi Azad and For Awami Itehad Party (AIP) Er Rashid. Since experiences have shown that militancy and stone pelting consumed one generation in Jammu & Kashmir there is every apprehension that current bad trends of politics may spoil another generation. Political wisdom demands that top leaders of regional political parties don’t drive jobless youth to politics like flocks of sheep but inspire them to build their future in lucrative professions like civil service, judiciary, medical education, accountancy and industrial entrepreneurship.
“Though this was the time for J&K’s regional parties to roll out road maps for improving the standards of public representation and public welfare but unfortunately election campaigns are all about political ambitions of the leaders quitting and joining different political parties just to secure their place in the new assembly. The leaders of regional political parties should hang their heads in shame for calling politics of defections and personality cult a public movement. Ultimately it is an acid test for a common voter for whom it is the right time to punish leaders propagating personality cult politics and defections just for their election to new assembly.”
Though landslide victory of BJP under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi followed by two more successive victories of the party under his leadership at the national level had reduced personality cult politics to a new low in national politics but unfortunately in Jammu & Kashmir there is no end to personality cult politics even after the abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of erstwhile state into two union territories. Leaders of regional political parties should have learnt lessons from bad experiences of personality cult politics propagates for decades together that finally led to the passing of August 5, 2019 Reorganisation Act Of Jammu & Kashmir by parliament which the erstwhile state divided into two union territories and article 370 withdrawn. Though new changes brought under August 5, 2019 Reorganisation Act Of Jammu & Kashmir necessitated changes in the political posturing of J&K’s regional political parties but unfortunately instead of giving up the traditional emotional politics they continue to exploit the emotions of people in one way or the other just for settling scores in peak elections periods . Though this was the time for J&K’s regional parties to roll out road maps for improving the standards of public representation and public welfare but unfortunately election campaigns are all about political ambitions of the leaders quitting and joining different political parties just to secure their place in the new assembly. The leaders of regional political parties should hang their heads in shame for calling politics of defections and personality cult a public movement. Ultimately it is an acid test for a common voter for whom it is the right time to punish leaders propagating personality cult politics and defections just for their election to new assembly.
