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Mufti:
Between the devil & the deep sea
Romeet
K WATT
"I
wrote my novel, Mr Stone And The Knight's Companion, in Kashmir. I'd
like to revisit it" - Noble laureate, Sir V S Naipaul
THE
other segments of public opinion in Kashmir, have adopted an
antagonistic approach to the PDP-led coalition government headed by
Mufti Sayeed, which severely hampers the efforts of the ruling
coalesce to arrive at a 'broad-based consensus.' If the statements
of JKLF chief Yasin Malik, and former Chairman of All Party Hurriyat
Conference, Mirwaiz Omar Farooq are any indications, the separatists
are not only sticking to their guns, but also using every
opportunity to take pot shots at PDP.
This
makes the assignment of Sayeed all the more difficult, who has time
and again - despite lack of enthusiasm from New Delhi - demonstrated
resolute determination to give his 'holistic approach,' an honest
try. His contention to set his own house in order first, ahead of
actually going about unshackling the dreadlocks of the larger
Kashmir issue, has despite reservations from the separatists,
received benefaction from the people of Kashmir, in addition to the
media fraternity in India.
Over
the years, Srinagar's point of view seldom appeared on the Indian
media horizon, but of late, the media does not seem to blindly
follow the leads, and hints given out by the Home Ministry, but
rightly takes an optimum view, something, which surely has gone well
with the people of Kashmir. The diabolic attack on the historic and
symbolic Raghunath temple, recently did as a matter of fact, make
some mainstream Indian newspapers to switch over to the hard-line
approach of the Home Ministry, questioning the soft approach of
Sayeed towards militancy. A leading national daily despite having a
strong Srinagar bureau, jumped the hard liner's bandwagon, when it
front-paged the reactions to the Raghunath Temple attack.
Nevertheless,
surely one cannot, and should not squarely blame Sayeed for the
despicable act. One ought not disregard that last time, when the
same place of worship was attacked in March, it was the BJP's
coalition partner, National Conference at the helm of affairs.
During the tenure of Farooq Abdulla, innumerable number of similar
attacks took place all over the place, which coupled with the
large-scale killings of minorities, especially in the Jammu region
does show Abdulla senior in a very poor light.
Sayeed
has a fundamental problem, grave one, which stems from his coalition
- not with elements within the given dispensation - with separatists
elements, who till yesterday provided him patronage, and clandestine
support with the singular objective of sending Abdulla senior
packing, have after making an appraisal of the prevalent situation,
deciphered that they have no options, but to attack Sayeed,
something which they believe is essential and fundamental to their
survival as a political force.
It
is in this context that one should observe the rhetoric of Yasin
Malik, terrorist-turned-politician, who spends time these days in
addressing public gatherings in the State, using the occasions to
lambast Sayeed, and raise the larger Kashmir issue, something, which
Sayeed is keen to keep under wraps, at least for the time being. The
separatists belonging to Malik's school of thought believe that it
is essential to attack any dispensation, Sayeed or not, to ensure
that the separatist bandwagon does not become irrelevant. They are
also increasingly worried about the effects that Sayeed's healing
touch might have on the populace, and that should the therapy work,
it may lead to an indifferent attitude of larger sections in Kashmir
towards APHC and company in the future.
Sayeed
is wisely keeping the contentious issues on the backburner, and has
fittingly taken a principled stand to put the nuts and bolts in
order before directing his energies to what the other sections want.
But come what may, that is not acceptable to APHC and company who
are adamant that Sayeed address the larger issue first on the
priority basis, which in their opinion is the root cause of all
evil. The contention of this school of thought in the separatist
bandwagon is that Sayeed is making a grave mistake of treating the
symptoms, rather than the disease.
Mirwaiz
Omar Farooq articulated the viewpoint of APHC vocally in a recent
interview to a news channel, when he stuck to the conglomerate line,
carrying on and on with the same old rhetoric, demonstrating little
flexibility, something, which is not going to help solve matters. On
the contrary to expect his expectations to come true, would be
taking things a bit too far. Despite being considered a moderate,
his whole approach during the conversation was so combative; that
one got the feeling that to expect any headway towards the larger
Kashmir issue would not be pragmatic, at least in the very near
future.
Still
it goes to the credit of the CM of J&K, that despite all the
provocation by the separatists, he refuses to join issue with them,
but at the same time he is not taking any stand, which may
contravene the working relations, PDP seems to have developed over
the period of time - largely due to his vibrant daughter, Mehbooba
Mufti. Nevertheless, PDP chief is adamant to get things done his
way, which stems from the belief that the most effective cure - in
the present circumstances - may not be drastic surgery.
Sayeed,
to borrow an expression, is between rock and hard place or maybe,
between devil and deep sea. Pick your choose. The indications
emanating from Kashmir, confirm as true that the divergence in the
stances taken by the PDP-led combine on one hand, and the APHC and
company on the other hand, may create unforeseen problems for the
government, and consequently the winter-chill coupled with icy
rhetoric's may well make the weather far too inclement for one's
taste. And, Sir Naipaul, in the mean time could make realise his
cherished desire to revisit Kashmir in spring, or may be in summer,
but let winter pass.
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