Kashmir’s political landscape: Third front is making
Tariq Ali Mir
A third front on Kashmir’s turbulent political landscape seems to be rapidly emerging these days. Some of the state Congress leaders were seen for the first time in a meeting, organized by former PDP leader Altaf Bukhari , who apparently is heading the projected third front in Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory (UT). The meeting was held in Jammu, last week.
Bukhari , was a minister in the council of ministers in PDP and BJP coalition government, which fall in 2018. He along with nine other PDP leaders, mostly the former legislators, met lieutenant Governor (LG) Girish Chandra Murmu in Raj Bhavan at Jammu on January 7.
The delegation handing LG over a memorandum with several demands including that of bringing Jammu and Kashmir under the domain of Article 371 of Indian constitution, in order to safeguard the vulnerable domicile and employment rights to the people of this newly established UT.
Pertinently, the special status and the statehood to the Jammu and Kashmir were taken away by Modi government after it revoked the article 370 and 35A of Indian constitution on August 5, last year. The state was also bifurcated by declaring Ladakh, a part of erstwhile state, as a separate UT.
Since then most of the mainstream leaders of National conference (NC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peoples Conference (PC) and Pradesh Congress are under detention. These detainees include three of former chief ministers of Jammu Kashmir.
In absence of the traditional and established leaders, now a third front is being established in the UT. Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad recently claimed that some of the J&K Congress leaders are being pressurized to join the emerging third front.
Azad said that these leaders are told that they will be booked under false corruption charges, if they do not obey. The Congress leader also accused centre government of baking the emerging third front. However Bukhari refuted the allegations of threatening the Congress leaders for making them join the new political front.
Sources said that three of the J&K Congress leaders, Usmaan Majeed , Shoaib Lone and Hilal Shah attended the meeting with Bukhari and his associates in Jammu. Political analysts believe that the proposed third front will be comprised on the breakaway leaders and some lower rung workers of NC, PDP and Congress party.
But in any case, the crucial question remains about the political legitimacy of the anticipated third front. Rouf Bhat, a PDP leader calls the components of the establishing political formation as “Political renegades”.
Talking to The Quiry He says, “They are just trying to gain political mileage because the real representative and leader are behind bars right now. This breed is nothing but just the traitors and the proxies of the BJP. I don’t think people will accept them as an alternative leadership.”
However, many politicians deem the emergence of a new political party or a political platform fit to tackle the post August 5, situation. On the condition of anonymity a leader of NC said, “There is no denying of the fact that Jammu Kashmir was stabbed of August 5, last year. But life has to move on. The people are facing a numerous day to day problems some of them as grave as threatening to their very survival. Somebody has to take care of these things. There are thousands of people in jails. Criminal cases of stone pelting and other violent activities are registered against the thousands of our youngsters. Their future is to be saved. If a group of local political leaders want to join the hands with powerful at centre and the state, they must be allowed to do so. Let them try. They may be proved helpful in near future. Otherwise, in the absence of the local politicians everything will be in the hands of outsiders. We should not disown or demoralize our own people by calling them traitors.”
It is generally believed that after the initiatives taken on August 5, Modi government desperately needs some new political faces from the Valleyr to endorse its entire unilateral doings, to minimize bypass the ongoing international pressure.
Ironically, the governments at centre have always been changing the political appearances in Kashmir at the times of uncertainty and trouble. Journalist and political analyst Haroon Reshi says, “I think whatever is happening in Jammu and Kashmir’s political scenario these days, is occurring on the behest and backing of the centre. Unfortunately, all the Union governments, time and again, have been changing political faces in Kashmir’s power corridors on the name of ‘national interest’ during past seven decades.
Prime Minister Shaikh Abdullah was dismissed and arrested to install his successor Bakhshi Gulam Muhamad in 1953. More than a decade later in 1964, Bukhshi was removed to change the posts of Prime minister and Sader i Riyasat in the state, which had acceded with Union of India on several conditions including of keeping its autonomy intact. Then Sadiq was selected to be the chief minister. Then few years later, he was also replaced by Mir Qasim. In 1975 Sheikh again took the reins as a CM.
After his death in 1982, his son Farooq Abdullah was handed over the power but not for long. On centre’s backing his own brother in law GM Shah toppled his government and became chief Minister. Then PDP was established to curtail NC and its leadership. Now a new political breed is being introduced to make the previous political elite irrelevant.” Haroon added, “This is no secret that all these face changing’s were done on the name of elections, which by and large used to be rigged and manipulated.”
But even after repeating the tested methods, the major question remains whether people will accept the new faces or not. Political analysts like Prof. Gul Wani, who teaches at Kashmir University’s Political Science Department, believes that the new comers will be facing the lake of public credibility.
He said,”Political situation in Kashmir is not favorable to Mr. Bukhari because all the top leaders are under detention and Bukhari is being seen as BJP’s proxy.” another Social Activist from south Kashmir Ishfaq Kiloo says ” the Bukhari’s bout will not have a smooth sail. He further added the difference why this new experience in Kashmir’s political labourty would not work because earlier this module was failed when Bakshi was installed on the driving seat against Sheikh Abdullah ishfaq added that” India should learn the lession from the history”.
Some of the sources say the first ever election in the newly established UT of Jammu and Kashmir are being held in the second part of this year.
Will the forthcoming third front play a key role in these elections? And will this front be able to add some credibility to the proposed poll process? These questions that cannot be answered at this point of time, but the coming days may be able to reveal some clearer picture of the future political situation in Jammu and Kashmir.
Kashmir Bureau Chief, TheQuiry
