Will PM Modi still play with fire by holding elections in J&K?

The best thing for the Modi government to do would be to convert Kashmir Valley into Chandigarh-type UT so that the Centre retained the state power and hold elections in Jammu province

The best thing for the Modi government to do would be to convert Kashmir Valley into Chandigarh-type UT so that the Centre retained the state power and hold elections in Jammu province
The best thing for the Modi government to do would be to convert Kashmir Valley into Chandigarh-type UT so that the Centre retained the state power and hold elections in Jammu province

Some pertinent questions

Are PM Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah feeling somewhat disillusioned? Are they in their heart of hearts singing in the strain of the swan? Has their otherwise historic August 5, 2019 reform scheme introduced in the terrorist and separatist-infested Kashmir aimed at integrating it fully into India achieved the desired result? Has the reading down of separatist Article 370 and abrogation of discriminatory Article 35A reformed the separatist and communal leadership in Kashmir or induced or motivated it to join the mainstream politics and promote it in the Kashmir Valley, the trouble-spot since the 14th century? Has the fundamentally secessionist and subversive Kashmiri Muslim leadership accepted the Union government’s constitutional step that created UT of Ladakh and UT of J&K? Will not the Modi government play with fire or play with dangerous tools by holding Assembly elections in UT of J&K?

These are some of the pertinent questions, which just can’t be ignored. These need definite answers as the future of the nation depends on what happens in the highly sensitive and strategic J&K, which witnesses sinister conspiracies on a daily basis – conspiracies being hatched by China, Pakistan, and Kashmiri Muslim leaders of all hues. China, Pakistan and Kashmiri Muslim leadership consistently work for the disintegration of India and they believe, and rightly, that if India is to be dismembered, J&K and Ladakh have to be de-linked from India. Both China and Pakistan see the Kashmiri Muslim leadership as a ray of hope and it’s not a secret.

As for the first two questions – are PM Modi and HM Shah feeling somewhat disillusioned and are they singing in the strain of the swan – only they can answer. At the same time, however, actions being taken by the Election Commission of India in UT of J&K almost on a daily basis and unambiguous statements being made by BJP bigwigs, including Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and by the local BJP leaders in Jammu do suggest that the Narendra Modi government is toying with the dangerous idea of holding first-ever elections to the Assembly of J&K UT. The manner in which the Kashmiri Muslim leaders, including Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah (NC), Mehbooba Mufti (PDP), Sonia Congress leaders, Altaf Bukhari (Apni Party), Mohd Yousuf Tarigami (CPIM), Sajjad Lone (People’s Conference), etc, have intensified their activities in Kashmir and parts of Jammu province, where Hindus and Muslims are almost evenly balanced or where the Hindu population is in a microscopic minority further strengthens the belief that Assembly elections could be held by the end of this year. They intensified their activities, particularly after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh declared in Jammu on June 18 that “there’s a strong possibility of J&K polls by the end of this year”.

It is clear that the powers-that-be in New Delhi and the BJP as a party at the national and J&K levels have not taken cognizance of the statements the Abdullahs’ NC, Mehbooba’s PDP, and others of their ilk in Kashmir made before and after June 18. All these statements have been made to make their respective constituencies in Kashmir and parts of Jammu province to understand that the proposed elections were very crucial for them and these would be fought on emotive and sentimental planks, and not on democratic and economic issues or development-related issues.

A reference to just three such recent statements would be in order. Such an exercise would help clear all cobwebs of confusion and establish what the Kashmiri Muslim leadership is up to.

One: “It (People’s Alliance for Gupkar Alliance consisting of NC, PDP, CPIM, CPI, and ANC) jointly contesting the election) is more or less a done deal…This election is not about development, it is not about bijli, sadak, and paani (bread-and-butter issues). It is to send a message that we are united. It is the fight for identity, a fight for existence. It will be an election fought on sentiments,” said NC on June 20. “Any alliance with the grand old party (read Congress) would only be tactical,” it also said.

Two: “There is a realization among the (Kashmiri) political parties that this election is not for power”.

Three: “We intend to contest the elections together as it is the will of the people that we should strive together for the restoration of our lost dignity. We will fight for our rights and stand together against the sufferings and difficulties we are facing,” said radical Mehbooba Mufti on July 4.

The June 18 and July 4 statements should leave none in any doubt that the intentions of the Kashmiri Muslim leadership are evil and that they, if re-voted to power, will leave no stone unturned to arouse communal passions in Kashmir and parts of Jammu province and undo what PM Modi and HM Shah did much to the happiness of the nation on August 5. They will exploit to the hilt the state power to subvert the Indian state, promote the Pakistani cause in J&K and the Chinese cause in Ladakh, further disempower the people of Jammu province, and use the revenue and forest departments to further change the demography of Jammu province and create Kashmir-like situation in Jammu – a situation similar to the one that cleansed Kashmir of all Hindus in January 1990. To be more precise, grave evils would follow on the retransfer of state power to the Kashmiri Muslim leadership. It’s a truth and nothing but truth.

What are the poll prospects of the Kashmiri parties? Even a naïve would vouch for the fact that they will win all 47 Assembly seats into which Kashmir is territorially divided as all of them are over 99.99% Muslim. They will also win hand down at least eight to nine seats in Jammu province’s mountainous areas adjoining Kashmir. In other words, they will win a minimum of 55 seats in the 90-member house. The oft-repeated assertion of the BJP that “it will win 50+ seats and form the next government in J&K” is nothing but an exercise in self-deception. The truth is that the BJP will not be able to win even 30 seats.

This is the whole situation. PM Modi and HM Shah would do well to abandon the idea of elections in J&K. To hold elections would be to play with fire or play with dangerous tools. The nation just can’t afford all this. It’s already passing through a critical phase. The best thing for the Modi government to do would be to convert Kashmir Valley into Chandigarh-type UT so that the Centre retained the state power and hold elections in Jammu province so that the nationalistic constituency in the region is strengthened through state power.

Note:
1. Text in Blue points to additional data on the topic.
2. The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of PGurus.

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2 COMMENTS

  1. Unable to know why India is always under international pressure & wants to answer all international questions, when NO other country world is answering !!

    Strange….is it due to Viswa guru hat it wants to put on ?

  2. Modi and Shah must be facing lots of pressure from the international bodies. They know an election in Kashmir is going to be a disaster for BJP, the question is are they strong enough to push back the international pressure?

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