Peerzada Abass Amein
Before taking reigns Mehbooba needs to do extra home work to correct the perception of people with change and selection of her team
Jammu & Kashmir has witnessed a lot by way of political uncertainty and trust deficit at various occasions due to failures and blunders committed by the various leaderships. This resulted alienation and anger among public causing major uprising since decades and particularly from 1990.
The curbs on public opinion forced youth to pick guns against the political establishment when centre was misled by then leadership in the state with negative designs to get personal benefits and comforts. This failure had made public to pay huge by way of men and machinery. The central leadership was misled or deliberately made to understand that the problem has arisen due to foreign hand instead of realizing the fact of inability , inefficiency of state leadership to come upto the expectations of people of the state. The total trust deficit and alienation resulted lost of faith on democratic setup in the state. Instead of addressing this grave issue central leadership too acted as mere spectators during that time even till 2002.
The statesmanship and visionary leadership of Late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was very much endorsed by general public in the subcontinent and state in particular during first spell of his tenure which had drawn a remarkable sketch on the hearts and minds of people due to his historical initiatives like, opening of Srinagar- Muzaffarabad road to unite divided families of post partition of both Countries including construction of other traditional routes for internal connectives between regions and areas for which earlier regimes with their leadership in J&K hoodwinked people through false and concocted promises of opening of Rawalpandi Road, Pakistani Rock Salt and Green cloth in their hands.
They were using all this for mere political stunts to be-fool people of state for their personal comforts as they were well aware of the fact that the People of Jammu & Kashmir have soft corner towards Pakistan due to its socio- political and geographical similarities with the state. Claiming to be custodians of aspirations and interests of state these people not only deceived the people of state but sold its identity and resources for their personal benefits and comforts and instead of bringing state on lime light of progressive development made it as “begging bowl” resulting in the most talented, and even highly qualified professional youth are confined to menial jobs like casual labours depriving them from their basic rights destroying this lot and its talent. Rich in tremendous treasures of natural resources the state has been deprived of its utilization and produce. The state should have been economic model for the country and mostly as “second Switzerland of south Asia” with the income of these resources but these leadership deprived the state for all this for their personal gains.
At the other side Indian leadership too have put this state into state of uncertainty and alienation for political gains and keep this issue boiling since decades making people of this state to suffer badly. Having claimed the integral part of Indian state but practically they consider it as mere obligation and liability. With the result most of population has risen its voice against it suppression and alienation and are day by day aligning with separatist ideology.
The Mufti’s initiative to neutralize this widening gap between the centre and state to some extent endorsed his vision and people of state felt some succor under his leadership. He convinced central leadership like Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Shri Manmohan Singh to understand the pain and suffering of people of J&K which resulted extension of “Hand of Freindship with Pakistan” on whom the earlier regimes were advocating for bombardments.
As state witnessed colossal development on political and economic level under Mufti’s Rule during 2002- 2005 involving all the regions and stakes of Jammu & Kashmir for which the late Mufti is and would be remembered the most. But all this was possible when Mufti had dedicated, honest and energetic team besides him like,, Muzaffar Hussain Baig, T H Karra, A R Veeri, Molvi Ansari even now rebellion G H Mir etc who put their worth to implement Mufti’s advices and ideas on ground and forced even administration to do with letter and spirit. Mufti’s words were taken as Order to build image of party and leadership among general public which were disgruntled from earlier political system. The perception was taken into positive way through this team and steps were taken to reach out to general public and their expectations were addressed amicably with joint efforts of this dedicated team and leadership like Mufti. In nutshell the faith and trust put forth on the team by Mufti proved fruitful for the party and state as well.
The people of the state were having now more than extra expectations from PDP and mostly on Mufti during his second spell but as earlier said “ Excess of Every thing is Bad” Mufti’s faith and trust on his second team proved fatal for him. The period from 2008-2014 was not good on all fronts for the state due to failures and faults of the regimes at this time and then the alienation and mistrust strengthened when floods in the valley took devastation on extra mile. People were made to understand that Mufti only can bring the state out of this mess and can convince central leadership to come to their rescue with more relief and rehabilitation including economic package. But at the end of the nine months spell public noticed that Much hyped package from his teammates proved a word “ Khoda Pahad Nikla Choha”, instead of doing much home work on this package the team mates got busy touring foreign countries for shopping and enjoyment resulting in choking of files in offices, non clearance of pending bills etc. Their arrogance and lust of power ignored common man who was having expectations for redressal of genuine concerns. The main source and strength of government i.e, Employees including casual labours, contractors, traders and unemployed youth were deprived and made to suffer badly, Even the party cadres / workers were not only ridiculed but humiliated by these arrogant teammates even if they come to them with public related issues which made a common man to feel absence of government on ground. The well-versed team instrumental in framing “Agenda of Alliance” even ignored the advices and directions of Mufti to address genuine demands and concerns of Party cadres and general public in particular for betterment, resulted in downgrading of highest graph of Mufti’s popularity. As per most of Mufti’s followers all this was an attempt of political murder to this tallest leader and statesman.
The arrogance and inefficiency of these leaders put extra stress on this aged and ailing statesman who always lived with dignity and principles forcing him to get on ground himself to reach out to people and make them feel that all is well. The leader who would have been made to take care of his health was forced to be on ground visiting general public during harsh cold weather resulting deterioration of his health.
The aligning of Mufti with BJP was not opposed at the first time as people thought that Mufti can end uncertainty and anger and would provide relief to all sufferings in the state keeping in view the support of central government, but with the passage of time his visionary decisions were put down by his own teammates not blaming to BJP only as the ground work was not done to implement his visionary ideas and thoughts for betterment of J&K State. Even the people are still unaware of the agenda of alliance between the two parties which had made people to believe opposition party’s campaign against the party and realize that they have been again befooled and deceived.
Now people of J&K is eyeing at Mufti’s Daughter Ms Mehbooba Mufti who till date have proved that she is having capability and vision like her father and is capable to struggle for her state and people as well. But before taking reigns of the state she would have do extra home work to correct the perception of people with change and selection of her team to make her party flourish and progress. She has to strengthen her party cadre and empower them so that the party agenda and vision of Late Mufti is taken to gross root level with accountability among teammates and bring people friendly attitude among them.
(This is an opinion piece)
The author can be reached at- abbasfza@gmail.com