He is the only known face of Lok Jana Shakti Party in the Kashmir Valley. The soft-spoken Sanjay Saraf believes that militancy erupted in the valley because of the massive rigging of elections in 1987. A firm believer in ‘Sampurna Kashmir’ Saraf rues the fact that how Habba Kadal constituency is being turned in to a literal drug cartel by the current MLA. Talking to
SAJJAD AHMAD SHAH of THE KASHMIR SCENARIO
Saraf feels that he never felt the need to migrate to the other side of the Jawahar Tunnel.
From a small countryside boy in Kashmir to a well-known politician, you have seen life very closely. Take us through your childhood days?
Childhood is indeed a fascinating period of a person’s life. I loved to play Cricket and had a fascinating time in the valley. Then I have also had a fabulous college life in Kashmir. I have some fond memories of my college life in Kashmir. Life in Kashmir was like living in heaven.
Then I did a diploma in business management from a university in Maharashtra. During my student days, I was associated with Maharashtra youth Congress.
With the onset of militancy, many Pandit families migrated from Kashmir valley. Did you also migrate?
In 1988 I moved to Maharashtra for higher studies. I did not migrate. Sanjay Saraf has not migrated. He is very much in Kashmir with his people. People migrated for their safety. People from both the communities felt insecure at that time. The ones in minority migrated.
Why did you leave the Congress Party to join a comparatively small party like Lok JanaShakti Party?
In parties like Congress and BJP, it is very difficult to create a space for yourself. Without a family background one does have much say. Only a party spokesperson is allowed to speak on public forums. The ground level workers, despite their talent and eloquence are sidelined.
Was Ram Vilas Paswan’s LJP the only choice? Why not some other party?
I have joined his party because of Paswan ji’s connect to the undisguised commoner on the street. He is a common man’s leader. In Lok Jan Shakti Party, respect is given to the talent and hard work of a person. Paswan ji is a ground level worker’s supporter. He is known as “Vikas Purush” throughout the length and breadth of India. You see it is not the question of a party being small or big, it is about the ideology.
What is Lok Jan Shakti Party’s contribution to the state of Jammu and Kashmir?
In 1996 Ram Vilas Paswan, the then Railways Minister brought Railways to the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The political leaders of the state of Jammu and Kashmir at that time said that militancy would make the function of railways impossible in the state. Ram Vilas Paswan was instrumental in bringing railways in Kashmir under the national project. He inaugurated a steel plant at Lassipura at the cost of 108 Crores. About 700-800 boys from downtown Srinagar are employed there as employees. You see the youth of downtown Srinagar benefitted a lot by this project.
You said boys from Downtown. Is employment at this unit downtown-specific?
No, absolutely not. What I meant to say was that a majority of the people working at this unit belong to Srinagar. There is massive alienation in the people of downtown Srinagar. The government is doing nothing for the youth of downtown Srinagar. Government of India needs to address the alienation. You see drugs have wreaked havoc with the social fabric in the Habbakadal constituency. The government for strange reasons is not addressing to the alienation and the result is for all to see.
Educated youth of the valley is taking to militancy and separatism once again. Why in your opinion is that happening?
No developmental program in Kashmir is youth specific. Omar Abdullah has no connect with the youth. Youth are being pushed towards Drugs in the Habbakadal constituency. The MLA Habba Kadal is happy to see the drug Mafia galore in her area. It is the job of a political activist like her to stop drug mafia. But she is not doing so. She is happy that youth are taking to drugs.
What do you think could be the possible solution to the vexed Kashmir problem?
You see Kashmir issue has to be resolved. India was able to solve Telangana issue because it is their internal problem. Kashmir is an international problem and Pakistan does have a role in the solution of this problem. I believe that the Kashmiri youth should be part of any dialogue. One day of voting is the most important day. To throw out the corrupt parties, we need to come out to vote.
Omar Abdullah recently said during Independence Day speech that if Kashmiris feel alienated then New Delhi is responsible for that alienation. Is Omar Abdullah serious?
You see National conference changes its discourse on seeing elections round the corner. You see Omar Abdullah is playing a dual policy. If he feels alienated, then what is he doing in the mainstream politics? He should join the separatist ranks.
Don’t you think that the hardline views of ‘Panun Kashmir’ are sending a wrong message to the majority Muslim population?
I do not believe in the views of the Panun Kashmir. I believe in SAMPURNA KASHMIR (Integration of all three regions of the state of Jammu and Kashmir). I do not support the demand of a separate homeland. Why to live separate from our Muslim brothers? Militancy occurred not because of the majority Muslim population wanted it. It happened because of the wrong policies of the government of India.
You see I started Dusshera Festival in Srinagar in 2004. It went on peacefully. The Janamashtami was celebrated by decorating all the lanes from Habba Kadal to the city centre of Lal Chowk. Who were the people who took part in those religious festivals? They were the people from the majority Muslim community. So we cannot live without our Muslim brothers.
Do you support the demand that political parties should be brought under the ambit of RTI?
Yes I support that demand. What is wrong in it? Lok Janashakti party is all for it. Political parties are there to support the people. All political parties should be brought under the ambit of RTI. What is there to hide in it?
What about separatists? Do you meet them?
I have cordial relationships with all the separatists. Separatists are not foreign people. They are Kashmiris; those Kashmiris who felt alienated after the elections were rigged in 1986-87. MUF had contested the elections but the elections were rigged. Islamisation is not cancerous to the growth of a society. You see when guns galore every other ideology is shunted to the flanks.
My party endorsed the release of Syed Ali Shah Geelani. I along with my wife once went to meet Syed Ali Shah Geelani when he was kept under house arrest in his Malviya Nagar home in New Delhi.
How much developmental work has taken place in your constituency of Habbakadal?
The MLA Habba Kadal is not serious about the development of the constituency. She was an MLC for 5 years. And now she has been an MLA from last 5 years. You look for yourself how developed Habbakadal is! She has developed herself and not the constituency.
Around 10-12 drug shops in Habba Kadal constituency exist where sedatives and other drugs are openly supplied to the youth of the area. The local MLA is hand in glove with the Drug Mafia. She is not able to see the pain of a mother whose son indulges in drugs. No police party ever raids these drug shops.
As regards the elections in 2014, how many seats would the Lok JanShakti party contest in Kashmir valley and in the Jammu region?
We are contesting in about 5-6 constituencies in the Kashmir valley and in the Jammu region we are contesting in not more than 20-25 seats. Let me tell you that a ‘Third Front’ will have decisive role in the lections of 2014. I am working with different parties to see a Third Front emerge to crush the dictatorship of bigwig parties like PDP and National Conference.
What about the summer capital of Srinagar? Who do you think would win here?
The people in Srinagar are very smart. No leader in Srinagar, no matter how big in stature, can openly claim support of even 2000 voters. People know there is dismal progress on the ground. There would be a major upset in Srinagar this time round.
Your message to the youth and to the people in General
The youth should vote for themselves. If they want to see a progress-oriented Kashmir, then they should vote. The only way to remove bad leaders is to vote for good leaders. This one day of voting is most crucial. Choose your leader carefully.