The statement of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq condemning the ‘early’ election boycott call of some senior Hurriyat leader was music to the ears. It is always fascinating to see that prudence has prevailed at a time when chaos and confusion was the dominant discourse. The politics of Kashmir has always been dominated by two discourses-mainstream politics and the separatist politics. The mainstream political parties like National Conference have all along been maintaining that autonomy or recourse to a somewhat pre-1953 situation is the ultimate solution to the vexed Kashmir problem. The recent statement of Chief Minister Umar Abdullah about an Ireland like model to solve the Kashmir problem is also a welcome deviation from the stubborn stance of autonomy. Although it would be a matter of great debate whether an Ireland like model would be feasible in a situation like Kashmir with variety of shades of opinion within the Kashmir cause. The parties like the People’s Democratic Party(PDP) has advocated ‘self rule’ document which apart from the different nomenclature seems a Xerox copy of the Autonomy proposal at many times. The People’s Conference-one time stalwart party of north Kashmir-relishes the prospect of an ‘Achievable Nationhood’. It may remain a matter of great debate and a few sun-dried columnist may spent a sleepless nights to discuss the efficacy of the timeliness of Sajad Lone’s joining politics. However, he was right to give precedence to the exponentially increasing issues of maladministration and corruption to a distant dream of ‘Achievable Nationhood’.
The fact remains that in holistic politics one needs to be flexible. The capitalist west no more retains the landlords’ grip on the working class. Nor is the China allergic to foreign investment anymore. India itself had had seen massive growth and development after the economic reforms of 1992. The art of diplomacy has also gone through many changes. China may be a doggedly averse to a military tie-up with India but it never expresses anger against India at international forums. The Iranian government is also looking for a diplomatic tie-up with the west. The fact is crystal clear. All the governments change their political ideologies the moment socio-economic life of its citizens is likely to be threatened.
Coming to Kashmir we have seen unprecedented violence and gory scenes of humiliations. Thousands of men still remain missing and the number of half-widows is increasing day by day. However, the fact remains that there are others suffering a silent death. The state of Jammu and Kashmir is in perpetual grip of unemployment. Around one lakh graduates are working at private enterprises on a meager salary of Rs.3000-4000.The post-graduates are running from pillar to post looking for a job. The PHDs are working as Rehbar-i-Taaleem teachers on a meager salary of Rs.3000. Kashmir has a long list of businessmen who are multi-millionaires but for strange reasons a good majority among them is not willing to invest in Kashmir. The fact remains that the state of Jammu and Kashmir still receives ration as per the census of 2001 and there are thousands of families who do not get ration because they are yet to be enrolled. The downtown Srinagar is in an economic mess. There are men who have reached the age of 45-time they should be worried about the career of their children- but do not earn enough to get married.
Are the aforementioned not reasons serious enough to plunge into the electoral process. The weird logic that participating in elections would render the Kashmir cause useless does not hold water anymore.
Why should the people be left at the mercy of a monolithic entity that benefits by poll boycott and administers the state the way they like to administer it? Why are our separatist leaders doggedly averse to throw their hat in the elections of 2014? The open fact is that a particular party benefits from poll boycott campaign. Should we allow that particular party to have a free ride?
The fact remains that in politics one needs to have a holistic approach. What is wrong if justice is meted out to lakhs of educated youth? What is wrong if the funds are utilized in an honest way? Autonomy, azaadi, self-rule and Achievable Nationhood can wait. But employment, roads, power and food cannot. We have to come out of the quagmire of obscurities that we have willingly and so joyfully plunged into.
Why can’t there be a unanimous voice condemning the exploitation of our water resources? Why can’t the mainstream and the separatist leadership unanimously strive for employment to the lakhs of educated youth? If election is the road that leads to that destination, then what is wrong in fighting the elections?
Mirwaiz needs to be congratulated for taking such a brave step. Prudence has it that many other separatist leaders should follow course.
The basic issues of employment, ration, power and administration cannot be left at the mercy of an elitist few. The majority should wake up to the task and plunge into politics. Sloganeering and other issues can wait for a while.