Causing Ripples

Mufti and Mir make statements that really matter During the last week two significant political statements from two important political personalities made rounds in the indistinct political corridors of Kashmir. On 2nd August former Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Syeed while addressing an impressive gathering to commemorate the Foundation Day of his party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) made a significant and interesting statement regarding central governments direct and unsympathetic role in the affairs of Jammu and Kashmir. While launching a scathing attacks on the centre he said, “Unfortunately, the establishment in Delhi has never been comfortable with strong representative voices from J&K and it has historically promoted handpicked yes-men,” he further said “You can’t force a government on people of J&K and you can’t change mindset of its people,”. A statement of this size from veteran political personality like Mufti Muhammad Syeed carries a lot of weight and impact both on the political setting in the state and center’s future political agenda in Kashmir. Mufti has suddenly moved out of the beaten political track of wait and watch—a track he had been proceeding along since he joined politics. Such unexpected but crucial political posturing by an important mainstream political personality is a paradigm shift from traditional mainstream political stand and will have far-reaching implications on political developments in Kashmir. He cast aspersions on the center leadership by saying, “The situation in Kashmir can’t change unless people are given right to exercise their democratic rights, those in Delhi want handpicked people to rule the state.” Harsh words by a political leader of that ilk! Only two days after Mufti’s fire against Indian leadership, in another political development Democratic Party (Nationalist) president and one of the cabinet Ministers in present collation government Ghulam Hassan Mir challenged the political credentials of late Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah and termed his major political struggle for plebiscite an exercise in futility. He said, “He (Sheikh) was the tallest leader but he failed to transform the mindset of people which had developed during the plebiscite movement.”. Mir also attacked the political agenda of major political parties, PDP and National conference by denouncing the Self Rule formula and concept of Autonomy. While sitting in the National Conference lead collation government the way Ghulam Hassan Mir challenged the philosophy of towering Sheikh Abdullah, is embracing not only for National Conference as an important and grassroots level political party but for Omar Abdullah as head of the coalition government as well. This statement of Ghulam Hassan Mir amounts to proverbial, ‘Senay pa moong dhalna’. Ghulam Hassan Mir’s imagination of negative impact of plebiscite movement on Kashmir politics and political role of late Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah is not only political blatancy but speak of his much bigger and wider political ambitions. Mr.Mir is a wily politician and like Mufti keeps his political cards much closer to his chest and opens them at the most opportune time. The statement of Mufti Muhammad Syeed apparently speaks of his political disgruntlement and wariness towards the central political masters but at the same time we should not rule out the timing of the statement in the context of rapidly shaping political contours in the state where stealthily orchestrated ostracizing of National Conference and its selected leadership from state’s political arena is going on for long. And the derisive attack on politics and personality of Sheikh Abdullah, the towering leader and ideologue of National Conference makes the state’s political situation murkier. Both Mufti and Mir the founder members of PDP gave a tough time to NC and its leadership but the unending political ambitions made them to part ways on a bad note. The erstwhile friends for the sake of power turned foes, but in politics there are no permanent friends and foes only political space and authority matters at every step. Who knows tomorrow Mir and Mufti will again be sitting on the same side of the fence to counter the political might of National Conference or any other political entity? For last more than a decade the political canvas of Jammu and Kashmir is defaced to the extent where even the political minnows stake claim for share in political power of the state and at occasions they almost turn to be kingmakers. Mir’s political ambitions and well synchronized political defiance demonstrated by the Mufti are not only the political ripples but a much bigger tide can be foreseen in the murkier pond of mainstream politics in Kashmir. For feedback CLICK HERE