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interview

conflict. They should not put on the
facade and say that look we are here to
solve the Kashmir issue. And then when
killings happen and say we are power-
less to stop them. They should stand for
one of the two things.

But they can have a political
position on the state as they claim
to represent the people?
It is not that mainstream politics don’t
have a representative character. They
do stand for something. But I believe
mainstream politicians never exerted.
They have always agreed to work for
Problem is we have given away some- who is ready to make sacrifices. Some- the previous day’s wage. They don’t
thing. We have delegitimized the politi- how, I think I will be able to take lesson resign.
cal space. from the history. If this continues to happen, twen-
ty years down the line you will see
But this lack of power and You say Kashmiri lives matter. But absolute decimation of the mainstream
accountability is less a failure of you are now a part of the same politics in the state.
individuals and more the result of political space which has presided
the structural nature of the conflict over the killings of Kashmiris. How can you not become one of
in the state. This has denied agency I am a part of the same political space them?
to the people and the politicians but I am not the part of the same My point is we have a political space.
alike. political parties. I think I have made it Let us not abandon it. Let us have good
That is true. We don’t have agency. very clear that I will not be joining any people who get elected. I am not some-
So somebody comes and takes a risk of the mainstream political party. body desperate to fight elections and
and tries to change the things. Finally, get elected. I am ready to struggle in
India and Pakistan have to recog- Suppose you win an election the field.
nize that Kashmiris are the primary tomorrow, you become a minister
stakeholders. and people die under your watch. Would you like to be a part of the
Would you resign? separatist politics which you say
But isn’t problem in Kashmir too I would. Why not. Not a big deal. At the represents the sentiment of the
complex to be approached in same time, you have to understand people?
literalist terms? who has the primary responsibility to There is electoral politics and there’s
Every conflict zone is complex. Kashmir address the political situation in the separatist politics. I acknowledge and
is not the only conflict zone. We have state. It is the central government. The respect the separatist space and what
this misunderstanding that we face state governments are interim admin- they stand for. But I am not operating
something or we are doing something istrations. They are there for govern- in that space. I am not here to provide
which doesn’t happen anywhere else. ance. They are not there to resolve the solutions to something I can’t. We are
We have seen leaders finding it difficult saying we are going to operate in gov-
or getting discredited among their peo- ernance space and when it comes to
ple elsewhere also. ‘I don’t think power politics we are going to tell the truth.
But it is not that earlier the people has been taken away. How do you perceive the politics
have not tried to change the I think it has been of Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba
things. They have ended up getting Mufti?
discredited. given away. We want I think it is very hard to do politics in a
I completely agree with you. It is all to take that power conflict zone. People do not judge you
about how much conscious you are to by your intentions. They judge you by
the lessons of the history. I am not a back. We are a special your actions. And you have little control
career politician as of now. And I am state. We have unique over your actions.
new to this field. And who has a little
bit of understanding of the history and legislative status’ letters@tehelka.com

tehelka / 28 february 2019 51 www.tehelka.com