Page 20 - Tehelka Issue 13 - July 15, 2018

CoverStory

militancy — a perpetuation of the ongoing bloody becomes secondary to using the state to get to power
roundabout. at the centre. BJP’s attempt has been to unite and
consolidate Hindu vote bank. And the one sure-fire
Fallout way to do this is to champion a hardline nation-
There are many ways of looking at the short and long alistic policy, bordering on polarization of voters.
term fallout of the break-up of the coalition. In Kash- This has been one abiding template of the saf-
mir, while the BJP’s withdrawal of support has come fron politics in the country. In breaking up its own
as a vicarious fulfilment of a public desire for retri- coalition government in the state, an eye on the next
bution against the PDP for its perceived betrayal of year’s general election appears to be the overriding
the public mandate, a parallel narrative connects the motivating factor.
development to the New Delhi’s familiar recourse to Says the commentator Gowhar Geelani: “The fact
toppling governments in the state, beginning with is that for the BJP, Kashmir is a laboratory for its Hin-
that the legendary Kashmiri leader Sheikh Moham- dutva project. The polarization in Jammu and mus-
mad Abdullah in 1953. The government of Sheikh, cular policy in Kashmir is being adopted with an eye
then the Prime Minister of J&K, was summarily on upcoming general elections.”
dismissed in 1953 for his alleged hobnobbing with
the US government in pursuit of an independent
Kashmir. This has bred a popular discourse that New Though privately
Delhi inherently doesn’t trust Kashmiri parties with
handling the state of affairs and that it would rather the PDP wanted an
prefer manipulating the democracy in the state than
allow it a free run. extension of the
But the current development is more complex –
albeit in some of its aspects it is of a piece with the
centre’s attitude towards the state. An example from ceasefire, it hadn’t made
the past that comes closest is the withdrawal of sup-
port to Sheikh Abdullah by Congress in 1977. Sheikh any public demand
had returned to political mainstream just two years
before that. Another example, and it is not about to the effect, nor had
pulling out of the support, is the summary dismissal
of the Sheikh’s son, Dr Farooq Abdullah’s govern- objected to the union
ment in 1984. This time the government fell when
a breakaway group within National Conference government calling it off
defected to form a government with Congress sup-
port. But while on both these occasions, Kashmiris
supported the incumbent parties and their anger
was directed against the centre, this time they have
celebrated the fall of the government. otHER PoSSIBlItIES
So, how is the latest unceremonious ouster of a There are other possibilities in store: With the As-
Kashmiri leader going to play out. It is clear from the sembly being in suspended animation, the political
anger directed against Mehbooba that the repercus- parties in the state have expressed apprehensions of
sions will be unlike those in the wake of similar de- horse-trading in the state. National Conference has
velopments in the past. But repercussions there will demanded dissolution of the Assembly to pave way
be, nevertheless. One possible outcome could be that for fresh elections. The PDP fears that the BJP might
the B JP in future could find it difficult to get a coali- poach upon its disgruntled elements to make a gov-
tion partner in the state, making it unlikely for it to ernment on its own. Shall any of these scenarios play
return to power in the state. More so, after the party out in near future? There aren’t many in Kashmir
implemented the Agenda of Alliance with the PDP that buy into this prospect.
largely in breach. “It is very unlikely that the BJP would resort to
But considering that the BJP still went ahead with horse-trading, given the sensitive nature of the state,”
the break-up shows that the party doesn’t care much says Naseer Ahmad, a columnist. “But if it does, the
about forming a future government in the state. It is move would further undermine the democracy in
clear that for BJP Kashmir is important for mobiliz- the state and alienate people from New Delhi.”
ing political support in the rest of the country than The US based Kashmiri academician Dr Nyla
for its own sake. So, getting to power in the state Neelofar also warns against such a prospect.

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