EDITORIAL: The just concluded elections in the illegally Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K) have turned out to be a watershed moment in the disputed region’s troubled political history.
Dashing the BJP’s hopes, Omar Abdullah’s National Conference and its ally, the Congress Party, have emerged victorious winning 42 and eight seats, respectively, bringing the alliance’s tally to 50 out of 90 seats in the yet to be reinstated legislative assembly.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party, the BJP, trails far behind with 29 seats — all of them restricted to the Hindu-dominated Jammu. Interestingly, the voters have rejected not only the BJP but also punished Mehbooba Mufti’s People’s Democratic Party for forming an alliance with the former back in 2014. The outcome of this first electoral exercise in ten years, in a way, is a referendum on the 2019 revocation of IIOJ&K’s special status it had under Article 370 of Indian constitution, and its relegation as a Union Territory.
The result assumes great significance as a freedom movement rages on despite PM Modi’s claims of restoring peace. Unable to control the situation, he had imposed governor’s rule in 2018. All along resort to mass arrests and custodial killings under draconian laws has been order of the day.
Much of the time since 2019, leaders of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference as well as former chief ministers Omar Abdullah, his father Farooq Abdullah, even Mehbooba Mufti were either sent behind bars or kept under house arrest. Meanwhile, promoting his “Naya Kashmir” agenda, Modi set about changing the demographic character of the erstwhile state by introducing “Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Order,” that gave non-Kashmiris the right to become permanent residents of the disputed region, thus entitled to buy property and induction in the civil services in violation of an age-old rule.
With an eye on elections, BJP officials also created several proxy groups in the valley, providing them with funds, flashy cars and other paraphernalia. Furthermore, point out some Indian press reports, for the attainment of desired results, constituencies were manipulated in a delimitation exercise.
Yet the voters have put paid to the ultra-nationalist anti-Muslim party’s designs to rule the region. In the words of Congress Party secretary general Jairam Ramesh, “people have given a befitting reply to those who trampled upon the J&K’s respect by taking away its statehood.”
As Omar Abdullah gets ready to once again take over as chief minister, awaiting his attention aside from pressing economic issues, are complicated political problems. His party along with Congress is committed to reviving the IIOJ&K’s special status, which is unlikely to happen sometime soon since the BJP and its allies still command a majority in parliament.
Abdullah has also been advocating talks with the Hurriyat leaders as well as Pakistan for a workable resolution of the festering conflict in that deeply distressed region. For now, the future turn of events remains as unpredictable as ever.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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