Clawback: When, and How?!

Mark these words of Omar Abdullah - the Chief Minister of the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir in an Interview with BBC’s Stephen Sackur in February, 2025.

“The BJP and the government at the centre have done what they had to do with the Jammu and Kashmir. Our job now is to try and clawback some of what was taken away from us, particularly to restore Jammu & Kashmir to its status as a state rather than a UT.”

Today, Omar Abdullah completes his one year in the seat of power – in the pit of powerlessness. As head of government, what he did or didn’t do is more a function of the new scheme of things than a matter of National Conference’s performance or underperformance. At the moment, let’s grant NC total amnesty from any severe appraisal. But as the leader of a political party – National Conference - that was mandated by the people of Kashmir to keep BJP far from gaining majority in the J&K Assembly, Omar Abdullah is answerable to the people of Kashmir for what he did or didn’t do. This, in terms of the potential politics embedded in the people of Kashmir, of which the first major expression post August, 2019 was placing Omar Abdullah where he is right now. Absolute majority in the J&K Assembly.

By his own admission, and this he articulated in hundred different ways on million different occasion, the elections were not about Bijli Sadak Pani. And they really weren’t. The act of voting in the last elections was an act of expression - organic politics of Kashmir spoke. National Conference was ‘chosen’, by the people of Kashmir, as an instrument to advance that politics. And we all know, as they all know, what that politics is. The actual contes is there, the real victory and defeat is posted there, the real reorganisation can happen only there.

Just some time back ‘speculations’ were infused into the atmosphere that statehood can be restored to J&K if National Conference agreed to join hands with the BJP. Omar Abdullah, responding to that, categorically denied any possibility of NC entering into an alliance with the BJP, even if it meant restoration of statehood for J&K. That was a big statement. That was one small, yet significant, response to the people’s act of politics a year before. Too little, too feeble. Nevertheless, not insignificant.

It meant, NC and BJP represent two parallel tracks of politics, and parallel lines never meet. The test for Omar Abdullah, as the leader of National Conference, is now in walking on that political track. That track goes to people, through people. How many doors did Omar knock this year? Well, here AI cannot keep count. It is all organic, it’s all human. That classical, human, foundational politics is not tied to Business Rules.

In matters governance, one can easily understand what is the scope of work. As long as the current scheme of things is in place, not much. In fact, the power calculus is all too clear. If National Conference is crippled, chances of disappointment within and outside the party can only grow. In that disappointment lies the hope for the central government to weaken National Conference, use smaller Kashmir based parties to make ingress into the electoral space and expect to form government, sooner or later. That is the worn out method. National Conference is aware of this danger. People know it too well. But National Conference doesn’t seem to be doing anything to ward off the disillusionment fast catching up with the people. That is worrying.

While this dangers lurks, Omar Abdullah thoughtfully chose not to choose the path of confrontation. Knowing well that any confrontation with the central government can only lead to adverse consequences, he tried everything to stay safe.

Here is a small example. When Omar says that it is time to clawback, work for the restoration of statehood, he immediately takes recourse to the safety manual. Here is how he does it. He never refers to the politics rooted in people. He invokes a chronology. First they said Delimitation, that is done. Then they said Elections, those are over. The third in this trilogy was Restoration of Statehood; that is not happening. He further refers to the Prime Minister and the Home Minister when they, on the floor of the Parliament, said that the statehood to J&K will be restored in due course of time. So effectively, Omar speaks in passive voice. Given the situation even that is understandable. People who voted him to responsibility a year ago are wise enough to fathom the difficult in this scheme of things.

What people cannot, and mustn’t grant Omar, is the absence of intent to re-operate the organic politics of Kashmir. Where is National Conference on that, year after? Is Omar Abdullah only mindful of saving NC, a party he and his father heads, or is there anything beyond? Do people, who voted for National Conference, a majority of them not having any electoral affiliation with this party, anywhere in the frame? Is Omar Abdullah exhausting his wisdom, articulation and endurance to ensure an uneventful continuation in government for the stipulated time? If that is the case, he has lost it already. No matter how smartly, how carefully, how self-effacingly he tries to prove himself as a suitable boy, he is not. He is not a suitable boy for Delhi. He is not safe at all. His vulnerability is a proven fact of the politics he inherits.

For Delhi, National Conference has a political value in a certain scheme of things. It has no political value per se. This message has been dropped at the door of National Conference menacingly by the current regime. 13^th July is no longer a government holiday. Your martyrs’ day is an aberration in the new history that is now rolled out. December 5^th is also dropped from the list of holidays. It means even Sheikh Sahab is an unwanted name.

Kashmir’ politics is beyond, and outside, the current frame of governance. If he really wants to clawback what has been snatched from his people, he has transcend his favourite reference points. Omar Abdullah can emerge as a leader of substance, not just for Kashmir, but for the entire region, if he walks past his comfort zone, and lives with people, within people. That may appear like a dream, but that is the only reality.

Tailpiece: Many years back Qatar TV came up with a serial titled Omar. It has some brilliant lessons in leadership.