Dust settling after Martyrs’ Day related incidents

On expected lines, the things seem getting back to normal at the government level after the Martyrs’ Day related incidents. However, for some more days some leaders of ruling National Conference (NC) and the main opposition party BJP, besides other parties may keep on talking about the happenings of the two days ( July 13 and 14) and other related issues. But at the government level it is the business as usual now. This is important also. People of Jammu and Kashmir are facing lot of problems and want solution of their problems. They expect the government to deliver and speedily resolve their problems. This can be possible with smooth and coordinated work at the government levels. Any kind of confrontation at any level is not in the interests of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and also of the country. Survival of democracy is very essential in J&K. India being the largest democracy in the world, is rightly proud of its democratic values.

The roots of democracy continue to be strong in this part of the country also. Free and fair assembly polls of 2024 is yet another example of strong democratic roots in J&K. The elections helped the National Conference to get the majority and form its government. The central government respected the mandate and BJP stayed in the opposition. There is a need to continue respecting the mandate of the people by all concerned. The ruling party can do so by delivering on the promises made by it , the central government by smoothly cooperating with the elected government and the opposition by playing the role of a constructive opposition and making the government accountable.

Unlike past, the Jammu and Kashmir is presently having a dual power system since it continues to be a union territory after the August 5, 2019 decisions of the central government. The dual power system is a new thing for the people and the ruling party. This arrangement will continue till J&K is a union territory. However, there are no indications of the statehood restoration in near future. The central government leaders keep on saying that the statehood would be restored at an “appropriate time.” The suspense about the appropriate time continues. The ruling NC and its allies, the Congress and other parties have been demanding an early statehood restoration.

Two senior Congress leaders , Rahul Gandhi ( Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha) and Mallikarjun Kharge ( Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha) in New Delhi on July 16 wrote a joint letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to restore the full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. They also urged for bringing forward a legislation in the upcoming Monsoon session of the Parliament for this purpose. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah described the letter of the two senior Congress leaders to the Prime Minister as a step in right direction.

Kashmir based opposition parties like PDP are saying that NC rather than emphasising on statehood, which has been already promised by centre, must work for other important issues including restoration of Article 370 and 35-A. Some opposition leaders say that Lieutenant Governor administration has done better work on development front than the previous elected governments. According to them, the restoration of special status of J&K and other related important issues need more focus from the NC government.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah while speaking at a function in Srinagar on July 15 said that his government is suffering in silence for last eight months and did not complain. He added that the Martyrs’ Day and the incident at Martyrs’ Graveyard next day made the people aware about what is actually happening behind the scene. Earlier, he alleged that the transaction of business rules are not being approved. He said his government has done several good things but is not able to function fully to meet the expectations of the people.

The Kashmir based opposition parties have been alleging that the Omar Abdullah government has failed to deliver during last eight months and that it has abandoned its political agenda to please the central government. The NC has strongly denied these charges. Its leaders say that their government has not and will not compromise on its principles. “Our real strength is the support of the people and we will not betray our people,” said the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.

BJP says NC government can do enough but is not doing anything and is only playing a victim card. For last few weeks the opposition parties have intensified their campaign against the ruling party. Their leaders are holding meetings and addressing public gatherings in this connection. With the urban local bodies, panchayat and block development council polls likely to be held this year, the activities of opposition parties are going to gain momentum in coming months.

BJP recently launched a campaign against the NC government’s order to make knowledge of Urdu compulsory in the recruitment for naib tehsildar posts. The party held protests in Jammu. The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) stayed the provision regarding the Urdu language being compulsory. It ordered the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB) to “accept applications for the post of Naib Tehsildar from candidates who possess graduation with knowledge of any of the five official languages enumerated in the Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Act, 2020. Subsequently, the JKSSB deferred the process of inviting applications for the post of naib tehsildar till further orders. BJP leaders are describing it as their victory.

Appointment of senior BJP leader Kavinder Gupta as the new Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh is seen as a shot in the arm for the party in its stronghold in Jammu. Gupta was the speaker of assembly and later deputy chief minister of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir during the PDP- BJP coalition government. Like some senior party leaders, he was not given the ticket to contest the 2024 assembly polls.

BJP preferred to introduce some new faces at that time and succeeded in getting the 28 seats in Jammu ( highest by the party so far). Kavinder Gupta kept on actively taking part in party activities even after the assembly polls. His appointment came at a time when BJP is trying to re-strengthen its base in Ladakh. In 2024 parliamentary polls, BJP lost the Ladakh seat to an independent candidate Mohammad Haneefa Jan. Jan, an NC leader, joined the electoral fray as an independent candidate after NC and Congress fielded a joint candidate, Tsering Namgyal in the constituency. After his victory the new Ladakh MP restored his ties with NC. The leadership in Ladakh has been making several demands for last few years. Some demands were met by the central government and some were not, while discussions continue on a few. It is to be seen how Kavinder Gupta is going to tackle the issues in Ladakh, which unlike J&K does not have a legislative assembly.

Author is senior editor,

Greater Kashmir