Jammu to BJP, Kashmir to NC: PARTYtioned!?

When the focus should all be on the restoration of the statehood for J&K, something else is taking the centre stage. When all political energies should be marshalled to reclaim the political rights of the people of J&K, something else is presented as an emergency. The most disempowered entity in the entire India right now is this small population, surrounded by mortal fears of political annihilation – Kashmiris. When this population expressed its collective anxiety by voting a single party to a thumping victory, it was time to listen to them. But no, some other sounds are made to drown the cries of this extremely vulnerable population.

No wonder if an ordinary person living in the other region, Jammu, thinks the same way! So time for an unmediated conversation between the two peoples living in the geographically distinct regions and carrying two varied political identities. The problem here is that while Kashmir can speak through a political party that is Kashmir based, Jammu has no political party of its own. What does that mean?

It means that there is someone else underneath the surface. If Kashmir valley with Muslims comprising an overwhelming majority, and Jammu division with Hindus forming a substantial majority, form a political unit, the electoral mathematics will finally decide who is to form the government. The rules of the electoral politics as enshrined in the constitution of Indian and the statutes of the Election Commission of India never make a distinction between a vote in Kashmir and a vote in Jammu. The vote is a bare number without the branding based on region or religion.

The problem, if there is one, is purely political and  this is where the Kashmiri Muslims are at a receiving end. So rather than putting the burden of taking Jammu along on a Kashmir based party, this time NC and earlier PDP, it should all be directed to the bigger political space of India, earlier handled by Congress and now BJP, to give Kashmiri Muslims a breathing space. The fears are that to add to the political discomfort of Kashmiris, Jammu becomes a convenient abrasion. It is neither to the advantage of Kashmir, nor Jammu.

In an unmediated conversation between Kashmir and Jammu it will hardly take a sitting to strike a note of accord on this. But, is there a willingness among the Jammuites to assert that autonomy, and will that be granted to them by those who they voted for? The things are not as simple as they are presented.

In a principled framework, numbers should not be an excuse to permanently disempower any population. If we have a government in J&K, it should  ensure that there is a just and equitable distribution of resources. The application of rules and principles should be seamless when it comes to different regions and religions of J&K. In fact, the government should create an enabling atmosphere where the civil societies of different regions interact in an atmosphere of trust and harmony. If we have Kashmiris buying land in Jammu to enjoy warm winters there, we should more than welcome people from Jammu coming to Kashmir, in a similar way, to enjoy the beautiful summers. The actual connect between the two populations should be guided by the principal that we are all humans and we should acknowledge each other's humanity.

Unfortunately Kashmiri  Muslims are always reminded of their vulnerability if the Hindus living in Jammu are not taken along in any framework of government headed by a Kashmir based political party. It begins with a negative note and it can never yield positive dividends. It is a hostage mindset.

In 2014 when PDP got the majority of seats from Kashmir and BJP from Jammu, the political wisdom was concentrated in this single question: how can we form a government ignoring the mandate, the people of Jammu gave to the BJP? Apparently a convincing proposition, but deep down an excuse to jettison the political responsibility in a given situation; and a grave situation. We saw the results of that. In the end did it benefit Jammu? And Kashmir...let's not even talk about it.

Now that the vote is again divided between Kashmir and Jammu, the question of 'taking Jammu along' is again in the air. NC and its leadership are made to make a statement after statement on this. What should have been a given in a principled and rule based politics is made to look like extraordinarily difficult. A government by definition includes all people, why raise the spectre of a regional or religious divide?

As a government National Conference must treat the people in all regions, and across all religious divides, equally and equitably. But as a party, it's duty bound to guard the mandate that the people in Kashmir gave it. And we all know that Kashmiris are a politically endangered species. All energies, as a party, must be focussed on that. As a party what NC can do is this: find means to kick-start a wider conversation amongst the peoples living in different regions of J&K, and facilitate an interaction where people meet as people and not as voters, least as supporters of any ideology.

A public conversation on something that we think hurts us both, Kashmir as well as Jammu. If at some point the people feel that any political cartography is mutually hurting, let the people figure out what are the alternatives. After all, the lines on the globe and the rims within a nation-state are not divinely ordained. If any thing matters it is the people. People have the right to define themselves and determine their politics.

At this moment, our only prayer should be this: May God bestow as much freedom, as much prosperity, and as much safety to the people living in Kashmir as to the people living in Jammu and vice versa.

Tailpiece: Omar Abdullah has a tough task ahead. Omar Abdullah faces a tight rope walk. Omar Abdullah is faced with a huge cahllenge....  as if the entire globe is placed on the shoulders of this man. Allow him to stand up, before he walks. And allow him to walk before you expect him to win the race.