Sharda Lal
It is a hard fact that common citizens are taken for a ride by the political bosses even under the democratic governments. History has shown that the politicians of India go to any extreme to arouse public sentiments unmindful of the catastrophic consequences of their actions, gestures and talks.
In the present scenario of sharply polarized Lok Sabha Election -2019, the Kashmir Story viz-a-viz Rest of India is weighing heavily on my head. My memories go back to 1975 when the Iron Lady of India Smt. Indira Gandhi, brimming with (over) confidence signed truce with another (over) confident leader Sher-e-Kashmir Sheikh Mohd Abdullah who revived the National Conference (NC). Indira Gandhi was feeling invincible after the victory over Pakistan and emergence of Bangla Desh during 1971 war. Many believe that there was no need to enter into an accord with the Sheikh as he had already lost too much ground by then.
As a consequence of the Accord, the Indian National Congress (INC), handed over the reins of J&K State to the Sheikh, though INC enjoyed clear majority with 46 members in the 76 member State Legislative Assembly. At the late stage of his life, Sheikh Abdullah couldn't be happier as he had now seized power, albeit on the clutches of INC, after more than two decades of political wilderness including tiresome years of imprisonment and banishment.
Going back to 1939, Sheikh Abdullah had given up the Muslim Conference tag to adopt the more acceptable National Conference nameplate. He had opted for secular India with a commitment and showed boots to Jinnah's Pakistan. It is believed that the then Maharaja Hari Singh of J&K State had signed Instrument of Accession with India under compelling circumstances in the wake of Tribal aggression which was backed by Pakistan Army. On the other hand, the Sheikh along with his followers was convinced long ago about a better fate for Kashmiri Muslims in free India. After 1939, NC under Sheikh Mohd Abdullah had become an arm of the INC in Kashmir and some parts of Jammu because of his political understanding and friendship with Jawahar Lal Nehru.
Afraid of the hegemony of Kashmir centric leaders which seemed to have become more apparent after 1947 due to certain discriminatory rules enacted by the NC government and special provisions made for the new state of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, people of Jammu rose in revolt against the NC under the banner of Praja Parishad. A majority of Ladakh population under the banner of Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA) also revolted against the NC government. Jawahar Lal Nehru and Sheikh Mohd Abdullah had perhaps not considered the Jammu and Ladakh people of much significance in their scheme of things.
Soon, the Sheikh – a motivated secularist, started getting irked by the growing influence of Praja Parishad and like minded centrist parties. He started leaning away from the national mainstream, but in the process, couldn't keep his flock together. He was arrested in 1953 and from 1953 to 1975, he remained getting in and out of prison on charges of treason/ conspiracy against the State. He also faced banishment from the home state to remain confined in Ooti, Madras (modern Tamil Nadu).
(It is an irony that in the Independent Democratic Republic of India, Maharaja Hari Singh, a liberal patriot was also compelled to live in exile at Bombay up till his death due to the impact of policies of Sheikh Abdullah and Govt. of India of the times. Likewise, lacs of Hindus / Pandits, Sikhs and nationalist Muslims from Kashmir and some other parts of the State too have faced exodus and extermination within their own country and parts of Doda district especially after 1989-90).
When the Sheikh recaptured reins of Jammu and Kashmir State in 1975 after the historical Indira-Sheikh Accord, it was felt that the Kashmir crisis was a thing of the past and an era of development would herald. Unfortunately, the Sheikh had started getting older, struggle of his sons Dr. Farooq Abdullah, Tariq Abdullah and son-in-law GM Shah for political supremacy to claim his legacy started making rounds in public domain. Political interests took precedence over development. NC started its campaign of annihilating INC in the State. Simultaneously, opposition to the Sheikh style of working also started gaining momentum and Mufti Mohd Sayed of INC from South Kashmir began to challenge his authority with full force.
Meanwhile in the Lok Sabha Polls-1977, Indira Gandhi lost government to the newly formed Janata Party (JP) after lifting of Emergency. In her bid to capture or retain power in the States wherever she could, her party withdrew support to the 4 member cabinet of Sheikh Abdullah in the J&K State Legislative Assembly. Certainly, it was a breach of trust (Indira – Sheikh Accord of 1975), but it had another dimension too. Instead, of staking claim to form the Government under the Chief Ministership of the then leader of Congress Legislature Party Girdhari Lal Dogra, Congress (Indira Gandhi) wasted crucial and precious time in arranging election of a non-MLA (Mufti Mohd Sayed) as leader of the CLP to be recommended for appointment as the next Chief Minister of J&K State. Mufti Mohd Sayed however got another opportunity and became the Chief Minister in 2002, while Girdhari Lal Dogra had missed the bus for Chief Ministership for good.
Sheikh Abdullah was meanwhile swift enough to act and advise the then Governor L.K. Jha to dissolve the State Assembly and hold fresh elections. The assembly was dissolved and fresh elections ordered. Fierce animosity broke out between the Congress and the NC. The weak JP Government at the Centre couldn't develop friendly relations with the NC either. NC whipped up a strong anti-Centre rhetoric in the ensuing elections and came to power on its own with a thumping majority. Congress and JP were routed in Kashmir. JP crumbled under its own weight and Congress returned to power at the Centre in 1980.
Several years later in 2005, Ghulam Nabi Azad got a brief opportunity to be the first Congress Chief Minister from Jammu region, but was not tolerated by the Kashmir based parties viz NC and newly formed Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the name of Shri Amar Nath Ji Land Row. They didn't allow him to function and he was forced to resign in 2008. Surprisingly, these mutually intolerant politicians from NC, PDP and INC have come together in Lok Sabha Elections – 2019 to challenge what they call the “intolerance” of anti-nationalism which Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) has been highlighting during its election campaign.
The continued turmoil of J&K State is due to the mutual leg pulling amongst the Kashmir based Abdullahs, Maulvis, Bakshis, Muftis, Gillanis, et. al. It is they who have indulged in electoral riggings (1987, etc.), but the minorities have been made the hapless scapegoats. The minorities have been made fugitives in their own land.
Had Girdhari Lal Dogra, the then leader of Congress Legislature Party (CLP) been asked by the Congress High Command at New Delhi to immediately stake claim to form the Government after withdrawing its support to Sheikh Abdullah led government, the K-Story would have traversed a completely new path and established its secular character worldwide. It is not clear why Girdhari Lal Dogra was not allowed to stake claim for Chief Ministership of J&K, even as Abdul Ghafoor, Abdul Rahman Antulay, Barkatullah Khan, Syeda Anwara Taimur were appointed as Chief Ministers of Hindu Majority States like Bihar, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Assam respectively. The Indian National Congress and the Country have been paying a very heavy price by not allowing Shri Girdhari Lal Dogra, leader of the CLP, to become the Chief Minister of J&K State in 1977.
