‘If you wish to be a success in the world, promise everything, deliver nothing’, Napoleon Bonaparte
They promised to build bridges even when there were no rivers. Yet they feel they have done nothing wrong. For them people who remind those promises they made are wrong, prejudiced, fallacious and spreading negativity against them.
Surely it is regarding the National Conference –the party that assumed power more than three months ago. They did not win the confidence of people in clear terms as is reflected in electoral verdict and vote share they got in both general elections to the LokSabha and also in the elections held to choose members of the Legislative Assembly for J&K union territory. But no one can deny the fact that NC won majority of assembly segments and formed the government. Thatt was in the month of October 2024.
Now we are in January 2025. The first important and universally accepted period for review has elapsed. There is virtually nothing substantial to show as an achievement of the government. Even the intent is missing, rhetoric is diminishing in intensity and passionate pleaders within the party are silent. What is established almost beyond doubt is casualness, misgovernance, broken promises and a drifting administration.
Promises Made
Manifesto of any political party is a recorded assurance to the people about its intention, programme and plans the party would implement after being voted to power. NC perhaps learning from Napoleon Bonaparte promised anything and everything in its Manifesto for 2024 Assembly elections and his true admirers are making no effort to conceal the fact that they are going to deliver nothing.
DIGNITY, IDENTITY AND DEVELOPMENT was the title chosen by NC for its manifesto and major highlight was twelve guarantees they promised to the people of Jammu Kashmir. These document guarantees are ,a)Restoration of political and legal status, b) restoring normalcy by repealing Acts like PSA, c) providing a comprehensive job package to the youth and unemployed , d) providing relief from water and electricity crisis by way of 200 units of free electricity and scrapping smart meters , e) a slew of measures under Social Welfare schemes like enhancement of pension etc., f) strengthening of Public Distribution System ( PDS), g) eradicating growing drug menace, h) crafting a stronger Agriculture and Horticulture sector, i) creating a Robust Health Infrastructure , j) Tourism, Industry and Mining sectors k) strong plan for Education Sector, l) Comprehensive expansion of Jammu and Srinagar cities. There were many more promises in the detailed manifesto spread over 44 pages.
These are just titles of the twelve guarantees committed by NC. If we pick up even one or two promises from the details and recall the speeches of leaders of NC during polling process and compare these with post-election statements the betrayal is visible, non-performance discernable and sense of betrayal profound.
Concise essentials
NC leadership in its typical style gave an undertaking to the people of Jammu Kashmir that they will strive for the full implementation of the Autonomy Resolution passed by the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly in 2000 –when Dr. Farooq Abdullah was the Chief Minister. People remember what the autonomy resolution of 2000 was! Without going into details about how it was presumed to be passed in the Assembly let us recall how it demanded a pre-1953 status for J&K. They also promised to strive to “Restore 370-35A and Statehood as prior to August 5 2019”. Further, the manifesto said that in the interim period “we will endeavour to redraw the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, 2019”.
Second guarantee committed was in future perfect tense, “ We will repeal the Public Safety Act (PSA), “Prioritise the release of Political prisoners and youth who have been unjustly detained in jails and are not involved in serious crimes” and “also seek amnesty for all political prisoners”
Third guarantee was a promise to the youth of J& Fourth major guarantee was to “Provide 200 units of electricity free; Transfer of hydro power projects to Jammu and Kashmir as recommended by Prime Ministers’ Committee” and “implement a one-time settlement for pending electricity bill arrears in both rural and urban areas”.² “to fill-up all vacancies in government departments within 180 days and ensure policy for future.² “Within first 3 months of forming Government we shall pass a Jammu and Kashmir Youth Employment Generation Act. This act will focus on creating sustainable employment opportunities for youth; ² Provide one lac jobs to youth.
In social welfare sector NC promised to “Provide Rs. 5000 per month to female heads of households to EWS”; “Provide 12 cylinders free of cost per year to EWS”;l” enhance the old age and widow pension to 3000”; “Enhance the marriage assistance from 50000 to 75000 to EWS” and “increase the medical allowance of pensioners and family pensioners from existing Rs 300 to Rs 1000 per month”.
Similarly they promised to “Provide industry status to tourism sector …l explore new tourist destination in J&K, including regions in Pir Panjal, Chenab, and other areas….. Develop new ski resorts and destination for adventure tourism”.
The NC Manifesto2024 is full of myriad promises but we are limiting to those which could be evaluated objectively in this initial period of three months of the government formation. Also these are instances where NC government and Chief Minister took a complete U-Turn. This is to let people know the facts and allow them to reflect on their own decision of getting deceived once again by false promises.
Promise vs performance
Now that we have mapped some important promises made by NC in its manifesto of 2024 it is justified to assess the performance of the party vis-à-vis movement forward in this direction.
Beginning with the promise to implement autonomy resolution of 2000, restoration of 370-35A, and statehood and endeavours to redraw the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, 2019; let us find out the action taken, if any during past three months.
NC claims, in this connection, that the Jammu & Kashmir assembly passed a resolution seeking the restoration of the region’s special status. Forget for a moment technicalities and procedural failures about the so called resolution claimed to have been passed by the Assembly, see what alliance partners are saying on the issue.
At a press conference in Pune on November 16, 2024, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge said that no one in Congress has ever demanded bringing back Article 370. He emphasised “Parliament has settled this issue”. Following Congress chief’s U-turn on the demand for restoring Article 370, the J&K Congress chief echoed a similar sentiment, saying that it was neither raised in the resolution passed by the Assembly nor mentioned elsewhere. “The demand for Article restoration was neither raised in the resolution passed by J&K Assembly last week, nor is there any mention of it,” said Tariq Hamid Karra, the J&K Congress chief emphasizing that the party has already made its stance clear on the issue since the Assembly’s resolution. Remember Tariq Hamid Karra is also an elected MLA and was present in the Assembly on that day.
Regarding the promise to the youth of J&K Providing one lac jobs seems to be farfetched. Even the promised Jammu and Kashmir Youth Employment Generation Act is nowhere visible. On the contrary the tourism sector that creates huge employment opportunities both directly and indirectly is being defamed, tourists terrorised and discouraged by pushing divisive narrative like “cultural invasion”.
Similarly in case of providing uninterrupted power supply and 200 units free electricity Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has come under sharp criticism after taking a self contradicting stand on the subject.
During elections he advocated for consumer rights and pledged to reconsider the installation of electricity meters if voted into power. Once elected he Criticized same very some consumers for misusing electricity and argued that metering was the only viable solution to address persistent power issues in the region.
One can go on and on to highlight similar other instance of backtracking. Conclusion is simple that NC government has failed to deliver on every front and there is no visible course correction in sight.
(GL Raina is a former Member of the Legislative Council of Jammu and Kashmir and spokesperson of BJP JK-UT.)
