R Krishna Das
National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah seems to be in a damage control exercise following his son Omar inflicting a big blow to him on the Kashmir issue.
The controversial statement on a television programme asserting that Kashmiris would prefer to join with China stands testimony to the frustration of the self appointed, self serving Kashmiri leader.
Following the bifurcation of the state of Jammu and Kashmir and abrogation of Article 370, the political structures in Kashmir that were aligned with separatism and soft separatism had been left without viable agendas. And the confusion among the leaders is quite visible.
The National Conference (NC) is witnessing an internal feud with its President Farooq Abdullah and Vice President Omar Abdullah giving different versions of the Kashmir plan. Omar asserted “I think the time for (strike or big agitation) had passed.” When there was no reaction instantly, why would it go down to the streets one year later, he said, adding that they would fight it politically, legally.
In July, another statement of Omar stunned the NC leaders. Instead of advocating for restoration of Article 370, which the party had been maintaining, he said he would not contest the assembly election till Jammu and Kashmir was not granted separate statehood.
His father, Farooq Abdullah, is now in full damage control mode. An opportunity came his way as he prepared to attend the monsoon session of the Parliament in his capacity of being a Member of Parliament from the Srinagar constituency.
Before entering Parliament he had reiterated the ‘Gupkar Declaration’ as the basis for launching what he called, “a struggle for the restoration of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.” Gupkar is the official name of Abdullah’s Srinagar residence and since the declaration was signed there on August 4, 2019, it was name so.
The big names present were Ms. Mehbooba Mufti and Muzaffar Hussain Beg of PDP, Sajad Lone of JKPC, Taj Mohiudin of JKPCC, M Y Tarigami of CPIM and the Abdullahs among many others. All participants resolved in the “declaration” to protect and defend what they termed as “the identity, autonomy and special status of Jammu and Kashmir.”
The senior Abdullah could not even keep his own house in order. Just a couple of days before hogging the headlines on the China issue, Abdullah spoke in the Parliament but totally in a different tone. “The people of Jammu and Kashmir should have the same rights to progress and development as the rest of the country,” the leader, who claimed Kashmiris do not feel Indian, said.
This disarray is quite visible in the Hurriyat too. Syed Ali Geelani resigned from all posts in June, 2020. He listed a number of grouses against the organisation as reasons for his resignation. The prominent Hurriyat leaders failed to protest the Centre’s move.
The self appointed and self serving leadership of Kashmir is well versed with the people sentiment that abrogation of Article 370 now remains a non issue. They are desperate to remain in the political limelight.
What else can you expect from abdullah family.
As they are fillowing the legacy of Shaikh Abdullah