The November 22 political developments in Kashmir will go down in history as one of the most brazen instance of the distortion of democracy in the state. This was the day when New Delhi didn’t resort to any fig leaf to cover its role in who rules Kashmir. Governor’s office which didn’t receive the letter on its fax machine duly sent one about the dissolution of the Assembly, within minutes of Mehbooba Mufti going public with her letter staking claim to government formation. Incidentally, Governor had earlier refused to dissolve the house despite both the PDP and the NC urging him to do this. Though there is little that is surprising about this state of affairs, this time New Delhi has crossed all limits in Kashmir. It has proved beyond any shade of doubt the extent of its involvement and interference in the government formation in J&K. And it is this ubiquitous interference which has hollowed out the Kashmir democracy of its meaning and Kashmiri mainstream leaders of their agency.
This is for no reason that The mainstream parties have started looking at the politics in the state more with reference to New Delhi than to the people of the state. Keeping centre in good humour is seen as the stronger guarantee of perpetuation in power or even access to power rather than being responsive to the people. There are reasons for this evidently perverted approach: As the Governor’s response to competing claims of the government formation has once again proved, mainstream parties in the state have been at the receiving end of New Delhis eagerness to control and guide the situation in Kashmir.
Result of this is a deeply seated paranoia among them about the overarching and invisible role of New Delhi that is seen pivotal to who governs the state, relegating people to a secondary position. It is this insecurity about the democracy, this realization of its flawed operation in the state that makes mainstream parties perennially uncertain about their political future.
It goes without saying that this behind the scenes management of the democracy has long alienated people from the mainstream politics. For them, pro-establishment parties have little more than a utilitarian value. They are their for providing sadak, paani and bijli. They are also their to do the Delhi’s They don’t represent the aspirations or the sentiments of the people. The do profess ideological moorings but can’t assert or articulate them.
This is a depressing state of affairs. And it can hardly change unless New Delhi fundamentally alters its approach towards the state and lets a true democracy flower and not do it only when it suits it.
Follow this link to join our WhatsApp group: Join Now
Be Part of Quality Journalism |
Quality journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce and despite all the hardships we still do it. Our reporters and editors are working overtime in Kashmir and beyond to cover what you care about, break big stories, and expose injustices that can change lives. Today more people are reading Kashmir Observer than ever, but only a handful are paying while advertising revenues are falling fast. |
| ACT NOW |
| MONTHLY | Rs 100 |  |
| YEARLY | Rs 1000 | |
| LIFETIME | Rs 10000 | |
