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| Governor Rule and the Political Parties | | 
By B L Saraf
Jammu & Kashmir has come under Governor’s rule , after political parties failed to cobble together a popular government . That Governor exercising executive power in the state , without aid and advice of the council of Ministers , is constitutionally permissible ; but it does not have a democratic flavour . It is a constitutional remedy to be applied in special circumstances , taken as a temporary diversion of the democratic stream . The democratic flavour is a pleasant blend of constitutionalism and the real politics . In J&K Context , the political component , often , outweighs the constitutional remedy . What compounds the situation ,here , is that the Governor’s rule is generally read synonymous with the direct Central governance . It carries different connotations and interpretations in the state which, often , are couched in a motivated discourse . The political elements, inimical to the democratic process , will use it as a handle to whip up anti -national hysteria and give a much needed cause to the extra- territorial forces to go breast beating around the world . J &K is one state , in the Union , which can ill afford a Governed Raj .
The Governor , himself , may not do much to see revocation of his rule . Onus is on the political parties -particularly , on the major players like PDP and the BJP . True , every political party is driven by a desire to assume political / executive power, to full fill its agenda . But in J&K , where numerous issues confront the state – often cross cutting one another , the desire to have the seat of power must always be tampered with the a recognition of the realities obtaining on ground . Whatever happens in Kashmir reverberates with high decibel noise , around the world . Neither PDP nor BJP could be faulted to nurture such an aspiration . But BJP , being a ruling party at the centre , has to understand it in a rather wider perspective , and keeping in view that it does not have a pan - state mandate . It has to yield some space to other political parties if it has to go in for government formation and expansion of its influence to the unchartered areas . Or , in the alternative , it should leave field open for the other political formulations to claim the chair , and ensure that the Central government lends a helping hand to it in the matters of good governance . In no case should this party be so intrnasigient or cavalier as to make things uncomfortable for PM Narrandra Modi , and distract his attention from good governance agenda . Kashmir on the boil, is last thing that PM Modi would want to see .
PDP will be best advised not to go with an inflated ego . This election should be an eye opener for the party . Comparatively , numbers may be in its favour, but it, too, doesn’t represent a pan- state sentiment . The party can’t claim all the political space. But being a largest party in the Assembly , PDP has a duty to make a serious effort to ensure that a popular government is in place , soon . While as the voter’s sentiment has to be respected , taking an extreme position on certain issues will not work for the good of the people . Surely , it won’t advance the cause of democracy .
In view of the peculiar geopolitical considerations , every political party – big or small – has a role to see that situation doesn’t get destabilised in the state , and that the stream of democracy flows freely . They should not muddy the waters . Occasion demands that every political player plays his game , positively . The Governor’s rule must be short lived and , at best , used as an interregnum by the political parties to come out of euphoria , detoxify the election rhetoric and reflect calmly on the evens likely to unfold in times ahead . And, then come to the terms with the available situation, in the larger interests of the state .
It shouldn’t encourage us that people in the State , particularly in the Valley, have not adversely reacted to this move : nor the fact that some have welcomed it . Given the volatile nature of Valley’s politics and super active fault lines , underneath , hostilities to the Central rule may appear any time , negating the gains which have accrued on account of the recently held free and fair election to the Assembly . We have a case of former Governor , Sh Jagmohan , who was profusely praised by a common Kashmiri for his good job done in 1986, when he was in charge of the state administration . Come 1990 , such adulation gave way to his furious castigation , by the same people , for a much better job done to protect the country’s sovereignty and integrity . Lesson must not be lost .
(The author is form er Principal District & Sessions Judge)
(Opinions expressed in write-ups/articles/Letters are the sole responsibility of the authors and they may not represent the scoopnews.in)
Editor, Scoop News
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