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| NIT, Handwara killings | | Did Mehbooba pass the test? | 
By K B Jandial
It is indeed difficult, albeit impossible, for the political rulers in hyper sensitive State of J&K to be away from controversies and those who wish to keep these at arm’s length can still be dragged into these either by the media or the circumstances beyond control. The State’s first woman Chief Minister, and 9th otherwise, Mehbooba Mufti is trying to avoid controversies, at least for the time being, but will she succeed? Nobody can say for sure.
In less than two weeks, Kashmir saw two serious incidents, both unfortunate and condemnable, that posed tough challenge to Mehbooba. The first had roots in closing days of the Governor Rule. In a tear-jerking event a group of Kashmiri students in NIT Srinagar (and one student in Govt. Dental College Jammu also reportedly burnt the Tricolour) “celebrated” India’s defeat in World cup semifinal on 31st March, 2016. The “epicenter” of this trouble was far away from the State’s border, at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. Despite everybody knowing what Kashmir is all about but still both NIT administration and intelligence agencies failed to anticipate the problem. The “celebrations” sparked protest from the “nationalistic” non-Kashmiri students (include Jammu and Ladakh students) who constitutes 70% of the college’s roll. Kashmir watchers are familiar with such sporadic unpleasant incidents which the successive Governments didn’t take cognisance, ostensibly for maintenance o peace. Neither any action was taken nor expected for fear for bigger problem even though in Jammu the delinquent student was suspended. This is J&K!
The protest march of non-Kashmiri students with Tiranga amidst slogans “Bharat Mata ke Jai”, “Hindustan Zindabad” next day, was expectedly countered with “Hum Kya Chahte –Azadi” of the locals. Late realization of impending dangers led the NIT authorities to suspend the classes to restore peace but again blundered by opening regular classes from April 4. Tuesday- a day after the PDP-BJP Govt. was sworn-in proved them wrong. The trouble erupted when the local police mercilessly beaten up the non-locals during a protest march and even snatched Tiranga (was it enemy flag). The police claimed that the protestors wanted to move out of the Institute which could have been grave problem. While it prevented a “bigger trouble”, its mishandling of a smaller problem put the “infant” Mehbooba Govt. to avoidable test.
Contrary to known state craft of assuaging the outraged feelings of the beaten up students, the Police became unnecessarily tough, even on social media eliciting full support from Kashmiri handlers, and played it down with obliging media. The newly sworn-in Govt. too went by the police version and treated it as a “minor” incident and finally succeeded in preventing NIT from going JNU’s way. A great achievement indeed! Mehbooba appears to have passed her first test. But what about the deep scars on non-locals who still perceived that they were treated partisan both by NIT administration and the police and “beaten and gagged’ for being pro India?
The Govt. negotiators- Nirmal Singh & Naeem didn’t appear to have applied enough “balm on their injury” and handled their demands, some of which were innocuous like movement of girl students even after 6 P.M, with toughness and astuteness. They conceded only two relevant demands of allowing non-locals to go home with deferred minor exams for them even though the exams commenced from scheduled 11th April, 2016 for locals. In their wisdom they didn’t meet the beaten up students, probably not to antagonize the “local constituency.” Conceding these two demands were as much in the interest of NIT as of agitating students as authorities got relief from continuous tension in the campus for the time being.
While Nirmal Singh and Naeem are entitled to well-deserve accolade for not allowing the trouble to escalate beyond NIT Srinagar even though in some quarters their handling was criticized. Nirmal Singh’s curt remarks in a media interview that demand for shifting the NIT to other place was “not worth raising, let alone worth hearing” was quite strong. Admittedly, the issue is absolutely non-negotiable as national institutions can’t afford such shifting but that doesn’t mean that its anti-India environment cannot be checked. His statement that J&K Police will to continue to be responsible for students’ security in NIT did not go well with the agitating students who had a hard brush with it and against whom they have serious complaints of using brute force. Sadly, no words on those who “celebrated” India’s defeat and raising anti- India slogans which Naeem thinks is as a part of larger issue of “alienation” adding that PDP-BJP alliance has come into being only “to connect at the people’s level, and have an emotional bond between the people of Kashmir and rest of country”.
While Mehbooba has every reason to be satisfied over the temporary peace in the NIT as a result of departure of about 2000 non local students for their homes but in sullen mood and with hurt feelings. This unrest has created another type of “alienation” which if not handled tactfully by BJP can become enough ground for its discomfiture on “maltreatment” of non- Kashmir students in Kashmir.
BJP leaders have appeared to have learnt the “lesson in governance”. The Dy. CM and Education Minister brushed aside action against delinquent policemen and even didn’t agree to return the National flag for whose honour, they argued, 3000 J&K policemen have laid down their lives. In a way they obliquely “justified” the beating of those who were carrying it that provoked some others. If laying down lives in the fight against terrorism makes J&K Police immune from any wrongdoing then why every now and then the Army men in Kashmir and elsewhere are hauled up for wrong doings despite their much better track record of supreme sacrifice for the Tricolour.
By defusing the building tensions, Nirmal Singh has sent a signal that BJP on Kashmir, will not to allow the hotheads to endanger the alliance of two extremities - soft separatism and hard-line nationalism. Some national newspapers have editorially hailed his “courageous” statement that unfolds change of BJP’s goalpost. Is BJP now acceptable to Kashmir?
NIT provides enough food for thought for Govts. both at the Centre and the State. Volatile things can be handled carefully without collateral damage. Another point to ponder is to for how long “India’s defeat” would remain an occasion for “celebrations” in Kashmir by some elements, justification of “alienation of Kashmiris” notwithstanding. In fact, the NIT administration should be squarely held responsible for this avoidable unrest and Samriti Irani should consider total reshuffle of its administration and the faculty especially in the wake of charges of partisan staff and faculty. Among the serious charges leveled also include “threatening to spoil non-locals’ career” if they speak. So terrified were they that none of them went on record because of reprisal. There is a possibility that the non-locals may be reluctant to return. A stern message should be sent to the pro Pak students that this nonsense is unacceptable henceforth but it was not be so. Can Modi or Nirmal Singh do something to stem the rot and put a stop to these anti-national acts even though they are just handful and these have long precedents?
The Opposition parties and leaders like Omar Abdullah, Congress and Panthers did everything to provoke Mehbooba Mufti on NIT issue but could not succeed. Mehbooba made this volatile issue a real “non issue”. All is well that ends well! Decidedly, the first round went to Mehbooba Mufti. It is the governance which should take precedence over all other matters.
Killing of four persons in Handwara firing on surging mob have cast second challenge to Ms Mufti. The allegation of molestation of a girl by an army man, on which this protest was organized, is itself doubtful after the girl herself deny it but loss of lives has posed yet another big challenge to Mehbooba who has been promised by the Defence Minister to punish the culprits after a time bound probe.
Mehbooba Mufti has proved to be a much more matured politician than many might have thought her to be. Apart from nipping in the bud the plot to engineer a vertical split in the party on the issue of forming Govt. with BJP, she has kept herself away from any reigning controversy. During the 3-month self created political uncertainty after the sad demise of Mufti Sayeed, Mehbooba didn’t say anything either by way statement or interviews that could be critical of Centre or BJP despite all sorts of provocations from NC and Congress or reports of BJP possible hobnobbing with a section of PDP legislators for early formation of Govt. in J&K. During this period she avoided media interviews. Secondly, she discontinued the ritual of addressing a press conference immediately after being sworn in as CM, a good departure from the routine which normally rake up controversies like his father, which media is always looking for.
Mehbooba have probably understood the danger of frequent media interactions and instead tried to focus on governance right away. A section of media and social media are out to generate controversies on the pretext of freedom of expression and holding leaders accountable to them, which ultimately polarize the people on language, caste, religious and regional lines. It is difficult for leaders to escape from falling in to trap but time has come to keep all these issues at safe distance. In the end of the day it’s the governance that would come to her aid and not as much other issues which belie resolution in the past many decades. Debating acrimoniously on not-early-achievable issues would be sheer wastage of time and energy which many State Govts. in the past had been willfully victim. It is time to control the temptation of matching with anyone of past rulers including Sheikh Abdullah and her father, Mufti Sayeed by raking up certain complex and sensitive issues beyond a point and instead dispense justice to the people belonging to all sections of the population, regions and religions with fair play and transparency.
Mehbooba is the third women ruler of Kashmir since medieval time. Her celebrated women predecessors include Queen Didda, the first woman ruler of Kashmir having held the reins of power from 958 AD to 1003, first as a Regent for son, grandsons and then as a sole ruler in her own right. Daughter of Simharāja, the king of Lohara which lay in the Pir Panjal range on a trade route between western Punjab and Kashmir, and a grand daughter of Bhima Shahi, one of the Hindu Shahi of Kabul, she married the king of Kashmir, Ksemagupta. With this, two kingdoms of Lohara and Kashmir were united. Her first task was to get herself rid of troublesome ministers and nobles, whom she drove from office only to have them rebel against her. Didda was ruthless in executing not only the rebels who had been captured but also their families. Her statesmanlike instinct and political ability are attested by the fact that she remained to the last in peaceful possession of the Kashmir throne, which she bequeath it to her family in undisputed possession.
Kota Rani was the second strong woman ruler of Kashmir , the last Hindu ruler of Kashmir who had to face deceit and intrigue most of the times during her rule. She ruled till 1339. She weathered every storm with poise and emerged stronger after every event. But misfortune never allowed her a peaceful life; it haunted her at every step. She had to fight anarchic conditions prevailing in Kashmir at that time when foreign invasions and intrigues were a common feature. At every stage she succeeded in reassuring the people about her capabilities as a ruler. Kota Rani lived a very courageous life and was rated a diplomat par excellence of her times. Jona Raja aptly summed up her character saying about her “ She was to the kingdom what the moon is to the blue lotus and to the enemy she was what that luminary is to the lotus”.
The time will tell whether she outshines the past glory of Didda and Kota Rani, or fall pray to the temptation of “brief spell of unproductive political popularity on account of controversies” to be faded away in the political harakiri like most of her male predecessors on this hot seat. She can’t escape from the controversies if any of these become inevitable ,in the pursuit of unity, solidarity, harmony and peace of the state. The path of governance is replete with arduous and several challenges but Mehbooba Mufti has to invoke statesmanlike instinct and political ability of Didda and the courage and diplomacy of Kota Rani to deliver.
(The writer is former Secretary Information, health, transport, CAPD departments and a member of Public Service Commission, feedback: [email protected])
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