In spite of the Union Government’s strict restrictions on the radical Islamists in Jammu and Kashmir during the past five years, the apprehension of their return to the valley can not be ruled out. Since 1980, they had successfully hijacked Jammu-Kashmir exploiting the liberal democratic system.
The recently held polls in the state has been quite indicative that despite sinking billions of rupees in the development of the Kashmir valley, neither BJP could not win any support among the Muslim voters; and those supporting the the party in the Jammu region continued to be receiving step motherly treatment from the BJP Government in the government. Also, the Union Government failed to enable the five lakh Kashmiri pandits to return to their homes in the valley.
Another victim of the recently held elections in the state is the Rahul-Priyanka led Congress Party. It’s existence as a political party in a 90-member strong state assembly with only six seats. The Omar Abdullah led National Conference has emerged as the largest party with 42 seats. The BJP got 29 seats in the Jammu region, though the electorate were unhappy with the party.
With the reforms introduced in the state in 2019, after the removal of the Article 370, it appears to be much easier for Omar Abdullah in governing this difficult region. He has just begun his new innings at Srinagar, when the shadow of terrorism has considerably reduced and the buoyancy in the social, economic and political environment is much more pronounced.
He will be managing the state with the tourism business reaching its pinnacle and exports all time high. The economy of Jammu and Kashmir, is much more optimistic despite the continuance of the regional imbalance, is much more robust than it ever was during the past four decades,most specifically since the 1980s . It has been contributing more than two thousand crores per year to the state’s economy from 2019. It is estimated that in recent years the region’s gross domestic product has gone up significantly from 1.60 lakh crores in 2019 to 2.46 lakh crores in 2023. This unprecedented growth is expected to cross in the current financial year by 9.9 per cent approximately.
Twin Challenges
For Omar as well as for his father, Farooq, governing the state has always been challenging. They could not resist the inflammable radical Sunni Islam of the Deobandi as well as Barelvi cults.
It may be recalled that during the pre-partition years the Sunnis of the Barelvi cult had supported the formation of Pakistan by joining hands with Shias, Ahmedias and the Bengali Muslims supported by the Nawab of Dacca. The Deobandis had opposed Pakistan, but their Wahabi followers in northwestern Pakistan have become more radicalized in recent years.
During the past tumultuous decades, the Islamists have successfully penetrated the secular liberal mindsets of average Kashmiri Muslims. They were a forward-looking community even during the pre-partition years.Yet, during the past 40 years, the people were sandwiched between the radical Islamists and the Jihadists equipped with state-of-the-art weapons from the training camps of the Pakistan occupied Kashmir. It also led to the forceful eviction of five lakh Kashmiri pandits from the valley. These Jihadists had not only crippled the state’s police machinery, they even forced Muslim families to provide them shelters. As it was not enough, they also got themselves entertained with food and even sexual pleasures.
They could even violate their pretty daughters, even wives. The new narrative was that the children born from the physically strong Jihadists would be the new soldiers of Islam against the idol worshippers of India.
The significance of the return of the Abdullah’s to the center- stage of state politics depends upon their courage and commitment to the ideals of his grandfather, Sheikh Abdullah. It cannot be denied that much would depend upon his spiritual strength in countering the Jihadists.
The failure of the Islamic scholars in recent years to counter the narrative about Islam being projected by the West as a non-tolerant religion. It is yet to be ascertained why these guardians of the faith did not resist the agenda of the erstwhile colonial powers. It goes to the credit of Mahatma Gandhi that he successfully presented the spiritual elements of Islam as well as of the Christian faith.
Omar’s grandfather, Sheikh Abdullah, knew that the destiny of Jammu and Kashmir was safe with the new India being heralded under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru. He believed in the catholicity of Islam, and perhaps influenced by Gandhi and Nehru, Sheikh Abdullah had changed the name of his party from Muslim Conference to National Conference and had refused to meet the British stooge MA Jinnah to endorse the proposed Muslim homeland I e. Pakistan. Interestingly, the partition of India was supported by the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the All India Christian Association resolution of 1942. The famous plan of India’s fragmentation prepared by the then CPI General Secretary, Gangadhar Adhikari , had claimed that the fragmentation of India would be reinvigorating the Indian culture and traditions.The party had not only endorsed the country’s partition, it also described Mohammad Ali Jinnah, a progressive leader and Muslim League, an outfit of the poor . On the other hand, Gandhi and Nehru were called bourgeois leaders and the Congress Party, an organization of the vested interests.
It, perhaps, could be the reason that the CPI has never criticized the Chinese PM Zhou-enlai, who had telephoned during the China-India War in 1962 to the army dictator, Ayub Khan to attack Jammu and Kashmir. During this period Indian deployment was minimal in the state. Khan, however, was dissuaded by the then US President John F. Kennedy. For this support to India, Pakistan has never forgiven the Americans.
During the decades 1969-1979 as well as in later years,Pakistan was liberally funded by the US and its western allies for training the Jihadists and also against the Taliban terrorists.
Meanwhile, reinvigorated with the latest weapons and funds, Pakistan introduced this low-key war against India, more specifically the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
Being an experienced politician, Omar Abdullah now has a rare opportunity to ensure the financial growth of the state as well as to keep a vigil on the Islamists in the valley. His statement that India and Pakistan must be in a dialogue on the vexed Kashmir issue appears to be an effort to buy peace with the pro-Pakistani elements in the state, at least for a while. It may, however, be carrying a veiled warning that there is no more scope for the slogan of the Muslim extremists to keep the society on the edge.
International Conspiracies
Omar as well as the people of the state are quite aware of the fact that the key to peace is still with Rawalpindi, the headquarters of the Pakistan army. The borders between the Pakistan occupied region of the state despite fencing could be violated.
Earlier, during the period of the much-discussed composite dialogue between India and Pakistan, the Nawaz Sharif government in Islamabad, and later the period of the ‘aman ki asha’ or hope for the peace could not usher in between the twins, India and Pakistan. In spite of being born from the womb of the white mother i.e. the House of Commons in 1947, they are indulging in fratricide.
In recent months despite announcing that Joe Biden would not be contesting the presidency, the Administration has deliberately been promoting sectarian politics in the Indian subcontinent..
The recent spurt in the terrorism is being attributed to Biden’s decision to resume its financial assistance to Pakistan through various national and international institutions like the IMF or the World Bank. It has quietly and extended financial and weapons support to the army.
The recent decision of the ruling elite in Bangladesh to celebrate the Pakistan Day in Dacca for the first time since 1971 also shows the close ties between the Bangladesh army and the Inter-Services Intelligence or ISI, the Chinese and American intelligence.
In 2024, the trio not only ensured the toppling of an elected 15 years old Sheikh Hasina government in Dacca.. It also has successfully installed a proxy interim government in Dacca under the leadership of Mohammad Yunus, an economist and a Nobel laureate. It is being believed that Yunus might have just been a Trojan horse of the US-led conspiracies in the region .
International Conspiracies
The return of the democratic government in Srinagar despite its challenge has thwarted the Pakistani conspiracies. The state government as well as the Union Government are aware of the terrorist attack of October 7 last year in Israel, and Pakistan can repeat the Hamas type mischief in the Kashmir valley too.
Admittedly, the new government will not be enjoying the powers that are being given to full-fledged states under the constitution. However, Omar Abdullah as well as other politicians in the state are aware that the police powers are being retained only for a while to enable the political government reassert itself,especially in the wake of the apprehension that the influx of terrorists may resume any time in the valley, but this time the state government is expected to be more assertive and equipped with the state -of-the art weapons including drones. It would be having the full committed support of New Delhi.Gopal Misra has been associated with national and international media. His books on journalism and geo-politics have been well-appreciated. Views are personal.
