JAMMU: Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Government is in a fix over holding elections in the State before July 18 this year as indicated by Governor KV Krishna Rao time and again Although the Government would like to hold the polls as announced earlier it finds it difficult to motivate the traditional pares to participate in a meaningful political process
Many of these parties are demanding the replacement of the present Governor with a political one. Even the Congress State president, Ghulam Rasool Kar, has been demanding the removal of Gen K.V. Krishna Rao for quite some time now
The Governor had declared recently that the Government would put the electronic media completely at the disposal of parties wishing to start a political process in the State, but even that attracted lite response. The dictatorial way of governance by Gen K.V. Krishna Rao has been held responsible by the political leaders in the State for their disinterest. They alleged the Governor was acting like a serving Army Chief
The Government, on the other hand, is facing many difficulties in the ValIey which may hamper the poll process very badly
To begin with, there was a strike by Jammu-based journalists protesting against the assault by police on their peace march on March 31.
The Government acted very rude with the journalists due to which it lost goodwill of many scribes who were contributing much to the overall development in the State and return of normalcy into the Valley. The scribes alleged that the Government gave them a step-motherly treatment and even harassed them at times.
For now, the most powerful deter rent in the political process for the Stale is the on-going strike by the Valley-based Government employees, who are protesting against the dismissal of 22 employees for their alleged links with militants.
The Chrar-e-Sharif crisis is also haunting the poll process in the ValIey. Many militant outfits and other organizations have been demanding to lift the siege around the holy town. While the Government has offered a safe passage to militants who are holed up inside Chrar-o-Sharif, it has clarified that it would in no case reinstate the dismissed Government employees. It has also threatened the striking employees of a severe action against them if the strike is not called off immediately.
The employees have, on the other hand, charged the Government of in dulling in cheap tactics by arresting some of their leaders while the Government has denied having detained any of the leaders.
In any case, the continued stalemate will have a serious effect over the pending elections to the J&K Assembly in the near future.
Article extracted from this publication >> April 21, 1995
