NEW DELHI: Jammu and Kashmir Governor K. V. Krishna Rao’s assertion that the atmosphere has been created for being able to hold elections in the state within Next three months shows a rare Confidence not shared by other fire-fighters in the battle-field of the Valley.
‘This is not the first time that the Governor has made such announcement. Last year too he talked of holding elections within six months -a deadline he himself forgot as certain groups of mililants retaliated to keep him busy by Siting fire to places of worship triggering violence in the historic Lal Chowk in Srinagar and occupying Hazratbal shrine. The possibility lies ahead of greater violence this time. Armed fundamentalists are already gnashing their teeth as they feel let down by old ally and Jammu-Kashmir Liberation Front Chief Yaseen Malik who is campaigning against extortions and criminalization of the present movement at a considerable peril to his life. Their anger may be ignited by the Governor’s bold claim. On present reckoning the Governor and his administration are ill equipped to face the fundamentalists ability to strike at will it is unlikely that Yaseen and his group will cooperate with the Governor in holding elections The Governor does not have even National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah to depend upon Farooq continues to spend most of his time abroad leaving his organization in a shambles His other Colleagues are diffident about elections. Saifuddin Soz former MP and Farooq’s closest colleague in the capital feels? May be the Governor is confident. If he can hold elections let him prove that he can do it To my mind it is not possible to hold elections within three months So many things have 10 be done. NC is the only major pro-India force in the Valley Congress Bharatiya Janata Party and Communists do not have any significant Support there The other major group is the multi-party Hurriyat Conference consisting of traditional opposition parties of the valley including ironically both JKLF and its political adversary Jamaat-e-Islami
Given his style Krishna Rao has apparently made the statement on his own. Experience has made Home Minister S.B.Chavan wiser. ‘Time and again Chavan talks of restoring democratic Set-up in the state but he is careful enough to avoid referring to any time-limit. He says he does not want to disclose poll timing because it will encourage forces out to wreck the democratic process.
If the indiscretion of a friend turned-foe is a delight this is moment the Pilot camp may be enjoying. However sources close to the Governor stoutly defend him. It is an attempt by the Governor to Change the agenda in Kashmir. The focus gradually will be on elections instead of militancy. The mood of the people will change they remark.
But as former Home Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed has opined the delicate situation that prevails in the Valley needs to be tackled with tact and care. Like him many feel that there is no Point in rushing to a conclusion on the basis of half-baked responses.
Expressing surprise over the Governor’s announcement Panthers Party chief Bhim Singh who has built bridges with Hurriyat Conference says: Unless a consensus is reached among recognized political parties in Jammu and Kashmir including Hurriyat which is not recognized there can be no involvement of the electorate of three regions the rates that Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha should call a meeting of all political groups in the State to help evolve a consensus.
Article extracted from this publication >> July 15, 1994
