Once again the people here have begun talking politics with National conference president, Dr. Farooq Abdullah, holding the center stage. This is the most significant gain of the three phase polling in the Kashmir Valley which ended on Saturday. Three rounds of polling after nine years have seen the National Conference put its traditional rival on the defensive. Right from 1930’s following its conversion from the Muslim Conference, the NC has been pitted against a diehard secessionist leadership. It has won every time including when its one time top leader, Ghulam Mohiuddin Karra, who died on Friday, floated the pro Pakistan Political Conference in early 1950’s.
It is natural for the NC to hail Dr. Abdullah as the rightful political heir of the late Sheikh Abdullah. On the other hand, the Hurriyat Conference is about to launch a bitter attack on him, after the re lease of the majority of its detained top leaders. Its second rung is gnashing its teeth in anger. Even the plain talk of Dr. Abdullah is sought to be projected as meaningless. For instance, his remark that he will strictly enforce “no work, no pay” rule against the striking employees is being ridiculed as a tactless observation. The logic of his argument is being ignored as well his assertion that if returned to power he will need the cooperation’ of sections. Ina way, the revival of such talk should be considered Dr. Abdullah’s success in a milieu where political parties of all hues have been talking either for or against the cult of the gun. The NC chief tends to look at the Hurriyat Conference’s anti poll campaign as a political activity. This view will give him scope to manoeuver and to try and win support of those elements who are opposed to the fundamentalist Jamaat-e-Islami.
Political alignments in the Val ley change like its weather. And, Dr. Abdullah cannot be unaware of this. He himself had once aligned the NC with the Awami Action committee of which the present chairman, Mirwatz Moulvi Umar Farooq, is also the head of the Hurriyat Conference. A lesson in how to tackle political rivals exists in the State’s chequered history: Shelkb Abdullah’s detention for 11 years gave him the status of a political hero. It also continued to generate high tension in the State and outside. In a bold move, the late Chief Minister Ghulam Mohammad Sadiq released him from jail. This helped bring nor malcy. Gradually the Sheikh returned to active politics to once again lead the State. This assumes relevance in the present atmosphere and should guide Dr. Abdullah in dealing with about 200 Hurriyat leaders and supporters who The polling has revived tensions of a different kind as well, There has been polarization between the majority Sunni sect and the Shia minority in almost every constituency where they are evenly placed.
Article extracted from this publication >> September 25, 1996
