National Conference president and former J&K chief minister Farooq Abdullah has started crying foul that he was unaware about the abrogation of Article 370, and when he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi just few days before August 5, 2019, and the PM did not even speak about it.
Abdullah needs to be asked why the Prime Minister should have told him what the Centre intends to do? Kashmir-based leaders have always tried to project themselves larger than their size but the fact of the matter is that they have never had any say in the big decisions, which were taken by New Delhi. So, Farooq Abdullah not being told about revocation of Article 370 well in advance is no reason for him to make a hue and cry.
The so-called mainstream leaders in Kashmir are trying to project themselves as rebels, which was evident on August 15 this year. None of the NC and PDP leaders extended greetings on the 74th Independence Day of the nation. They maintained silence as if they were not Indians. If they had been so hurt by the Centre’s decision to scrap J&K's special status and bifurcate it into two union territories, they should give up the perks, privileges and the security they are enjoying. They are free to join the separatist camp and pursue their ideology.
Farooq Abdullah’s assertion that the people of J&K have lost faith in the Government of India is nothing but an illusion. People of the erstwhile state never enjoyed the special status. All benefits of the special status were enjoyed by politicians like Abdullah himself.
The historic decision taken by the PM Modi-led government last year has brought the people of J&K closer to the Union of India and the myth that Kashmir is an issue has been shattered.
Kashmiri leaders who are asking New Delhi to be honest and speak the truth should sit back and introspect. They need to ask themselves if they ever spoke the truth in the last 70 years. Did they ever remain honest to their people? The answer is big no.
Kashmiri leaders who used to claim that they represent the masses stand exposed to the hilt after August 5, 2019. Despite the entire leadership being detained, not a single protest was staged in any part of the Valley to seek their release. In fact, National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah in an interview earlier this month had admitted that people in Kashmir were elated after mainstream leaders were detained.
Farooq Abdullah, by beating his chest over abrogation of Article 370, is trying to create a notion that he is the “Messiah” of Kashmiris and will fight to get everything back. However, the fact is that Abdullah and other mainstream leaders in Kashmir have been rendered jobless. They are trying to seek re-employment and New Delhi seems in no mood to engage them again.
After August 5 2019, the political scenario in J&K changed completely. Kashmir-based politicians have been cut to size. They need to realize that they were on the payroll of the Centre and had no locus-standi of their own. If they want to rejoin, they have to follow the new terms and conditions which have been framed post abrogation of Article 370.
During the past one year, people of J&K have also realized that these leaders just thrived on preaching lies and deceit. People of the erstwhile princely state have proved beyond doubt that they were least concerned with Articles 370 and 35-A.
They have gone ahead with their lives and want to prosper. Their silence has made it clear that they need to live peacefully. Kashmiri leaders should respect the feelings and sentiments of their people and allow them to carry on with their lives rather than raking up irrelevant issues.
Revival of political activities doesn’t mean that Kashmir-based leaders will use it as an opportunity to trigger unrest and create law and order issues. Kashmir has been peaceful since August 5, 2019. No street protests or stone pelting have been witnessed in any part of the Valley during all these months. Everyone wants peace to prevail and by not paying attention to the rhetoric of mainstream leaders, people have sent a clear message that they should be allowed to carry on with their lives without any interference. Kashmiri leaders should read the writing on the wall and allow people to breathe freely.
The writer is a former journalist, author and youth leader based in Kashmir.
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