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Significant number of professionals, bureaucrats in electoral fray
11/28/2014 11:36:09 PM
Bashir Assad

Early Times Report

Srinagar, Nov28; Kashmir politics, which till now has been the mainstay of only the elite political families or separatist ideologues, is now attracting the professionals with many joining the electoral fray. It is for the first time that a good number of professionals and bureaucrats are contesting the elections mainly on Peoples Democratic Party tickets. Though the retired bureaucrats joining politics in Jammu and Kashmir is not new, many retired bureaucrats and professionals are trying their luck in the straight contest. There are still five top retired bureaucrats in the Legislative Council, however, this is for the first time that retired bureaucrats are contesting the elections. For instance, Mehboob Iqbal and Bashir Ahmad Ronyal -two senior retired bureaucrats were in fray in the first phase of elections held on 25th November from Bhaderwah and Banihal assembly segments respectively. Haseeb Drabu former chairman JK Bank and Zafar Meraj, senior journalists too contesting elections again on PDP ticket from Rajpora in Pulwama and Habakadal in Srinagar respectively. Then there is Mohammad Khursheed Alam a retired CAPD official contesting from Khanyar constituency on PDP ticket against NC stalwart Ali Mohammad Sagar. Former IGP Crime Branch, Raja Ajaz Ali is also contesting elections on PDP mandate from Uri against Congress stalwart, Taj Mohiuddin.
BR Kundal former Chief secretary who is also member of Legislative Council is fighting from RS Pora as Independent. According to Zafar Nehraj middle-class professionals elsewhere now see politics as a way to bring about change, it's time for educated and honest professionals to join politics in Kashmir.
Haseeb Drabu calls himself an "experiment being tried by PDP chief Mufti Mohammad Sayeed". The biggest issue in Kashmir is that politicians have used the system for personal gains, the former banker says. "Kashmir has young politicians but aged political workers. Kashmir needs people willing to work at all levels." Meraj says he realized the limits of journalism in his fight against BJP "majoritarianism". "BJP's aggression in Kashmir made me want to defend what I believe is Kashmiri identity. Delhi ki ghulami nahin chahiye."" Meraj was once kidnapped at gunpoint, shot five times and left for dead. He got himself to hospital and was flown to Delhi for multiple surgeries. "Kashmiri Hindus and Muslims have lived together for generations. When I sent my son Shameem to Delhi, he lived with a vegetarian Pandit family for seven years. That's why I oppose BJP's divisive agenda."He says for decades Kashmir never had "elections", only "selections". "Since 2002 that's changed and democracy become vibrant."Drabu and Meraj insist PDP, not NC or BJP, is the new party of promise in the Valley. "My politics is for a politically empowered, self-reliant, socially cohesive Kashmir and for a Kashmir that enjoys political autonomy.
PDP fits the bill. I didn't understand why Modi came to Kashmir to celebrate Diwali. Who celebrates Diwali here? Pandits celebrate Shiv Ratri," Drabu argues.
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