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| Instead of focusing on governance, NC talks of Kashmir issue | | According legitimacy to rouge Pakistan | | MINCING
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Neha
JAMMU, Sept 1: The people across the state are unhappy with the NC-Congress coalition government. While the people of Leh district, cutting across party and religious lines, have been demanding separation from Kashmir saying they do not want to keep any truck with the Kashmiri leadership, the people Kargil district rejected the NC in the just-held elections to the Autonomous Hill Development Council Kargil rejecting the NC ideology and policies. Similarly, the Sikh community in Kashmir has been criticizing the NC and the Congress for not protecting it and for according to it a shabby treatment.
As for the people of Jammu province, they have no love lost for the NC, and even for its coalition partner, Congress. The reasons are the same: Hatred for the NC ideology, contempt for the coalition government's policies and urge for a dispensation that eliminates the scourge of terrorism, separatism and communalism, teaches Pakistan a lesson and empowers them to shame their destiny within India and under the Indian Constitution. They, like the people of Leh and Kargil, are against Pakistan and for them the accession of the state with India is final and non-negotiable.
But the ruling NC, which was accused by the Union Government in 2010 of not winning the trust of the people, as also of not providing good governance, has nothing to do with the people's aspirations and needs. In 2010, the Union government had held the Omar Abdullah-led government responsible for the emergence of stone-pelters and said that it was the "trust deficit and governance-deficit" that resulted in the deterioration of situation in Kashmir. Instead of focusing its attention on the issues of governance and meeting the genuine needs of the people across the state in a holistic manner, the NC continues to focus on an issue which was resolved way back in October 1947 as per the law on the subject.
Yesterday, the NC working president and J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah advocated the need for a sustained dialogue between India and Pakistan and made a controversial statement that the role of Pakistan had been established in (Jammu & Kashmir) by Shimla Agreement and Lahore and Agra summits. "We want to tell our children that the Kashmir issue no longer exists and peace and development have taken a permanent place in the state…The Kashmir issue was born at the time of Partition. India considers its accession to it necessary for the secular characteristics of India while Pakistan wants the area to be with it for having a Muslim majority representative character. Both the countries are nurturing their individual ideas in this regard and people of the state are suffering constantly…Some elements do not want India and Pakistan to talk. They want the burning issues to remain burning for their vested interests…Friendly ties between the two neighbours have a direct bearing on the peace and development situation in the state and the people of the state were eager to see the two countries talk amicably and in a conducive atmosphere to resolve all issues, including Siachen, Sir Creek, Kashmir etc," he said while addressing a gathering at Pattan in Baramulla district, added that a summit level meeting between the Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan must be held to resolve the "Kashmir issue".
He did not say that J&K is an integral part of India. Nor did he say that Pakistan has no locus standi. On the contrary, he virtually spoke the language of Islamabad and talked about Kashmir, Siachen and Sir Creek. He did not say that the only duty of the state government is to provide a good, transparent, accountable and corruption-free system of governance. Instead, he entered a domain he just cannot, as he is duty bound to protect the Indian Constitution and defend the Indian sovereignty in Jammu & Kashmir. And he has been doing so ever since he took over as J&K Chief Minister with the help of the Congress party.
It is clear that he has been diverting the people's attention away from the real issues facing them by raking up the so-called Kashmir issue on a daily basis. This type of politics will not help him strengthen and expand further his constituency. If he wishes to take care of his party interests, he has to focus attention on issues of governance and leave the India-Pakistan relations to the care of New Delhi, custodian of the country. |
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