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| Move to dissolve J&K Assembly positive, says security establishment | | | Agencies
New Delhi, Nov 23: The security establishment is viewing the developments in Jammu and Kashmir as positive and as a way to increase "politician-to-people contact", according to a report by The Indian Express. Governor Satya Pal Malik had dissolved the Assembly in the state on November 21, after PDP-NC-Congress and Sajad Lone-BJP had staked claim to form the government in the state.
The report states that the Centre's representative in the state, Dineshwar Sharma had, in fact, suggested the move to the government on the day that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) withdrew from their alliance with PDP in June.
However, according to a security establishment official, the government did not act on the suggestion since it felt that "speedy economic development through a political governor who could also engage with stakeholders would work better".
"We believe the dissolution of the Assembly makes way for elections in the next six months. That means parties will hit the ground and there will be more politician-to-people contact," the official added.
"In a democracy, that helps bring down anger. One would hope that if things move smoothly, we should have a better summer next year," the official told the newspaper.
Sources cited by the newspaper said that the move has worked in favour of the security establishment since anger on the street was directed against the state government. "However, the continuance of the Assembly under a Governor's Rule was increasingly seen by Kashmiris as a way of ruling in the Valley for the next two-and-a-half years through mandarins in Delhi. That is not something Kashmiris appreciate much. Also, any mistake is directly blamed on Delhi," the official told the newspaper.
An intelligence official quoted by the paper also said that the low turnout in the recent local body polls is "not such a bad thing."
"Post 1990s, turnout in the Valley increased from 6-7 percent during the peak of militancy to 20-30 percent. At no point did the Hurriyat and militants not make calls to people to not vote. Yet, people kept coming out to engage democratically," the officer said.
"This happened because parties mobilised people. The moment they boycotted an election, turnout fell to 4 percent. This shows democracy is alive in the Valley," the officer said, reasoning that an assembly election with National Conference (NC) and People's Democratic Party (PDP) participating would "help ease the situation" and enable people to "vent anger through the ballot."
NC and PDP had boycotted the local body polls, citing the central government's ambiguous stance on Article 35-A. |
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