Early Times Report
jammu, Feb 8: Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Ministers, Omar Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti and two other politicians, Ali Mohammad Sagar and Sartaj Madni being booked under Public Safety Act (PSA) has created ripples within the camps of Kashmir centric politicians.
An analyst while talking to Early Times said, "Political leaders were expecting Omar Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti and Farooq Abdullah will be released soon. Very few people expected that besides senior Abdullah four others will also be booked under PSA."
He said, "Slapping of PSA against these four is an indication that Centre has made up its mind to keep such elements at bay that could act as an impediment towards J&K's development."
An observer while referring to the recent speech of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Parliament said that PM Modi made it clear that the statements, which were issued by the three former chief ministers before the abrogation of Article 370, were unacceptable.
"Farooq Abdullah, his son Omar and Mehbooba Mufti held the highest office in the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir and everyone expected them to strengthen the country's cause and safeguard the national interests when they were in power. But they never did that. Instead they came up with formulas like autonomy and self-rule to create confusion. Their politics revolved around Kashmir being an issue. They couldn't muster courage to tell the people that J&K's accession with India is final. They issued statements to keep people sitting cross the Line of Control in good books. For them separatists and Pakistan were stakeholders. Their speeches during the past three decades were always inflammatory and full of rhetoric," the observer added.
Another analyst said emergence of new set of political leaders in Kashmir is an indication that the three former chief ministers could face a prolonged detention. "It seems that Centre wants new politics in J&K to be free of the baggage which the former leaders inherited. Lines for politicians have been defined and it has been made clear that their role would remain confined to Bijli, Pani and Sadak, and they have got nothing to with country's foreign policy and the security."
He said, "Elections which were held after 1990 in Kashmir did not witness much participation of the people in the Valley due to the threat of the terrorists and other reasons. The leaders, who were elected during all these years, just managed to get 10 to 20 percent votes and then called the shots. But now the time has changed and so has the political equation." |
