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| Eager for polls, parties want Vohra to make field | | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, Oct 15: Jammu and Kashmir’s present Governor comes from a class of his own and he, of course, can not be compared with one of his controversial predecessors Jagmohan or a former Chief Minister GM Shah who had the state either shut or raging with violence during their respective regimes. As he completes three months in office as custodian of not only the constitution but also affairs of the state government and apparently readies up for a still larger term, the political class instead of playing their much required role is looking at NN Vohra to create a pleasant atmosphere for them so that they return to field and play politics.
When Election Commission of India Tuesday announced assembly elections to five states in country –where they were due along with Jammu and Kashmir –and skipped the schedule for this state, the hints were clear for Vohra to continue for a little longer while though at no point of time appeared interested clinging to the chair not actually meant for him. The possibilities of holding elections appear to be receding even as many believe that the schedule may be announced after flagging off the Cross-LoC truck service on October 21 which is most likely to be launched by the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Closely associated with the affairs of Jammu and Kashmir as Center’s chief interlocutor since 2003, Vohra landed in Srinagar towards the end of June when Kashmir Valley was fiddling with explosive violence and Raj Bhawan was the most controversial symbol of state apparatus. For next fortnight the violence only spiraled and traveled into the unsuspecting regions of the state when he took over the roles and responsibility of the state government in the midnight of July 10 –three days after fall of Ghulam Nabi Azad government in most unpleasant manners.
The Governor apparently made all possible efforts to avoid assuming the charge of government but he also appeared to be clear that no rag tag ruling alliance should emerge –after pull out of Peoples Democratic Party –which is seen as a product of ‘horse trading’. Insiders says that it was the late night meeting of the then Chief Minister with the Governor on July 6 which turned tables overnight and Azad announced his resignation next morning –contrary to his claims till that evening. Vohra escaped the blame of Raj Bhawan maneuvered survival of government as one of his predecessors is still known for but subsequent days were probably beyond the reach of his control.
For most part of his little over three months rule, major parts of the state have either remained shut, burnt with violence or under strictest curfew. Such scenes have been witnessed in the state earlier during the regime of Governor Jagmohan or Chief Minister GM Shah. However, those times the crisis was limited to the Kashmir Valley alone, more precisely the central urban centers, but this time even the villages rocked with civilian protests and several time came under curfew. At one point of time, in the middle of August, barring three districts of Leh, Kargil and Ramban, all other districts were under curfew –first time in the history of Jammu and Kashmir.
Over 50 unarmed protestors have so far died to the bullets of security forces in the state –perhaps the longest civilian toll at the hands of security forces since Jagmohan era. At times, in an attempt to prevent killings, forces were recalled to give the protesters field day but the legacy Vohra has inherited from Civil Secretariat as well as Raj Bhawan left very little for him to prevail upon.
Governor’s have often been seen as men of Indian state with a design in Kashmir, but this seen first time when thousands of meters of clothes were being brunt in Jammu in effigies of a Governor. The crisis was left too deep for him which though he was able to resolve after strenuous efforts of two months in Jammu but there are still no signs of normalcy returning to Kashmir.
What compounded Vohra’s problems was and continues to be the indifference of the political leaders. After setting the state on afire all of them ran away leaving the second rung of them to continue adding necessary fuel to the fire. Peoples Democratic Party leader Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was never seen around and even the first customary statement coming from him after 45 days instead of carrying an appeal for peace to the people had warning of addressing the issue the way people of one region want. Farooq Abdullah did make a couple of appearances with balanced statements, though on television, Omar sparked a row and was then never seen till end of September.
After Vohra’s three months in office, the two major political parties which a larger space and role in the state politics –National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party –don’t want elections held in time. They say that the situation is not conducive and want Vohra and the Government of India to create a pleasant political atmosphere for them to contest the elections. The Congress too wants the same but since they are ruling at the Center and therefore chose to leave the decision to the Election Commission. No senior leader of any party undertakes the responsibility of reaching out to the people, cooling them down and preparing ground for elections. If they expect Vohra’s administration or Center to address the sentiments in Kashmir the way they have been projecting, then they must be sadly mistaken. |
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