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| NC leadership trying to emulate PDP policy | | |
NIRBHAY JAMMUAL
Jammu, May 20: Even after winning power and bagging four Lok Sabha seats the ruling National Conference leadership is trying to emulate the PDP as far as issues concerned with the resumption of dialogue between Delhi and the Hurriyat Conference leaders and talks between India and Pakistan are concerned. Possibly the National Conference leadership has realized that within a span of a few years the PDP has posed a serious threat to the very political survival of the 71-year old National Conference. In its first election battle in 2002 the PDP had won 17 seats against 28 by the National Conference. And in 2008 Assembly election the PDP bagged 21 seats against 28 of the National Conference. In 2008 election the PDP had the ant-incumbency factor as its minus point still its performance was better than the 2002 poll.
The NC leadership, particularly, the party President, Farooq Abdullah, has learnt a lesson or two from the PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed who is known for highlighting those issues which are dear to the heart of people in Kashmir. Whether in or out of power Mufti Sayeed has not deviated from his stand on the need for resumption of India-Pakistan dialogue and for Delhi-Hurriyat talks. He has not abandoned his stand on demilitarization and repeal of Armed Forces (special powers) Act. No wonder if Farooq Abdullah too will demand withdrawal of troops from the civilian areas and repeal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act. In the past it has been seen that whenever the National Conference is in power Farooq Abdullah adopts tough postures against the separatists and against Islamabad. However, there seems to be some change in his attitude. It is something different if he is able to sustain this change or adopts a new strategy. After his party succeeded in winning four Lok Sabha seats, one by proxy he was quick in announcing that he would try to act as a facilitator, if not a negotiator,for the resumption of Delhi-Hurriyat dialogue. He also favoured resumption of t alks between Delhi and Islamabad for settling bilateral problems.
Farooq Abdullah seems to be right in favouring the resumption of Delhi-Islamabad parleys and Delhi-Hurriyat dialogue. As far as the demands of the resumption of Delhi-Islamabad talks are concerned I believe the time is opportune because Pakistan is engaged in a major battle against the Talibans. Islamabad would welcome support from India because right now a friendly India is the urgent requirement for Pakistan. Delhi had not been averse to the resumption of dialogue with the Hurriyat Conference leaders and other separatists but a section of senior bureaucrats in the central Government had opposed reopening of channels of dialogue with the Hurriyat leaders on the plea that the separatists get undue importance. The case is different. Once the separatists are engaged in a sustained dialogue it triggers a fresh conflict in the separatist camp. Separatists are accused of a sellout. Such an exercise promotes factional feuds. This is what happened when the BJP led NDA Government invited the APHC leaders for talks. The hardliners dissociated themselves from this exercise thereby sharpening the divide between the moderates and the hawks. Will Delhi open its eyes on some realities? Future events alone can determine.
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