news details |
|
|
| Kafil-ul-Rehman, the low profile Pahari leader | | | Sandeep Bhat
Early Times Report
With third time straight victory of Kafil-ul-Rehman, Karnah becomes a bastion of National Conference. NC had snatched this seat from the Peoples Confe-rence in 1983 when its candidates Sharif-ud-Din Shariq won. 53 years old Kafil, a Pahari leader, first entered the legislative assembly in 1996 and has been winning since. Interestingly, Karnah is the only constituency in Kashmir valley where Awami National Confer-ence stood runner up. Kafil defeated Abdul Rehman Badhana of ANC by 1148 votes. This assembly constituency was won by Kafil-ul-Rehman of National Conference in 2002 election, who polled 8,707 votes of defeating his nearest rival Sikandar Khan of the Congress by 1,988 votes. Sikander Khan had polled 6,719 votes. The poll percentage in 2002 was 65.36. Kafil-ul-Rehman had an interaction with ET correspondent. Some of the excerpts. Kafil-ul-Rehman born in Khawarpura (Karnah) was a teacher by profession till 1990 when militancy was in its beginning in Kashmir valley. The main stream politicians got migrated from Kashmir valley due to eruption of militancy and there was no one to redress the problems of the people. Right from the beginning Kafil-ul-Rehman got socially interacted with the people and try to resolve the problems. Inspite of the threat from the militants he remained at his own place and redressed all the problems of the people of the constituency. In 1996 the people of Karnah wanted Kafil-ul-Rehman to contest the elections on NC ticket and he fought the assembly elections under the leader ship of Dr. Farooq Abdullah defeating his nearest rival congress candidate Sikander Khan. As far as Karnah constituency concerned he said that 88% population consists of Pahari people and the rest 12% comprises Gujjar and other communities. Karnah constituency is a backward constituency and is not getting proper treatment right from 1947. There are no proper roads, no health care, no electricity, and the unemployment is growing day by day. Sadna top which is 11 thousand feet high from the sea level is a beautiful place in our constituency. Karnah comprises of 42 villages situated with in 5km LOC consisting of population more than 60,000 souls. Keran and Titwal are commercial hubs beside Tangdar, Kranu mountains, Ragini side, (Range) is the best tourists point in north Kashmir there are 3-4 secondary schools. Our area consists of two block Titwal and Tangdar block and are demanding for Keran block. Earlier there was a dearth of transport facilities and now more than 200 sumos (light vehicles) are going up and down from our constituency. Pahari should be given scheduled tribe status as they have own culture, own language and own way of life. Discontentment among Paharis on reservation started when Gujjar were given ST status in 1990. The famous Sharda university was also situated in our area. Our coalition government is trying to give proper attention to our constituency and hope under the leadership of Omar Abdullah Karnah will get proper development. On Indian army's role in that area he said it is the most disciplined army in the world and we have seen the human face of it. We always got cooperation from army regarding deve-lopment activities. The tragic earthquake which struck the Karnah area, Indian army were first to reach with the rescue operation. The people of our area want army to stay. PDP is playing cheap politics as they have left with no issue other than to raise non issues and they remain absent most of the time from the assemblies. On inter-district recruitment bill he said it should be passed in assembly. Local youth should get preference in recruitment whether he belongs to Jammu, Srinagar, Baramulla, Karnah etc. Our area is on Line of Control (LOC) and needs proper attention regarding development of the area.
Electoral Background
Karnah in north Kashmir has traditionally been a bastion of National Confer-ence. It was only in 1983 when National Conference was not in the electoral fray that Peoples Conference won this seat. The Karnah Assembhly constituency was represented by Mohammad Yunis Khan of National Conference in the years 1957 and 1962. Interestingly he had won the constituency uncontested in both these elections. Khan again won the seat in 1967 on a Congress ticket. However, the constituency was won in 1972 by Yaseem Shah as an independent candidate. In 1977, NC candidate Ghulam Qadir was elected from the constituency. In 1983, Karnah Assembly constituency was represented by Abdul Gani Lone of People's Conference (who later become a prominent separatist leader)
While as in 1987, Sharif-ud-Din Shariq of NC won from this constituency. In the 1996 elections again NC candidate Kafil-ul-Rehman was elected from Karnah constituency.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
