Afaq Bhat
Srinagar, June 4: Jammu and Kashmir administration releasing two PDP leaders, Sartaj Madni and Peer Mansoor and the bureaucrat turned politician, Shah Faesal after 9-month long detention could be a hint that Centre wants all the parties in Kashmir to become a part of the political process.
An analyst while talking to Precious Kashmir said, “It seems that New Delhi wants to all the parties to get a chance to participate in assembly elections in the J&K UT, whenever these polls are held.”
He said that elections for time being don’t look possible as for these to happen delimitation has to take place and the process could take around a year. “Kashmiri leaders, who have been released during the past few months have maintained silence over abrogation of J&K’s special status and the bifurcation of the erstwhile State into two union territories and the ones who are being released are likely to follow the suit,” the analyst added.
There are only a few mainstream leaders, including PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, National Conference general secretary Ali Mohammad Sagar, Naeem Akther and Hilal Lone, who continue to be under detention.
It’s in place to mention here that more than 40 Kashmiri leaders, including three former chief ministers of J&K and others were detained post August 5, 2019, when Centre announced its decision to reorganize J&K. But most of these leaders have been released gradually.
An observer said, “Recently, senior NC leader, Aga Ruhullah, had castigated his top party leaders for maintaining silence over Centre’s August 5 decision. He (Ruhullah) had also removed the NC chief spokesman tag line from his twitter account. But it appears that he has been pacified.”
He said, “Mehbooba Mufti’s daughter, Iltija Mufti, who has been handling her mother’s twitter account since August 5, 2019, too has gone silent for the past one month. It appears that regional parties in Kashmir have reconciled with the fact that it’s no point talking about the past. They want to move ahead.”
Another analyst said, “If the regional parties keep on shying away from the opportunities which are coming their way then these political outfits will be left with no other option but to act as fence sitters. Leaders of these parties will have to take a call about their future.”
He said, “During the past nine months many changes have taken place and politics is not the same. Politicians in Kashmir will have to strive for what’s achievable and they cannot cross the line. In coming days Mehbooba Mufti and others can also be released so that regional parties in Kashmir get a chance to revive their activities.”
