A VIEWPOINT

                            

(By: Prof Rattan Lal Hangloo)*

Today, probably no other place on the globe confronts so many complex and ambivalent forms of politics as Kashmir does. India claims the region as an integral part of the nation and Pakistan thinks it is part of the unfinished task of partition. For some it is part of the larger Umma while others it is a strategic asset where, according to E.F. Knight, three Empires used to meet. All these perceptions and the way the Kashmiris have been dealt with by variety of forces from within and outside, disallows them to have unanimity in their approach towards this assembly election of 2024. Kashmiris no longer look forward to a miracle of sudden change in which people will be exalted and show capacities for wise self-government of which their previous conduct had given ground for no suspicion.

From 1947 to Today: How Past Events Shape Current Sentiments

The crisis that this region faced from 1947 has made even ordinary Kashmiris knowledgeable and insightful, they are in touch with their time and do quickly reorganize their conditions and are intentionally silent. Perhaps this silence on their part is perceived by contemporary Indian state as acknowledgement of its legitimacy which is partially doubtful. In several regions Indian democracy has been connected with extreme instability of government, with rapidly increasing unemployment, lawlessness, broken promises, inflation institutional and constitutional breakdowns, perpetual military insurrections, with constantly recurring alternations of anarchy and despotism.

Political Apathy and Disenchantment

Many Kashmiris feel politically disenchanted they are not giving a serious thought to public affairs, nor do they have any spontaneous wish to take any part in them. If they are induced to do so and forced to act under complete pressure and direction of individuals or organizations from outside the region their response would be harsh. Earlier there are said to have been several instances where a regiment of officials marched to the poll rigging in 1987 assembly elections for the purpose of securing the majority for the government candidates. But their stars soon faded: and the attacks on people and their property began to dominate from 1989-90, and under the terror of these attacks the great mass of voters began to turn towards Pakistan as saviour of society. The assembly election of 1987 by an enormous majority clearly fore- shadowed the future, and the extremely menacing character which the Kashmir politics assumed led to the conditions which considerably restricted the suffrage. Both the National Conference and Congress alliance introduced and carried the degradation of the Kashmir’s assembly election suffrage were perfectly aware of what they were doing. ‘They acted with their eyes shut and justified their victory in the untrue spirit. They would not allow political equality to continue and believed that they were playing a good card in their respective party’s game.

From 1990 in every political change, Kashmiris are permanently displaced by varied forces. Therefore, they fail to seize upon changed conditions. Everyone who will look facts honestly in the face can convince himself that the public opinion of Kashmiris is quite different from the votes that can be extracted from all of them who compose it. Therefore, the complex attitude of the Kashmiris towards the present political situation   is perhaps inevitable so long as the present government at the central continues to use discriminatory and coercive measures. Kashmiris live in the midst of an atmosphere of traditions, customs, habits, institutions and fear which are as much to be reckoned with as their reason or their native capacity. The situation is made worse by the character and capacity of the processes that were adopted by the government at the centre to change the pattern of constituencies through delimitation and other ugly measures that did not constitute any reasonable ground except to target demographic pattern for displaying their unwanted dominance.

There can be little doubt that the subversive passions that had been aroused in 1990 and the grave internal dangers that had arisen bore a great part in impelling the Government into the disastrous decades of turmoil in Kashmir. Keeping in view the fast deterioration of Pakistan as a state today Kashmiris have no fascination for Pakistan’s Political propositions because most good observers in Kashmir seriously feel that a state of things called into existence by Pakistan did more harm to Kashmir than good.

In the present election the abolition of article 370, bifurcation and demotion of Statehood to union territory and the BJP’S communal policies and apathy towards non-BJP ruled states are important elements in many constituencies, which are distinct from all vicissitudes of opinion, and entirely irrespective of the good or bad policy of the Government. It has become   a conspicuous and important element in most constituencies and will contribute powerfully to the outcome of 2024 assembly elections in the region. In Kashmir the situation is unlike some pockets of Indian mainland where the voter will be directly bribed or directly intimidated and people vote for money or for drink, or in order to win the favour or avert the displeasure of someone who is more powerful than himself.

The Role of Religion and Identity

In Kashmir’s politics, apart from National conference, Congress, Apni party, AIP, BJP and PDP leaders the other two most powerful forces are the priestly, (Sunnis, Shias, Ahmadyas etc.) and the local leaders connected with the protest movement with their linkages in Pakistan, also   direct the voters, by studiously inflamed preechings. In a Kashmiri democracy the art of winning votes this way is also one of the chief parts of practical politics. Religiosity and prejudice are also a great force in political propagandism in Kashmir too. In rural Kashmir the demagogues of various political parties including dissenters   try to persuade the voters that by following a certain line of policy every member of his class will obtain some advantage.

The Gujjars, Bakarwals, and Kashmiri Pandits

The Gujjars and Bakarwals are no longer an ignorant community, they have opinions of their own. Among them biases of their creed and religiosity also often display a great vitality.The Kashmiri Pandits are smallest minority and their vote share is not decisive at all. They are sober, industrious, literate but after the forced migration from their homes has pushed them within the narrow circle of their own suffering, ideas, surroundings, and immediate interests. Although they are sparsely spread all over the globe without any basis of their own and do not contribute to Kashmir’s public opinion anymore, yet they exhibit no small shrewdness of judgment.

Jammu’s Divergent Political Culture

In Jammu region the political culture is slightly different. Apart from other political parties there are sections of strong votaries of RSS/BJP in almost all constituencies except Doda and Punch but the larger issue that dominates the public opinion is that BJP’s policies have brought an increasing decline of businesses in the region and impacted Jammuites lives very seriously. Therefore, they are in a dilemma this time. The Jammu business class has an identity and considerable material interest, they probably exercise local influence as businessmen and employers of labour.

Corruption and Democracy

The forms of corruption which are practiced in a pure democracy are in general far more detrimental to the prosperity of Kashmiris than those which existed in other days. Some of the conditions of democracy in Jammu and Kashmir are essentially different from those prevalent in rest of India and the worst effects of the delimitation experiment in government must be profoundly interesting to every serious political inquirer in Kashmir and outside. There is a widespread feeling among the intelligentsia in Jammu and Kashmir that a considerable amount of well-bred political apathy   is very desirable in such circumstances. If it were animated by a strong and earnest political spirit it would never acquiesce in the completely subordinate position assigned to it, especially as this position is largely due to abrogation of article 370, bifurcation and scraping of Statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. Many among the disappointed lot feel that today or tomorrow Collisions would follow, and some organic change would come.

The Path Forward: Pragmatism and Inclusion

Cutting across political parties and ideologies, the politicians in Kashmir and New Delhi should remember that many misconceptions are still in possession of the public mind in Kashmir. Although BJP claims that in recent years the situation has greatly improved but there is room for further improvement. Just because of the importance of integrational tendency for the future Kashmiri society, anything which helps to root out these misunderstandings and to supplant them by clear ideas about the future of Kashmir’s polity performs a distinct service to this region. When these conditions are fulfilled, misconceptions will gradually fade away and the future of a political condition will depend upon its pragmatic worth.

The Global and Local Context

Today globalization and communication networks have made the world one in a way that it has never been before, however, we should not forget the fact that the world is also many in a way that it has never been before. Jammu and Kashmir has its own variety of specificities. It is this divergence in unity which the political thought of democracy (also bedrock of Shavite Philosophy of Kashmir) must face while dealing with Kashmir and Kashmiris. We must not discriminate or hate or kotow religion, region caste and tribe. Any idea of future evolution of Center and State relationship also means continuity and time. In Kashmir there is an inertia or ponderousness about some groups which is the despair of the sentimental rationalist. The BJP’s political policy makers in New Delhi should know that in larger frame of multiculturalism Kashmiris are a part of organic life and will grow by assimilation in course of time and not by coercion.

The characteristic function, of the present government should be to administers affairs with steady wisdom, tolerance, and uprightness, however, that most people in Kashmir greatly doubt whether the current government and its own version of democracy fulfils these requirements. Because one of its most conspicuous features has been its extreme under representation of certain communities that has the potential to result in astonishing instability of Indian state. Indian Democracy in Kashmir should be in possession of the charm of manner which softens, conciliates, and attracts, Kashmiris and disintegrate the politics of secessionism, and brings every separate group into a clearer and stronger relief. So that the vibrant political life of Kashmir which has been suppressed or unexpressed or strangulated for long does not burst out with a volcanic fury again.

*^{_{Professor Rattan Lal Hangloo has been Professor of History at Hyderabad Central University. He is former Vice-Chancellor of Kalyani University West Bengal and University of Allahabad. He is currently Honorary Vice-Chancellor Noble international university Taranto Canada. (He originally belongs to Village Hangalgund Kokernag Kashmir but is at present in Texas USA.)}}

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are the personal opinions of the author.