Editorial
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| | NC doublespeak | | Occasional cries about restoration of autonomy only meant to hoodwink the people | | Paradoxically, while the National Conference boss Dr. Farooq Abdullah and his chief minister son have been maintaining a meaningful silence on the party’s demand for the restoration of State’s autonomy to the pre’53 level, indicating their support for the status-quo, it has been left to some other leaders of the party to occasionally raise the slogan of autonomy as a matter of political convenience. Dr Abdullah only a few days ago made it clear that as Union minister he is not interested in state politics, impliedly justifying the state’s present status within the Union. He said that he was more concerned about the national interests of the country. This leaves no one in doubt about another turnabout by the NC leader on the issue of autonomy. Even Omar Abdullah is maintaining a discreet silence on the question of the restoration of autonomy and on the contrary has taken several steps which further erode the special status the State enjoyed under the Constitution. The chief minister has willing by surrendered his authority on several administrative and policy matters which come under the purview of the State government. This includes the revocation of AFSPA, which has turned out to be a major irritants for any democratic polity as it provides a culture of impunity to the security officers resorting to grave human rights abuses. Clearly, the father-son duo controlling the ruling party and its government in the State, apart having a berth in the Union cabinet, are more interested in power than in following the party stand on the issue of autonomy. Still to hoodwink the gullible people they have entrusted the task of shouting occasionally to pay lip service to the cause of restoring the State’s aroded autonomy to some others in party.
So far it was left to Dr Mustafa Kamal, younger brother of the party boss and uncle of the chief minister to not only criticize New Delhi for unilaterally eroding state’s autonomy, resorting to human rights abuses, imposing pliant governments but also to attack the alliance partner, Congress, for all the problems being faced by the people in the State. Despite occasional snubbing from his elder brother he has continued his diatribe against New Delhi and Congress. The latest to join him to raise the slogan of autonomy is Abdul Rahim Rather, finance minister in the Omar-led coalition and a senior party leader. He asserted, and rightly so, at a public meeting on Tuesday that the State’s relationship with the Centre is based on Constitution (Application to J&K) Order, 1950 and Delhi Agreement of 1953. He warned New Delhi against any move to alter this status unilaterally as, he threatened, it will have serious consequences. The National Conference has a dubious record on this issue, as it raises the slogan of autonomy only when it is out of power or when as a ruling party it fails to deliver. The reality is that the autonomy of the State as envisaged under the Instrument of Accession and Delhi Agreement of 1953, has been eroded unilaterally to a great extent since 1953 and this has even received tacit approval of the NC for the sake of power. After raising the slogan of Plebiscite and Right to self-determination under the Plebiscite Front for 22 long years, Sheikh Abdullah returned to power in 1975 on the basis of status-quo under Indira-Sheikh Accord, and that too without seeking the mandate of the people. No steps were taken after that even to go for a review of the laws made applicable to J&K after the Sheikh’s arrest and deposition in 1953, in violation of the Delhi Agreement, In fact the 1975 Accord nullified the Delhi Agreement of 1953. The issue was never raised by the party as long as it stayed in power. Again in 1996 the NC boycotted the Lok Sabha elections declaring that it would not participate in any electoral exercise unless the State’s autonomy is not restored to pre’53 level. However, soon after it plunged into the election for the State assembly when assured of power with New Delhi’s support through a contrived exercise. What happened to the State legislature’s resolution on this issue is too well known. The NC not only remained in power even after it was humiliated by the NDA government headed by A.B.Vajpyaee but continued to be its ally with Omar Abdullah continuing to serve the Union council of ministers as a minister of state, even endorsing the NDA stand on this issue. The past events not only expose the NC doublespeak but also leaves no one in doubt that the party’s sole objective is power. Its occasional shouting about the restoration of autonomy is only to befool the people. |
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