100 Days of the ‘U-Turn Government’

On the completion of 100 days in office by PDP-BJP government in state, the principle opposition in state legislature led by former Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, released ‘report card’ of the coalition government on June 08 – Monday at a local hotel near UNMOGIP Office in Srinagar, titled: “100 Days of the U-Turn Government”. Kashmir Life produces the document for the interest of its readers

100 Days of the U-Turn Government

Otherwise known as the ‘Modi-Mufti’ Alliance

Charge-sheet:

1. Political Surrenders and U-turns
2. Economic Morass – Incompetence to Inaction
3. Flood Victims – Rehabilitation Delayed is Rehabilitation Denied
4. Youth – Anti-youth Recruitment Policy
5. Tourism – Reduced inflow, increased rhetoric. Irresponsive Government
6. Trade and Industry – Neglect and humiliation of Traders
7. Employees – Arrogance in dealing with their just demands
8. Political Instability – Contradictions and Imbalance

1. PDP’s Political Surrenders and ‘U-turns’:

Today,at the completion of the first 100 days of the PDP-BJP Coalition Government in the State, it would be safe to channel the popular incrimination that this Government is a ‘U-turn Sarkaar’.

As an alliance, the PDP-BJP Coalition Government’s unimaginative ‘Agenda of the Alliance, borrowing from the words of PDP Leader and MP Muzaffar Hussain Baig himself, has been reduced to a mere “piece of paper” with no importance or sanctity. All promises that were made and all intentions that were put forth in the PDP-BJP Coalition’s ‘Agenda of the Alliance’ have been belied with remarkableease. These promises that were made to create smokescreens to conceal an ideological sellout for the petty trappings of power stand dashed.

As the PDP-BJP Government’s “Battle of Ideas” slogan stands abandoned with similar effortlessness as the “Self Rule” slogan was surrendered for political expediency, we have witnessed numerous u-turns in the very first 100 days of this coalition government.  To be specific:

1. Article 370

This is what was said on Article 370 as a smokescreen to justify PDP’s sell-out:

“While recognizing the different positions and appreciating the perception, the BJP and the PDP have on the Constitutional status of J&K, considering the political and legislative realities, the present position will be maintained on all the constitutional provisions pertaining to J&K, including the special status in the Constitution.”

• PDP-BJP ‘Agenda For Alliance’

And this is where BJP stands on Article 370 today:

“There is no change in our stand on Article 370, and we are committed for its revocation”

• BJP National Spokesperson and MP Ms. Meenakshi Lekhi

May 26^th, 2015

Article 370 which grants special status to the State of Jammu & Kashmir remains in constant threat with the BJP at power both in the Center and in the State (due to an alliance with PDP). The pretense of maintaining a status-quo on Article 370 was clearly a big lie. Today Mufti Mohammad Sayeed is the Chief Minister of an alliance in which the ally is “committed to the revocation of Article 370”.

1. AFSPA

This is what we were told in the ‘Agenda of the Alliance’ about AFSPA as the PDP-BJP informal coalition came into formal existence:

“In this context, the coalition government will thoroughly review the security situation in the State with a view to examine the need for desirability of all the special laws being applied to the state in view of the situation improving.

“…The alliance government will examine the need for de-notifying disturbed areas. This, as a consequence, would enable the Union Government to take a final view on the continuation of AFSPA in these areas.”

• PDP-BJP ‘Agenda of the Alliance’

And this is what BJP has to say today on AFSPA, completely absolving this Alliance of what it promised in its ‘Agenda of the Alliance’:

“The last word on revoking AFSPA should come from the security agencies. If the security agencies feel that there is an improvement in the situation or this is not the right time for revocation of AFSPA in Jammu and Kashmir, that should suffice and we should not create an issue time and again”

• Jitendra Singh, MoS Prime Minister’s Office

June 04^th, 2015

addition to this it is pertinent to mention here that PDP had promised in its elections rallies that, if voted to power the party would revoke the Disturbed Areas Act (DAA) from the State, thereby paving way for the revocation of AFSPA.

No such measure has been taken and rather, as clearly revealed by senior leaders in the BJP, the State Government stands divested of the right to even talk about AFSPA – which is unprecedented. The Chief Minister, Mr. Mufti Mohammad Sayeed continues to evade questions on AFSPA at official events and press interactions. To say that PDP’ surrender on AFSPA is complete and total would be an understatement. 

1. of Ideas” Farce (Talks with Separatist Leadership)

Another political smokescreen that PDP tried to create ahead of its imminent sell-out to the BJP was the alleged “condition” (in the words of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed himself) that PDP would not enter into an alliance with BJP unless BJP agreed to resume the dialogue process with the Separatist Leadership.

Here is what the ‘Agenda of the Alliance’ said about Dialogue with Separatists:

“The earlier NDA government led by Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee had initiated a dialogue process with all political groups, including the Hurriyat Conference, in the spirit of “Insaaniyat, Kashmiriyat aur Jamhooriyat”.

Following the same principles, the coalition government will facilitate and help initiate a sustained and meaningful dialogue with all internal stakeholders, which will include all political groups irrespective of their ideological views and predilections. This dialogue will seek to build a broad based consensus on resolution of all outstanding issues of J&K”.

• PDP-BJP ‘Agenda of the Alliance’

Here is what BJP, has to say today:

“There is no proposal to hold talks as of now”

“Kashmiri people should not get misguided by pro-Pakistani elements and remember that their future is linked to India,” 

“We will not tolerate. No one will be allowed to misuse our soil.” (sic)

• Shri Rajnath Singh

Senior BJP Leader and Union Home Minister

Press Conference at New Delhi 29^th May, 2015

Here is what Mirwaiz Molvi Umar Farooq, the Chairman of the moderate faction of Hurriyat Conference had to say about PDP’s “Battle of Ideas” deception:

“Under house arrest today. Not allowed rally at Bijbehara. Mufti tall talk of ‘battle of ideas’ and ‘providing political space’ prove a hoax! (sic)

• Mirwaiz Molvi Umar Farooq

Chairman Hurriyat (M) Twitter – May 7^th, 2015

The Mufti Government continues to contradict itself on its promised “Battle of Ideas” and its promise of promise of providing “political space” to the separatist leadership. The Chief Minister, Mr. Mufti Mohammad Sayeed as well as PDP President Mohtarma Mehbooba Mufti have suddenly stopped talking about engaging with Hurriyat. Nor does PDP demand anymore in its Press Statements that New Delhi starts a dialogue with the Separatist Leadership.

1. Dialogue with Pakistan

Another false smokescreen that PDP tried to sell ahead of its sell-out to BJP was an alleged “condition” that the party had put forth demanding that New Delhi engages with Pakistan in a sustained dialogue.

Here is what the PDP-BJP ‘Agenda of the Alliance’ has to say:

“The Union Government has recently initiated several steps to normalize the relationship with Pakistan. The coalition government will seek to support and strengthen the approach and initiatives taken by the government to create a reconciliatory environment and build stakes for all in the peace and development within the sub-continent.”

• PDP-BJP ‘Agenda of the Alliance’

And this is what BJP and the Government of India has to say now:

“Terror and talks can’t go together”

• BJP Spokesperson Shri M. J. Akbar

BJP National Executive Meet at Bengaluru  April 3, 2015 

1. Increasing LoC people-to-people contact, new Trade Routes:

In almost every other election rally addressed by PDP President Mohtarma Mehbooba Mufti and PDP Patron and current Chief Minister Mr. Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, PDP’s top leadership promised that they were committed to the goal of increasing “people to people contact” along the Line of Control and would also open new Trade Routes if voted to power.

In addition to these promises, this is what the PDP-BJP ‘Agenda of the Alliance’ has to say:

“The same will be pursued by taking confidence building measures such as, enhancing people to people contact on both sides of the LoC  encouraging civil society exchanges, taking travel, commerce, trade and business across the LoC to the next level and opening new routes across all three regions to enhancing connectivity.”

• PDP-BJP ‘Agenda of the Alliance’

“ We will make Jammu and Kashmir a bridge between India and Pakistan by opening Kargil- Skardu road and starting a bus service on it.” (sic)

 “PDP’s vision of Jammu and Kashmir becoming a bridge between India and Pakistan contains the important feature of opening Kargil- Skardu road,” (sic)

• Mufti Mohammad Sayeed

During Election Rallies in 2014

And ironically, PDP’s lies were exposed in a self-goal by Mohtarma Mehbooba Mufti. In a query raised in the Lok Sabha by PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti as to whether the Centre intends to facilitate or expand travel of people through the LoC, the Union Home Ministry had a short, blunt answer to offer:

“No such proposal was in place”

• Union Home Ministry’s Reply in Parliament

To a question asked by Mtr. Mehbooba Mufti

1. Return of Power Projects

This was yet another focal point of PDP’s election campaign ahead of the Assembly Elections in 2014. The party pledged that if voted to power, it would ensure the return of Power Projects from the NHPC to the State of J&K. Countless self-validated, self-righteous columns were written by PDP leaders to explain how Mufti Sahab would get J&K’s Power Projects back.

Here is what the PDP-BJP ‘Agenda of the Alliance’ had to say in an already watered-down version of its earlier vows on the issue:

“Explore modalities for transfer of Dulhasti and Uri hydro power projects to J&K as suggested by the Rangarajan Committee Report and the Round Table reports.”

• PDP-BJP ‘Agenda of the Alliance”

Surprisingly, and in a brazen u-turn, PDP voted against the following resolution introduced by National Conference Legislator, Mr. Qaiser Jamsheed Lone in the Legislative Council on the 30^th of March this year:

“This House resolves that all the power projects be returned by NHPC to the J&K State.”

• Resolution by NC in the Legislative Council  30^th March, 2015

While the resolution however, was passed with the majority vote of the opposition, PDP members Yash Pal Sharma, Firdous Tak, Surinder Choudhary, Inayat Ali and Javed Ahmed voted AGAINST the resolution while another PDP member Yasir Reshi was not present.

1. Insult to Sanctity of State Flag of J&K

For reasons best known to the Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and the present dispensation, soon after coming to power, the General Administration Department (GAD) of the Government issued a circular stating the following:

“The state flag has the same sanctity and position as the Union flag has under the Indian Constitution and other statutory provisions,”

“Therefore, this sanctity and position has to be maintained at all costs. It’s non-hoisting along with the Union flag amounts to insult to the flag as per the Provisions of the Jammu & Kashmir Prevention of Insult to State Honors Act 1979.”

“The flag shall always be hoisted jointly on the buildings housing constitutional institutions and shall be used on the official cars of constitutional authorities.”

• Circular on J&K State Flag       (Issued by the Govt of J&K)

Soon after, presumably under pressure from the BJP, the State Government withdrew this circular by issuing another circular and stated:

“… as such (the circular) stands withdrawn with immediate effect. Appropriate administrative action will be taken after inquiry into circumstances leading to the circular,”

• Official Spokesman

Government of J&K     March 13^th, 2015

This incident has put a serious question mark on the PDP-BJP Government’s intentions about the ‘J&K Prevention of Insult to the State Honour Act, 1979’ as well as the State’s Special Status that grants the State of Jammu & Kashmir its own flag, constitution and other significant provisions.

As expected, the Chief Minister of J&K remained silent on why and under whose pressure the circular was unceremoniously withdrawn.

2. Economic Morass – Incompetence to Inaction:

Both PDP and BJP demanded immediate elections in the midst of the devastation caused by the unprecedented floods that ravaged the State in September 2014. While National Conference proposed the elections be delayed temporarily paving way for sustained Relief and Rehabilitation efforts for the flood-victims, PDP, Congress and the BJP demanded immediate elections.

PDP played an active role in foisting elections on a State and its people who were reeling under the havoc wreaked by the floods in September. The party, having preferred its own political rehabilitation over flood victim rehabilitation, politicized the natural calamity in the elections and promised immediate and effective Relief and Rehabilitation if voted to power. While the failure of the PDP-BJP Government on this front will be elucidated in the part of this document about Flood Victims, it is important to say here that PDP put the State’s interests in peril for the lure of power.

Before coming to power, PDP advocated a comprehensive Relief and Rehabilitation Package for the State to recover and bounce back economically. Senior PDP Leaders who sit in the State Cabinet today advocated economic and financial measures that would aid recovery. Ironically all these proposed measures that PDP advocated while in opposition have been abandoned by the State Government and its Finance Minister.

Soon after it came to power, and while presenting the maiden budget of the PDP-BJP Government, the State’s Finance Minister Dr. Haseeb Drabu preferred partisan politics and chose his own ego over the interests of the State when he questioned the authenticity of the 44,000 crore flood relief package submitted to the Government of India by the previous NC-led Government. This perhaps was the last escape route that New Delhi was seeking for averting the announcement of a Relief and Rehabilitation Package. The State continues to grapple with new fiscal challenges and the State Government is now resorting to lending from the IMF rather than pursuing the 44,000 crore flood relief package proposal.

The PDP-BJP Government’s poor handling of the State’s economic and fiscal system at the crucial juncture of post-flood recovery has landed the State into the midst a thick economic morass. Thousands of employees are without their salaries, the State treasuries are running dry, there is no money for reconstructing public infrastructure and no incentives and relaxations have been offered to our traders, businessmen, entrepreneurs and those home-owners who lost their homes in the September floods.

Payments worth millions payable to thousands of contractors remain pending as the Finance Minister swings between self-congratulatory statements and statements of helplessness.

It is evident now that the State is suffering due to the incompetence and inaction of the Mufti Sayeed-led PDP-BJP Government. The J&K Finance Minister’s famous “won’t go to Delhi with a begging bowl” remark has aptly showcased how the Finance Minister’s personal, isolated and egoistical approach has come at a cost of misery and economic deprivation for the State.

The recent visit by the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) proved to be a damp squib for J&K and as we saw the ball being passed from the State Government’s to the RBI’s court only to be passed onwards to the Central Government’s court.

The recent USD 250 Million loan from the IMF for reconstructing infrastructure and augmenting flood preparedness will clearly be not only inadequate but hard to afford without the desired grant-in-aid from the Central Government. It has become apparent that the State Government has acquiesced to a diktat from somewhere to stop following up on the 44,000 crore flood relief package.

The MoS Prime Minister’s Office, Shri Jitendra Singh has recently said that the Central Government has released all funds sought by the State Government. This has belied the State Government’s claims. The State Government and most notably the Chief Minister has chosen to remain silent on this revelation – as expected.

The State of Jammu and Kashmir meanwhile continues to suffer due to sheer fiscal incompetence and inaction – quite contrary to the ad nauseam academic theses that were thrown around by PDP leaders ahead of the Assembly elections.

3. Flood Victims – Rehabilitation Delayed is Rehabilitation Denied

The victims of the September Floods are inarguably the worst victims of the PDP-BJP Government’s apathy and ineptness.

Ironically the Flood Victims have been let down by the very political parties that foisted elections on them in the midst of devastation on the premise that a new government with a six year mandate was better suited for “speedy” relief and rehabilitation.

Soon after coming to power, the Mufti Mohammad Sayeed-led PDP-BJP Government has demonstrated a complete lack of political will to start the dignified compensation and rehabilitation of the flood victims. The Finance Ministry again has suddenly run out of ideas and the Chief Minister has little to offer on his whirlwind chopper tours.

Thousands of homes suffered partial and complete damage in the September floods. The previous NC-led Government utilized all possible resources in the immediate aftermath of the calamity to dispense interim compensation and fast-tracked the damage assessment process. A comprehensive 44,000 crore Flood Relief Package was proposed and sent to the Central Government. Till today there has been no clarity from New Delhi.

The State Government on the other hand seems to have summarily forgotten the plight of the flood victims. Thousands of traders, entrepreneurs, artisans and semi-skilled workers continue to live a life of hopelessness as the PDP-BJP Government is virtually missing from the ground.

Public infrastructure including roads and bridges suffered enormous damages in the September floods and there are still no visible efforts from the State Government to plan reconstruction. The first three months of the State Government’s innings have indicated its inherent lack of agility, imagination and empathy to rise up to the occasion and deliver justice to the flood victims.

Our roads are in a pitiable condition. In spite of the dire need to rebuild our roads and bridges, a recent revelation has brought to fore the State Government’s lack of seriousness in utilizing 157 crores granted under the PMGSY and intended for J&K Rural Roads Development Agency (JKRRDA). There are numerous other examples of the State Government’s shocking callousness at the very onset of its six year tenure.

The PDP-BJP Government’s admission of failure became public quite recently when, in a movie clip, PDP General Secretary Mr. Nizammuddin Bhat was seen telling a group of destitute women that “People here have lost compassion. And Mirwaiz would be (a) better person to help you”. This admission of failure by a senior PDP Leader is significant and has caused embarrassment to the Peoples’ Democratic Party. Unfortunately though, now in the Government – PDP is still refusing to get out of propaganda-mode and start delivering on its promises.

The PDP-BJP Mufti Sayeed-led State Government will have to realize that rehabilitation and relief post-calamity needs to be done within a required period of time. The notion that the flood-victims can wait is unacceptable. It has already been nine months since the devastation that J&K witnessed and there are still no signs of relief for thousands of flood victims.

Rehabilitation delayed is rehabilitation denied and that is precisely what the PDP-BJP Government has done. It has denied justice and rehabilitation to the flood victims.

4. Youth – Anti-youth Recruitment Policy

One of the policy first decisions of the PDP-BJP Government was the announcement of the “New Recruitment Policy” – a stipendiary recruitment policy for appointment against gazetted and non-gazetted vacancies on contractual basis.

Taking the ordinance route, The Jammu and Kashmir Special Recruitment Ordinance-2015 was approved by the State Cabinet on 19^th April and it was later submitted to the Honorable Governor. National Conference submitted a memorandum against the New Recruitment Policy to the Honorable Governor and has pledged to oppose the anti-youth policy tooth and nail.

Pertinently the Honorable Governor Shri NN Vohra returned the Jammu and Kashmir Special Recruitment Ordinance-2015 to the State Government after raising queries on the objectives and viability of the policy. Unmoved by the protests against the New Recruitment Policy, the Chief Minister has recently announced that the New Recruitment Policy would be put to use very shortly.

The New Recruitment Policy authorizes the Government to exempt certain posts or class of posts from the purview of the J&K Public Service Commission and the Services Selection Board – established institutions of recruitment with systemic checks and balances.

This is widely seen as the PDP-BJP Government’s aim to perpetuate large-scale backdoor appointments and has been widely questioned across the length and breadth of the State.

Also, the stipendiary arrangement is out rightly cruel for our educated unemployed youth. The recruited youth under this policy would get a small portion of their post-regularization salary for the first seven years.

At the completion of the first seven years, the recruited youth would be at the sole mercy of the State Government with the Government retaining the right to discharge and disengage employees after seven years – at will and whim. This would give rise to politicization and partisanship in the process of recruitment and would also leave thousands of young, educated youth without any career prospects as after being discharged on completion of seven years – there would be a dearth of possibilities as most of them would have turned over-age for Government jobs.

In PDP’s “Year of the Youth”, the first “gift” to the youth has made the youth wish and pray there are no more “gifts”.

5. Tourism – Reduced inflow, Increased Rhetoric. Irresponsive Government!

The Tourism industry in the State is going through a prolonged recession and in the absence of any support from the State and Central Governments after the floods, has struggled to bounce back. Tourism inflow into the State is roughly down to around 50% of the tourists that we used to get in corresponding months in previous years.

Hundreds of hotels in and around Srinagar suffered extensive damage in the floods. The State Government’s presumption that every hotel that was not adequately insured or uninsured should be left to grapple with failure and loss is a problematic approach. Problematic because a shortfall in the hospitality infrastructure in the private sector is adversely affecting hundreds and thousands of our citizens – directly and indirectly. Thousands of our youth are directly involved in the hospitality sector while thousands more benefit from it indirectly. The PDP-BJP Government has failed to appreciate the consequences of a slowdown in the Tourism Sector and this has hurt the State’s economy and added to the mounting unemployment.

This – the first Tourism Season in the aftermath of the September Floods is crucial for the survival of countless tourism entrepreneurs, hoteliers, house-boat owners and those connected to the tourism trade in other ways. The State Government has turned a blind eye towards the Tourism Sector.

The answer of the State Government to meet the crisis in the Tourism Sector has been five-star luncheons of the Chief Minister with Bollywood Stars in Mumbai and brazen efforts of preaching to the choir. Rather than working with local tourism players and facilitating them to reach out by augmenting their marketing capacities – our Chief Minister has chosen to go vacationing in Bollywood.

One of the most prominent failures of the PDP-BJP Government has been its failure to kick-start the Tourism Industry.

6. Neglect and Humiliation of Traders

Our traders and businessmen are arguably facing the toughest times they have witnessed in the past decade. There is a significant slowdown in the manufacturing and handicrafts sector. The small, nascent service sector in the State is struggling to survive in the absence of a decisive policy by the State Government.

Protesting traders have been cane-charged and dragged around on our roads by the Police. Their pleas for rehabilitation and compensation continue to fall on deaf ears. There is no word from the Chief Minister or his Finance Minister about what the State Government plans to do to help our traders to survive the consequences of an unprecedented natural calamity.

Pertinent to mention here – the current Finance Minister had said that the Government’s priority should be to get our businesses going as that would invariably lead to houses being repaired and reconstructed. Sadly while the State Government’s insensitivity towards flood victims who lost their homes and hearths continues unabated, it has also chosen to ignore the miseries of our traders and entrepreneurs.

After every natural calamity of this scale, the policy focus needs to be on aiding Small and Medium Enterprises to bounce back on their feet and restore their operational capacity – in turn aiding job-creation, turn-over and resulting in an economic recovery at the grassroots level. Unfortunately the present PDP-BJP Government seems to be a rule unto itself and has been an exception to this tried, tested and successful practice.

Before elections, PDP spoke at length about concessions and incentives that it would provide to the Trading and Business Community, if voted to power. There were promises of interest waivers, loan deferments and tax relaxations. All these promises – just like the political promises made in the ‘Agenda of the Alliance’ – have been broken at the very onset of this Government’s tenure.

After elections – the State Government has reduced itself to a cheque distributing, photo-opportunity craving enterprise with cheques offered after an elaborate and politicized sifting of flood victims.

The business and traders’ community has been humiliated and let down by the PDP-BJP Government.

7. Employees – Arrogance in dealing with their just demands

The PDP-BJP Government’s draconian, suppressive tendencies have been an open secret from the very first week of its tenure. Besides protesting flood victims and traders, our employees too have been at the receiving end of the Government’s batons.

While thousands of our teachers have not been paid their salaries in months, and as thousands of contractual and casual employees seek clear answers from the State Government about their future, instances of use of disproportionate use of force on protesting employees has become a common feature. The Government’s attitude towards protesting Rehbar-e-Taleem teachers too, for instance has been cringe worthy.

As opposed to the constructive relationship the previous Government had established with the employees, the present PDP-BJP dispensation seems to have gone to war with its own employees. Pertinent to note here is the success of the previous Government in resolving significant issues that were raised by the employees including increasing of the retirement age limit and the revision according to the relevant Pay Commission review as well as the process that was started to pay the arrears accrued in the past. These goals were achieved through sustained open-ended negotiations with the Employees’ Leadership.

Sadly the PDP-BJP Government, soon after coming to power, decided to take the route of confrontation with the employees. The result is that thousands of our employees are reeling under distress and uncertainty as the State Government continues to be clueless and wades in arrogance.

8. Political Instability – Contradictions and Imbalance

The recurring instances of socio-political friction in both Provinces of the State are a direct consequence of the never-ending contradictions between the rhetoric and actions of this Government.

While we were told about this Government’s intentions to go for a “Battle of Ideas” with those with dissimilar political views and ideologies, the actual approach of the Government has been the exact opposite. The popular phrase of refrain is that the PDP-BJP Government has in fact proven to support a “Battle against Ideas” approach.

The alliance continues to be viewed with doubt and suspicion in both regions of the State. There is widespread discontent on frequent u-turns and surrenders on political stands that had been taken earlier. There is a growing sense of uneasiness and apprehensiveness among the people as the trust-deficit between the people and the State Government keeps growing with each passing day.

To make things worse, the PDP-BJP State Government has resorted to retributive policies and has not hesitated to politicize governance. This has led to a growing sense of socio-economic and political insecurity in the State.

Ambiguity from the Government on various key, sensitive issues has led to an increase in incidents of provocation and friction. A big question mark looms on the writ of the State Government as cracks of disconnect continue to grow into ever-widening chasms of mistrust.

This mistrust has converged with the feeling of betrayal and exploitation among the people due to the PDP-BJP alliance. While PDP sought votes against the BJP in the Valley, the BJP sought votes on the basis of regressive rhetoric. Both parties continue to enjoy the spoils of power at the cost of their ideological underpinnings.

Frequent fixed-matches between PDP and BJP are aimed to give the semblance of morality – aimed at core constituencies that the two parties respectively exploited and lied to during elections. The fact that there is a Government in J&K free from the guiding contours of political ideology is a troublesome reality and is breeding discontent in the State.

Communal harmony in the State stands on a delicate, sharp precipice as the PDP-BJP Government has failed to strike a sense of regional balance since coming to power. The Government’s regressive, reactionary and isolated approaches have resulted in hostility and alienation – and for a State like J&K the consequences of such an atmosphere are always grave.

Issued by JKNC Media Cell

NC Headquarters, Nawa-e-Subha Complex, Srinagar