By Sarla Handoo New Delhi (Syndicate Features): After the demand for a separate currency for Jammu and Kashmir by the Finance minister of the state, it is now the PDP supremo Mufti Mohamad Syed himself raising another storm through his latest statement. Tariq Hameed Qarra, the PDP minister in the coalition Government, dropped the red herring some two months ago. Mufti now calls for duel currency in the state–Pakistani currency along with Indian currency- when Kashmir becomes a free trade area.
To justify his demand Mufti draws parallel with the associations like the European Union and the ASEAN which are far too integrated organizations. Does Mufti want a serious debate on the subject or he and his party leaders throw such tantrums to divert public attention from the main issues? Two of his ministers- Afzal Qazi and Hameed Qarra - have been involved in serious corruption charges recently, leading to disruption of proceedings in the State Assembly for days and forceful demands from the opposition parties that both of them should resign. Could it be that the Mufti plays this intelligent trick to get out of the situation?
Presuming that he is serious about the demand for a duel currency, there is nothing like a free trade area in Jammu and Kashmir as of now. . Where is the question of such a demand, therefore? At the moment goods are being transported across the Line of Control under a strict regime. That too after hard negotiations during the composite dialogue process. Even today, bulk of the trade between the two countries takes place through the third countries making things costlier for the people in the two countries.
Has the demand to do some thing with the ensuing elections in the state? Right now it looks like that. Is Mufti trying to give people the impression that he is working for bringing them closer to Pakistan? It is common knowledge in the Valley that Mufti Mohammad Syed was involved in the communal riots in Kashmir in 1986. It was then that the first major migration of Kashmiri Pandits took place from Vanpoh, Khanabal, where several temples were razed to the ground and Pandit families forced to leave. Subsequent events proved that it was a trailer to mass migration of Pandits from all over the Valley in 1989.
To be fair to Mufti, he has been practically the torch bearer of Indian sovereignty in Jammu and Kashmir for a long time. In fact he was the man who confronted the towering Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah to oppose his philosophy of plebiscite. It was Mufti’s tenure as Pradesh Congress President that witnessed a huge rally by the people raising pro- India slogans and protesting against the state government for a hike in electricity fees. The police fired on the demonstrators killing 9 persons. The state had not seen such a pro- India rally before or afterwards.
What are Mufti’s compulsions now? Elections obviously. Is Mufti’s daughter Mehbooba, following the foot steps of her father? Recently in Pakistan, Mehbooba, who heads the PDP, raised the issue of joint control of undivided Jammu and Kashmir by India and Pakistan. She had gone there to attend the Pugwash Conference on Kashmir. Does she believe that giving Pakistan a greater say in Kashmir can resolve the dispute? There are a whole lot of people to dispute this. No one can forget that a prominent leader of the state, Abdul Gani Lone was killed by the militants because he spoke against the foreign (Pakistani) militants in Kashmir and wanted them to leave the state
Yet, to be fair to Mehbooba, some of her statements in Pakistan regarding Kashmir were quite positive. For instance she ruled out independence for Kashmir as also its merger with Pakistan though she disfavoured its merger with India as well. Self- rule for Kashmir is her panacea for all the ills of Kashmir. And her definition of this self rule is as confusing as anything.
It would be interesting to find out why the father - daughter duo is taking a flip flop attitude on the Kashmir issue at different points of time. At the time of last elections, they vociferously advocated the cause of opening the Srinagar- Muzafarabad road. Now it is, separate currency for Kashmir, duel currency in Kashmir (Pakistani currency) and Joint control over Kashmir. It is ridiculous to take shelter under the Prime Minister’s earlier statement because what he had said was joint management of resources for mutual good which is altogether a different thing.
Agreed, politicians are more concerned about the next election than the next generation. That is what distinguishes a politician from a statesman. As politicians the duo may think that by taking such an attitude they can get more votes in the valley. That may be even be true to some extent. But don’t they owe it to the people of the state, who suffered under militancy for two decades now, to care about their day-to-day problems? Are they not, as responsible leaders, expected to refrain from cashing on sentiments for petty political gains? It is for the leaders to decide, in any case. (Syndicate Features)
