| Editorial Farooq's
mistake
NEW Delhi for once acted decisively in rejecting the autonomy resolution passed by the
State Assembly at the behest of Dr Farooq Abdullah and his party, the National Conference.
But Farooq did not attack the BJP or NDA. He instead chose to blame the RSS for his
discomfiture. He even went on to accuse the RSS of always being anti-Muslim—betraying
his party's erstwhile Muslim Conference background—but thereby conceding
inadvertently though, that the demand for autonomy has a Muslim tag. He even alluded to
dangers to the unity of India if the Muslims in Kashmir were treated like this. One,
however, need not feel disturbed over the broadside from an angry man who could not get
things the way he wanted, and as the case with all such persons is, he emptied his anger
on the RSS.
In his frustrated rage, Farooq did not care to remember that the RSS opposition to the
autonomy resolution stemmed from a national consensus against autonomy, a factor which
weighed heavily with the Vajpayee Cabinet in rejecting the June 26 J&K Assembly
resolution. But one need not blame Farooq alone because it has become a fashion with all
such elements to blame the RSS day in and day out. RSS is one organisation in the country
which never compromises on issues involving national interest. From Nehru to Indira to
Sonia, RSS has been the whipping boy because it has always opposed the divisive politics
played by the Congress, the Muslim League and Muslim Conference, rechristened later as
National Conference. But Farooq has his own compulsions in getting the autonomy resolution
passed. He had fought the Assembly election on the autonomy plank. Now before another
assembly poll due next year he wants to play the same card again because the people are
unhappy with his misrule. He also does not want the Hurriyat Conference to steal the show
at the proposed talks HC is going to have with the Centre.
The autonomy plank is thus Farooq's one-up-man-ship against Hurriyat as well as the
Centre. But both Hurriyat and National Conference should know that they are not the only
representatives of the Valley. The Kashmiri Pandits too have a stake in the proposed talks
whenever they are held. Instead of using the autonomy plank, Farooq will do well to
confront the Hurriyat with the problem of the Pandits by whose security and well being he
often swears. That may help him keep the Hurriyat at bay. Attacking the RSS, on the other
hand, will alienate him from the nationalist forces who are all opposed to the autonomy
resolution. Opposition to autonomy, however, should not be understood as opposition to
devolution of more powers to the States to enable them to govern the State better than
they do now. But unfortunately, the devolution of more powers to States is being carried
to the extent of autonomy enjoyed by confederating States—a concept which is wholly
repugnant to the scheme and spirit of the Indian Constitution. Strictly speaking, the
Indian Constitution does not even provide for a federation as is understood by the term;
it only provides for a Union of States having a number of unitary factors. Article 370, in
that sense, is an exception albeit a temporary one, in the words of Nehru, destined to
wither away. Farooq's attempt to put the clock back was thus bound to fail. The Centre
quickly and appropriately stopped it before it could do any further damage. |
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