Page 9 - Tehelka-May18

jammu & kashmir

he partners, BJP- PDP-BJP coalition faces ongoing polarisation over
PDP, have differed the rape and murder of an
sometimes bitterly survival threat eight-year-old girl in Kathua
over most aspects would have us believe. The
T of the governance issue has taken on a strident
in the state, but, still have In the past four years of its six-year-term, the communal dimension and
gotten along. However, that the BJP, despite being a ruling
hardly means the alliance ideologically antithetical PDP-BJP coalition has party, has only aggravated the
faces no threat to its survival proved all predictions of its imminent break-up situation by its ambivalent
in the next two years — wrong. But that hardly means the alliance has had stance towards the crime and
it does. accused. It was only after the
The alliance could still an easy ride far from it, writes Riyaz Wani intervention of the Supreme
break up under the weight Court which has decided to
of its contradictions. All the monitor the trial in the case
same, there is every chance that some sanity has been
that it could make it to the restored.
full term, held together by Similarly, the BJP has gone
one overriding factor that against the call made in an
has saved it so far-lack of an all-party meeting in Srinagar
alternative. on April 9 for a unilateral
Yes, there isn’t a credible ceasefire in the state during
substitute. Both parties — PDP the period of Ramadan and
and BJP — represent J&K Amarnath Yatra. “No leniency
regions, Kashmir Valley and should be shown towards
Jammu respectively. militants. At this stage, we
In the last Assembly elec- can’t give an escape route to
tion, the majority Hindu com- militants and any opportunity
munity in Jammu province to regroup,” state BJP spokes-
voted en masse for the BJP, person Anil Sethi said. “The
giving it 25 out of the prov- militants are on the run and
ince’s 37 seats, thus making would be wiped out soon.”
the Hindu nationalist party • allies rule PDP and BJP represent The majority The BJP had earlier partici-
a major political actor in the Kashmir and Jammu respectively pated in the all-party meeting
state and a compulsory part Hindu and its leader and the J&K
of the state’s governing community in Deputy Chief Minister, Kavin-
structure. not only keep an entire region der Gupta, stood by the side
But in the Muslim major- out of its due share in political Jammu province of Chief Minister Mehbooba
ity Valley, the much-fancied power, a trigger for a desta- voted en masse Mufti when she made a call
PDP pulled off just 25 of the bilising regional discord, but, for a ceasefire during interac-
46 seats, with others being also, the BJP backed by its for the BJP, tion with the media following
divided up unevenly among own majority government at giving it 25 out the meeting.
the National Conference, the centre. “There is no doubt we have
Congress, People’s Confer- “How do you deal with of the province’s fundamental differences in
ence, Awami Ittehad Party such a hung verdict? What 37 seats our political and ideologi-
and the CPM. The PDP was other alternative was there?” cal stances, but, despite that,
helped along to its final tally asked J&K Government we have tried to make this
of 28 by its wins in three seats spokesman and the Public But, as the past four years government a success,” said
from the Muslim-majority Works minister, Naeem of the PDP-BJP coalition have a senior PDP leader. “It will
areas of Jammu.This made a Akhtar. “In a democratic set underlined, while the logic of be our effort to manage our
PDP-BJP coalition as the only up all regions of the state their respective mandate may differences in the next two
best possible political should get a share in the have brought them together, years too. If anything that our
arrangement for the state. power proportionate to their the arrangement hasn’t led state can’t afford under any
With BJP almost sweeping representation. And, when a to good governance. Nor in circumstances is for this alli-
Jammu, a new state govern- region largely rallies round any way have helped the tide ance to break.”
ment could only leave it out at a particular party, you can’t over the state’s political and
its own peril. For, this would deny power to it.” communal fault-lines, as the letters@tehelka.com

Tehelka / 31 may 2018 9 www.Tehelka.com

9.indd 3 17/05/18 3:30 PM