Jammu and Kashmir: Pahalgam Impact
Asia News Agency
After a remorseful Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s apologetic speech in the Assembly on April 28, the demand of statehood may have to postponed for some time. The Opposition, especially those based in the Valley, is hesitant to take on the Centre and the government of the Union Territory on issues that may come across as taking the soft separatism line.
“We think the appropriate time has come, six months have passed since the Assembly elections. Shah came here, I had a separate meeting with him, a good one … I am still hopeful that JK will soon get its statehood back,” Abdullah said last month after Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited the Union Territory.
But Pahalgam changed all that. In the Assembly last week, the CM said, “The security of Jammu and Kashmir is not our responsibility as of now, but I won’t use this occasion to demand statehood. After Pahalgam, with what face can I ask for statehood? We have talked about statehood in the past and will do so in the future too, but I may be cursed if I tell the Centre that 26 people have died and now give me statehood … Do you think that my politics is so cheap?”
Omar doesn’t want a confrontation with the Centre and is making the right noises, especially as he knows the gravity of the situation and understands that cornering the Union government over Pahalgam would pit him against them. He avoided targeting the Centre since coming to power six months ago, hoping to maintain good ties with it even as he pushed for the return of J&K’s statehood.
“Pahalgam is an emotional issue not just for the Centre but for all the people of India. Doing politics over it or trying to tell the Centre that it happened because law and order was not with the elected government is the most foolish thing to do right now. It would not only not go well with the Central government but also with the people of India. If we have to take something from the Centre, we can take it by working together and not by confrontation. The Modi government doesn’t like confrontation,” said a National Conference leader.
Anger over Pahalgam has silenced the Valley-based Opposition
The anger over Pahalgam has sent the Valley-based Opposition into silence. While the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and People’s Conference leader Sajad Lone usually do not miss an opportunity to hit out at the local or the Central government over emotive issues, they have preferred to keep quiet on this one.
Had the Pahalgam attack not happened, the demolition of the homes of the terrorists could have become a major political flashpoint, but this time, the Opposition first opted for silence, and when it did respond, its words were carefully weighed so that no one in Delhi would take offence.
“It is true that politicians are afraid to talk about demolitions and detentions after the (Pahalgam) attack. We are all guarded in our utterances because both the (Central) government and the people of the country are angry. I think we are more guarded in our responses. Anything politically incorrect will not be taken lying down by the Centre. This attack has put a curb on our freedom of speech,” said a PDP leader.
In his speech, Omar struck one positive note. Referring to the pan-Kashmir protests against the Pahalgam killings, he said: “Militancy, terrorism will not end till the people are against it. This is the beginning of that.” In that, many saw an underlying appeal for the restoration of statehood.
