IRFAN BABA
I may urge people to pay their electric dues.’ This statement came from Dr. Farooq Abdullah in 1996 while commencing new innings as Chief Minister post 1989, the year of inception with the help of his all time friend Mr. A. S. Dulat (Ex. RAW Chief). All time friend because it was after a meeting with Dulat, Farooq was recently released by Centre Govt. Although according to his book, ‘Kashmir, The Vajpayee Years’, The Prime Minister Mr. Narasimha Rao was inclined towards the Nelson Mandela Of Kashmir for Chief Minister position. However Shabir shah sought other favour from New Delhi. He wanted Govt. of India to help him in getting Nobel Prize which led to a clash between him and Nayeem Khan who could have probably been Dy. CM, had Shah accepted the offer.
The statement of electric bills came in his first address to the people, who were ruthlessly hurt, emotionally and economically as the massacres like Gow Kadal, Bijbehara and many others were fresh in memories. The shameful mass rape incident had recently happened in Kunan and Poshpora villages. Mirwaiz, Farooq’s friend cum enemy was killed, tourism, handicraft like back bone industries were crippled. Terror was visible in the atmosphere.
The statement was either a result of missing a roadmap for a deranged state, which could have been disclosed to the people otherwise and might provided a healing touch, a touch better than Mufti Syed’s. Since he had to hurriedly rush back from London to grab the opportunity before Shah would make his mind. So he might not have come with a plan for common man. Later he demanded Autonomy, though which stinged New Delhi who fielded more players for substitution like Mufti. To avoid any question on the future planning he would have chosen electric bills as shield. He must have preferred criticism over accusation of a plan-less politician. Else it was a thoughtless statement, which he is already famous for and often used as an example.
Post Article 370, politicians of valley not only lost credibility but importance too. Under Union Territory Status all men from MLC to Chief Minister are handcuffed before one man called Lieutenant Governor. Arvind Kejriwal is the prime example of such a case. This has indeed induced frustration among political fraternity and in many cases the frustration is apparent. Now a days we often hear statements from them that we never heard in past three decades, although there are many politicians who really felt at heart about removal of Article 370. Dr. Farooq may be one among them. Recently he unexpectedly protested against the fake encounter outside The Parliament. He delivered a surprise statement that the people of Kashmir no longer feel Indians, they prefer Chinese rule, though nobody was sure if he spoke about himself or people. However this statement had a potential to stir media houses. Incidentally they were busy in rigging TRP by using Sushant Singh Rajput’s suicide. Days back another fierce statement came in which he said that Chinese aggression is the result of Article 370 abolition and China can get 370 reinstated. This statement sparked controversy. Whole media is flared up and aligned. This may be the result of Mumbai Police action that media has begun struggling for TRP through genuine means. Or may be BJP has plunged in. They sharply condemned Farooq’s statement. Dr. Sambit Patra, BJP spokesperson correlated this statement with sedition and antinationalism. He out of habit did not miss to drag in Rahul Gandhi in it. He went up to the extent calling Farooq and Rahul two sides of the same coin and renamed them as Farooq Gandhi and Rahul Abdullah. He did not spare Mani Shankar and Salman Khursheed too.
On the other hand National Conference, Farooq’s party seemed defensive. They rejected BJP and media claims that Farooq said that China can reinstate Article 370. They accused both for manipulating the words of Farooq.
Undoubtedly media has got an opportunity to keep masses engaged through Farooq’s controversial statement especially in a time when Hathras horror is yet to fade off from minds. People all over India should know that Farooq is never taken seriously by his own people. His past is full of such acts and statements. He freely roamed with Bollywood heroines and aspired a date with Mamta Kulkarni when she was a sensation in the industry. To him Syed Ali Shah Geelani, the Ex. and longest rein Chairman of Hurriyat Conference is the a respected man, during his party rule Geelani was put in house arrest for years together like Yasir Arfat. He demands for autonomy but never tried to remove AFASPA. He protested against fake encounter while ignoring fake encounters of his tenure. His statements given in Geneva vary in New Delhi and in turns in Kashmir.
The recent Chinese Statement is indeed an outburst as Farooq Abdullah is hurt like the people in 96. However it is hard to say if he honestly feels about Article 370 or whining for statehood restoration.
Irfan Baba is author of a novel entitled ‘Love and the Other World’, can be reached at irfaan.baba@gmail.com
