New lines on political horizon

Arun Joshi
Tribune News Service
Jammu, September 3

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Post Gupkar Declaration 2.0 of August 22, when the political parties had started organising their activities on the limited playfield in Kashmir, it was squeezed for the PDP of Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday as new lines seemed to have been drawn as to who was permitted and who was not, a question that the party asked with all the anger and logic.

The meeting that did not take place would have been the first of the party since August 5 last year. It was to be attended by senior leaders of the party since the party chief Mehbooba Mufti continues to be under detention under the stringent Public Safety Act for almost 13 months now.

Since August 22, NC has held two meetings on August 29 and September 2 at its office in Srinagar. The Congress, too, has held meetings in Srinagar and Anantnag.

The BJP, of course, has been organising its meetings and its leaders travelling across J&K to increase the party’s footprints in the UT. BJP’s national general secretary Ram Madhav had been advocating political activity in the UT.

But the PDP, after its meeting was disallowed, has questioned; “Why is the PDP being discriminated against? Why are these people being detained unlawfully? Under what law is their detention justified? These tweets were put up by Iltija Mufti, daughter of Mehbooba Mufti. Other leaders wondered who was “petrified of the PDP”.

It is feared in official circles, though it is not being admitted on record, that the PDP may take the Gupkar declaration of restoring special status and statehood to the next level. That’s believed to be one of the reasons for Mehbooba’s continued detention.

Two former Chief Ministers Farooq Abdullah and his son Omar Abdullah were set free in March this year. Both were detained under the PSA. Mehbooba is the only former Chief Minister who continues to be under detention.

The authorities are perhaps apprehensive that Mehbooba known for her reputation as an unyielding leader may start a new narrative on Article 370 and Article 35A that may stir up emotions on which the administration wants to keep a lid as long as possible.