Mufti’s second term marked by four major controversies

SRINAGAR: Like most of his political career spanning nearly 67 years, the second stint of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed as Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, which turned out to be his last, was marked by four major controversies, which saw the PDP at loggerheads with the BJP, its coalition partner.

In grief: Former Chief Ministers of J&K Omar Abdullah and Ghulam Nabi Azad attend the funeral of Chief Minister Mufti Sayeed in Srinagar on Thursday. Tribune photo: Yawar Kabli

Ishfaq Tantry

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, January 7

Like most of his political career spanning nearly 67 years, the second stint of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed as Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, which turned out to be his last, was marked by four major controversies, which saw the PDP at loggerheads with the BJP, its coalition partner.

It took nearly two months of hectic back-channel negotiations to cobble together a coalition of the PDP and BJP, parties with divergent views on Kashmir and its special relationship with the Union.

In fact, emerging after a 90-minute meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on February 28 last year, during which both leaders exchanged a bear hug, Mufti quoted an Arabic proverb “Al haq- u-murrun walaw kaana durrun”, which means “truth is bitter, even if it is an invaluable pear”.

Praise for militants, Pak

On the very first day, there was bitterness for Mufti. During a press conference after he took oath as Chief Minister on March 1 last, he expressed gratitude to Kashmiri separatists, militant organisations and “forces from across the border” for (peaceful) conduct of Assembly elections in the state. This left the BJP red-faced and it later distanced itself from Mufti’s remarks.

Masarat’s release, re-arrest

As Mufti tried to settle down after assuming power arose another controversy on March 9 when the government released Hurriyat hardliner Masarat Alam, who had organised the 2010 unrest. The BJP protested this decision, asking how Mufti could order it without taking his coalition partner into confidence.

The government had to revise its policy towards separatists when it rearrested Masarat on April 17 from his house in the Habbakadal area of Srinagar and booked him under the Public Safety Act amid mounting outrage over raising of pro-Pakistan slogans and Pakistani flags at Geelani’s welcome rally in the Hyderpora area on April 15. Masarat continues to be under detention.

Hoisting of state flag

On March 12 last, Mufti was again in a spot when the General Administration Department issued a circular, making it mandatory for constitutional authorities in the state to hoist the state flag on their official cars and buildings. The controversial circular was withdrawn the next day under pressure from the BJP.

The March 12 circular was restored by the Jammu and Kashmir High Court through a judgment on December 18, the operation of which had now been stayed by a larger High Court Bench.

Beef ban & death of trucker

On September 11 last year came the High Court order on “strict implementation” of the ban on beef consumption in the state, which was greeted with “open defiance” in Kashmir. The timing of the order led to polarisation of the region. It was finally vacated by a full Bench of the High Court on October 16.

Though the controversy over the beef ban was settled, the damage had already been done as it led to violence, clashes and death of a Kashmiri trucker, Zahid Amad Bhat. Mufti described it as politics of hate and intolerance. Zahid sustained serious burn injuries during an attack in Udhampur on October 9.