Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik has asked the political parties not to create “artificial fear” over Articles 35A and 370, the two constitutional provisions which define J&K’s special position.
The ongoing election campaign of the political parties in Kashmir has been revolving around safeguarding these articles.
A notion has been created that if people don’t want vote for the Kashmir based parties, J&K’s special status would be a thing of the past and there would be no one left to protect it.
Concern of the politicians towards special status is okay but there are other issues which too are of great importance. Why are these politicians ignoring these issues?
There are three parliamentary seats in Kashmir and the candidates, who win these seats, have to become the voice of people in the Parliament and make the country aware about the issues confronting the people of the Valley. They cannot just remain confined to raising slogans ahead of elections and then forget these after winning the polls.
The Governor Malik has also said that politicians are an important part of the system and the system cannot run without them. “I will make an appeal to all political parties with folded hands to talk about politics and election but don’t talk anything which is threat to peace and which will encourage separatism,” the Governor said.
Assertion of the Governor Malik is a clear message to all the Kashmiri leaders that they cannot cross the line and have to follow the rules of the game to be a part of the system.
As the things are shaping up it seems that New Delhi this time around has devised a clear cut policy about how to handle Kashmir. And the politicians have been left with no choice other than to fall in the line.