Alka Lahori Handoo 

 

Sab ne maafkiya hai par mei hoon jiska (jinka) doshi:

kab tootegi Uske ( unke) ghayal hoontu ki khamoshi:

woh bhi maaf kare to jaanu, dil ko saaf kare to jaanu,

inssaf kare to jaanu, toh jaanu..,." , in my over-estimated anticipation, I thought he would come humming lyrics of the famous song, a la Rajesh Khanna ishtyle in Dushman, a heart wrenching emotional drama, where he seeks forgiveness of Meena Kumari, the main protagonist whose culprit he has been pronounced by the court of law.

But that was not to be. Unlike the super star in the film, PDP chief, Mufti Mohd Syed came, he saw, and did not stoop to conquer hearts. And like his previous attempts, left it at there. He was in the capital city last month, ostensibly for an interaction with Kashmiri Pandits at Samavar Convention Hall in Pamposh Enclave. There were individuals galore, but organizations conspicuous by their absence. Though PDP chiefs presence at the do was kept a guarded secret till the last moment, yet Kashmir watchers attached great significance to the event marking it first such 'ice-breaking' interaction between the two estranged sides in Delhi.

While both sides were at the best of behaviour and etiquettes, with Mufti personally reaching out and shaking hands with the individuals and KPs reciprocating the gesture with warm exchange of greetings, but sense of cold comfort and distant vibes between the two was not lost to the eye of discernible. Cautious optimism being the watch word, die-hard hopefuls waited, albeit with baited breath, for some ground breaking ( or earth shaking) package deal. What with KPs being flavour of the season, to whom every Kashmir based political party worth its name is trying to reach out and woo on its side of ideology through media and distant calls, it looked, at first sight, as if PDP chief was trying to steal a march over its political rival (s)—, be first to have them (KPs) on board with his political thought and practice. Some kept hoping (against hope) for long sought after explanation from the man widely believed to have orchestrated 1986 Anantnag riots, a precursor to 1990 Exodus.

 

However, Mufti ducked, dodged and side­tracked the contentious issues that have marred relations between Mufti, the politician and Kashmiri Pandits. He was non-committal about his party's support for Temple and Shrines Bill hanging fire in State Legislature, which the exiled community thinks could act as water testing for overhyped 'changed mindset' in Kashmir. He was also not forthright, in fact playing incoherent when asked where KPs fitted in his doctrine of Self Rule, seeking Kashmir's further fartherence from Indian dominion.

It was not only a 'chance lost' for Mufti, but he raised many an eyebrow and made faces go red and green in the audience when he, inadvertently or advertently, referred to a sinister piece of law, so inimical to KPs, as history making measure. In his total recall of Kashmir's contemporary history PDP chief downplayed (skipped) 1986 Anantnag riots and 1990 exodus, but eulogized the 'tall leader' Sheikh Mohd Abdullah for his 'historic Land Reform Act which

mostly affected KPs'...... 'but some Muslims also

came under its sweep', adding as a postscript. This is what is called touching the raw nerve, therefore bad politics. Land to Tillers Without Compensation has been touted as the most notorious piece of legislation ever enacted in any part of the world where land reforms have taken place. Enforced in 1975 post Indira-Sheikh Accord, the controversial law was more aimed at divesting KPs of their land holdings and bringing economic squeeze on them, in effect blunting their economic edge. Its successful implementation also set the tone for a slew of measures against beleaguered community for further tightening economic noose around them like denying access to government jobs and entry into professional colleges. That was in bad taste. In any reconciliatory effort truth has to be spoken first, that is why in international conflict management it is called Truth and Reconciliation. After making clean breast of or admission of a guilt, there has to be ground yielding exercise, more about give and take, from aggressor side to aggrieved party. Sticking to guns and not willingness to yield space will not break ice.  

DISCLAIMER:

The views expressed in the Article above are Alka Lahori Handoo’s personal views and kashmiribhatta.in is not responsible for the opinions expressed in the above article.

Courtesy: Naad: May 2012