Article 370, statehood restoration J&K poll issues now, not 'azadi'

SRINAGAR: “Azadi (freedom)” and greater autonomy, stirring slogans of Kashmir Valley in earlier elections, have given way to calls for restoration of special status under Article 370 and statehood ahead of J&K’s Sept 18-Oct 1 assembly polls.

In a sign of the change, National Conference (NC) president and ex-CM Farooq Abdullah vowed Monday to fight for the return of special status and move the Supreme Court again. The Centre had revoked the special status in Aug 2019 and the top court had upheld the decision in Dec 2023.

Farooq was speaking in Ganderbal, one of two assembly seats from where his son and ex-CM Omar Abdullah is in the fray. The other seat is Budgam.

Read also: Omar Abdullah challenges Amit Shah's stand in J&K

As “Azadi” and autonomy slogans fade, J&K’s two major regional parties, Farooq’s NC and Mehbooba Mufti’s PDP, have focused their campaigns largely on taunting adversaries as covert allies of “BJP” or as those “sponsored by BJP/RSS”.

In Ganderbal, Farooq accused Awami Ittehad Party (AIP), led by Baramulla MP Sheikh Abdul Rasheed alias Engineer Rasheed, of having adjustments with Independents backed by the banned Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI). “They are their (BJP’s) products. Tell me why he (Rashid) was released a few days before elections. But people are aware of such tactics,” Farooq said.

Rasheed was recently released for campaigning on interim bail from Delhi’s Tihar jail where he has been lodged in a terror funding case. Rasheed had defeated Omar in the Baramulla seat in this summer’s LS elections. “Rasheed has been sent to divide Muslims,” Farooq said, repeatedly questioning the timing of his release.

According to the NC chief, those who once spoke about ushering in “Nizam-e-Mustafa (Islamic Rule)” are now hand in glove with BJP. “NC did not create separatism. They were talking about Pakistan and raising slogans in their favour. However, they have joined BJP now,” Farooq said in a swipe at separatist elements contesting the polls.

Accusations of alignment with BJP/RSS drives voters away from such parties or candidates in the Muslim-dominated Valley. APNI party of Altaf Bukhari and Peoples Conference of Sajad Lone have suffered a dent in popularity due to claims of links with BJP. Congress breakaway leader Ghulam Nabi Azad’s Democratic Progressive Azad Party is hardly visible, not in the Valley, nor in Jammu division’s Chenab Valley where Muslim voters outnumber others.

Mehbooba’s PDP also carries the baggage of proximity to BJP as the two had come together in a govt after the 2014 assembly polls -- the last such elections in J&K. This time, Mehbooba is trying hard to shake off the perception by slamming BJP for revoking Article 370 and ending statehood.

Farooq’s NC had also partnered BJP when son Omar became a minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led NDA govt over two decades ago. However, with time, political analysts believe NC has shed the perception of proximity to BJP.

On its part, BJP is striving to overcome its image of a party confined to the Hindu-dominated Jammu region. PM Narendra Modi is likely to address a rally in Srinagar in the coming weeks. Union home minister Amit Shah has been already there on the ground, addressing rallies in Jammu and holding party meetings.

Select The Times of India as your preferred source on Google Search