Srinagar December 18 (KNS) Kashmir News Service (KNS): How do you see ongoing political situation of J&K?

Azad: Jammu and Kashmir is without elected assembly for more than six years. People of J&K are more than politicians and leaders who are anxiously waiting for elections. Recently elections held in four states of the country, but authorities again disappointed J&K. This doesn’t mean the incumbent administration is not working. I do not blame them why all things are not being addressed. We know wherever Governor Rule is imposed, many things left unaddressed in such areas. It is actually a flaw of Governor Rule. This Rule remains hardly imposed for five or six months, but in J&K it is imposed from last six years. When work of MLAs does officers it becomes that things go unconstitutional. Legislators or elected representatives are no where existing. Now even Corporators will go in hide, don’t know for how long? In coming times DDCs and BDCs will too go disappeared. No doubt BJP took a decision to bring democracy and powers at lower level but it was also a wholehearted demand of Congress from the very long back. But in absence of elected representatives the administrative officers are doing legislation work besides their own official work. We should know that legislation cannot be handled by officers. It needs an experienced politicians Legislation part is missing in J&K for past six years, unfortunately. People are badly missing it and are facing lot of inconvenience. Many political leaders come to serve people like Gandhi Ji served. From last ten-twenty years we have seen a political class who makes money and business out of their political activities. Another category feels if they will not work for people they will be thrown out in next elections. This means sword of domacles remain handing over heads of elected representative and as such they are duty bound to work for the welfare and betterment of people, instead of handling issues by any officer who have no relation with political affairs. So I believe assembly election is the panacea for all difficulties or diseases J&K is going through at this juncture.

KNS: Is BJP behind delay in polls?

Azad: If any political party believes BJP is deferring or delaying assembly elections in J&K then I will consider it their ill-minded thinking. The more you defer or delay elections, the more it becomes toughest for the ruling government. This will impact government badly. It shouldn’t be delayed a bit now as Parliament polls are ahead. Elections for Jammu and Kashmir should be conducted in May – June 2024.

KNS: What changes did you see from past few years in J&K?

Azad: In last one and a half year, I got enough opportunity to visit higher reaches of Jammu and Kashmir like Tangdar, Gurez etc. I reached these far-off areas by road which I were used to reach by helicopter. I stayed many days there and met people at grassroots level. I came to know about many things during the visit. Law & Order situation remained on track during last four-years but restarted to deteriorate from last one year. Terror incidents restart emerging which should be a grave concern for government and security agencies. There is a matter of giving credit and dis-credit to government. There were days when strikes (hartals) were order of the day, but it has been curbed. Further Kashmiri fire pots (kangri’s) were used in protests but later on these were replaced with stones (stone-pelting) which too have been ended with efforts taken up by government and security agencies collectively. Today we see employees keep punctuality in offices intact which is a positive thing. But there is a concern on electricity supply. In our times there were limited cuts but today it seems unending. When we say people are using heaters but at the same time we do not allow them to axe firewood, even government depots have stopped the supply. So in such a situation what people will do? This was once a good source of revenue for the government. The major portion of wood was using in construction of houses. Firewood and non-availability of power supply are connected with each other and need to be understood. Another issue is rising unemployment in the region. Many people come from outside J&K and earn livelihood here besides employing others as well. Today we are being told that huge influx of tourists is visiting Kashmir but in reality it hardly impacts our livelihood. In past tourists used to visit Kokernag, Daksum, Aharbal, Yusmarg etc but today they are limited to few popular destination that squeezes the avenues of employment and revenue.

KNS: What prompted you to launch DPAP?

Azad: I spent 45-years at National level political arena and gave my youth hood to Congress party. Post-abrogation of Article 370 I realized that people of J&K are in utter pain as local politicians had kept grave silence. They polarized themselves only for first six months of their turn and left people for four-and-a-half-year at the hands of God’s mercy. Since I launched DPAP I am in constant touch with my people to ease out their pain and suffering. In past I brought Roshni Act and paved way for poor and underprivileged to avail benefits of land, but incumbent government revoked this act against which I protested at 85 occasions at district, sub-district and tehsil level while other political parties only issued a single paper statement on it. I even talked to Lieutenant Governor J&K and conveyed to Union Home Minister Amit Shah that the protest will not end till the decision of evicting poor is not stopped.

KNS: Do you avail patronage of New Delhi?

Azad: This is laughing. It does not suit to level allegations on me by those who had remained in power in New Delhi or shared power in J&K. Those formed coalition with BJP in Jammu and Kashmir shouldn’t blame others for patronage. People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones to others. I believe in Allah and is availing His patronage. I know who seek appointment with BJP in the dead of night.

KNS: Do you feel alliance of J&K Political parties will get Article 370 back?

Azad: We all know that few political parties sought votes from people on return of Article 370. This was all to hoodwink gullible masses. Earlier people cheated in the name of Azadi, Self Rule, Autonomy, etc. But later on nobody uttered a single word what happened with these slogans. I said this is not in the hands of State assembly. NC has only three MPs and it will never go to 4. When these three MPs are unable to change something, how it is possible they will restore the rights taken away on August 5, 2019. Be it abrogation of special status or moving of Amendment and Reorganization Act bills in the Parliament, the regional political parties didn’t protest on it. BJP took the decision when they have 86 percent support in the Parliament. So there is a question when J&K political parties get such a huge support, never. So keeping such circumstance into consideration I believe only two institutions can restore special status of J&K under Article 370 and 35(A) – Parliament or Supreme Court. But if any political group of J&K claims they will get it back, it is only a gimmick and an attempt to hoodwink people. Let them convince Prime Minister Narendra Modi on this issue before Parliamentary elections, I assure them that I will join their party. But in reality political parties are playing big fraud with people on return of Article 370 and 35(A).

KNS: How do you see INDIA alliance?

Azad: I’m not against INDIA bloc. If they will come to power I have no issue with them. It will be good for the country. Let us see whether the alliance will survive till elections or it will collapse before polls. It is easy to form alliance at leadership levels but toughest to carry on at grassroots level. Political parties survive only when they will fight against each other. It is not so easy to get Article 370 back the way they are asserting.

KNS: You severed ties with Congress. Why?

Azad: Congress has no work culture generally in the country and particularly in Jammu and Kashmir. I repeatedly communicated things to Congress leadership and urged them to take reformative measures, but they didn’t pay heed to my suggestions. There is only coalition with parties prior to elections. My fight with the Congress was only to gear up its activities and take go for reformation within. Till Rajiv Gandhi, things were normal to some extent but later it saw a gradual decline. This trend deteriorated Congress party badly. Earlier I was putting up suggestions verbally to party leadership but in January 2013 I made a draft and approved it from party’s Working Committee to take up steps for 2014 polls. But despite passing one-and-a-half-year nothing was done on this front. This random and unorganized system collapsed Congress party within and made senior leaders vulnerable to others.

KNS: How do you see LG’s government?

Azad: The present LG government has failed to provide adequate electricity to people of J&K. It also failed in generating employment opportunities. Inflation has worsened the lives of poor. Also this administration is recruiting less and expelling more.  I didn’t see any person to get employment. This is negative part of this government. People shouldn’t rely on falsehood. They should tread on right path and avoid those who befooled them in last several decades for political interests.(KNS)