Prof. M Y Ganai
Respected Mehboobaji
Assalam-u-Aliakum
From the core of my heart, I offer condolence to you on the sad demise of your beloved father. May God grant eternal peace to the departed soul.
I do realize that it is not the proper time to write an open letter to you. But, being the son of the soil I consider it my moral obligation to make a sincere suggestion to you. The main purpose is that if you want your organization should live long and should address the people’s grievances till the Kashmir imbroglio is addressed properly, better part ways with the communal forces as early as possible. Otherwise, your PDP will meet the same fate as National Conference has already met.
Having some expertise in state politics I am of the opinion that NC has failed miserably in safeguarding and maintaining to what we in academic language call Kashmir identity. In its lust for power it made big compromises on it. And the results are oblivious.
People had voted this organization to power in 1996 with the hope that they would get some relief against the prevailing hostile conditions. Contrary to that it aligned with communal forces at the Centre and instead of providing any respite to common man it itself became an instrument of repression by let losing the anti-insurgency agencies that caused enormous miseries even to the peaceful men of the street. Thus, the people in 2002 Elections delivered their verdict accordingly.
Your organization had provided an alternate platform to the people by ending NC hegemony in regional politics. But, unfortunately, by aligning with communal forces in recent past you have repeated the wrongs of the earlier guard.
Today an opportunity of parting ways with communal forces has arisen for you and don’t miss it. Try to form a Government in collaboration with secular forces. And if it would not materialize, prefer to remain in the opposition. That is what the political wisdom demands.
After aligning with BJP your organization had promised various achievements to the people. By now a year has already elapsed and I do not believe that anything has materialized to that direction so far. This is exactly what a good number of people including myself had conveyed your leadership through the medium of press well in advance. But, you did not entertain our suggestions at that time.
I once again request you please don’t confuse Modi as Atalji and don’t sell the mandate of secular people to communalists in your temptation for power. For a value based politician such an action is unwarranted, uncalled for and against the proprietary.
The politics of communal forces is above all based on hatred against the minorities. What wonders do you expect by aligning with the killers of Mahatama Gandhi and the creators of the Kashmir problem since 1947. If they have been able to rise to power at the Centre, it is largely due to the poor performance of the secular forces. But, keeping in view the political past of India their rise would once again prove abortive and the secular forces would again win the day.
So in the interest of the people of the State in general and the isolated and suffocated Kashmiris in particular I suggest you to take your time, think coolly and within the paradigm of Kashmir identity, that suffered immensely after the demise of Shaikh Abdullah, and decide accordingly.
We hope your decision will lift the spirits of a common Kashmiri.
(Prof. M. Y. Ganai, a social and political activist from Shangus, Anantnag, is the Head Department of History, University of Kashmir)
