NEWSLINKS
US EDITION
COLUMNISTS
DIARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
YEH HAI INDIA!
ELECTION 99
ELECTIONS
ARCHIVES

Search Rediff

Rediff Shopping

Shop & gift from thousands of products!   Books     Music       Apparel   Jewellery   Flowers   More..      Safe Shopping

Indifferent reaction in J&K to rejection of autonomy

Mukhtar Ahmad in Srinagar

The common Kashmiri remained as indifferent to the rejection of the state's autonomy resolution by the Union cabinet today as he did on the day when the state assembly passed the autonomy resolution.

However, this indifference does not mean that there is no heat on the issue in political circles here. "How can he get what he and his father willingly gave up. Such serious issues need a fighter and all of us know, Farooq Abdullah is anything but that," says Fayaz Ahmed, an advocate.

Tahir Ahmad, a computer engineer, is even more agitated.

"What will they offer to the All Party Hurriyat Conference when they are not ready to even concede anything under the Constitution of India. The National Conference is only demanding the restoration of eroded autonomy. They are not even ready to accept that the state's accession is limited to three subjects only. I feel there should have been a through debate on the issue".

Mehraj-Ud-Din, a fruit seller, says, "You see there is no reaction from the people on the streets. They are as unconcerned as they were when the resolution was passed. Will the restoration of autonomy solve the problem forever?"

"The Kashmir problem cannot be solved by short cuts like autonomy. It needs to be addressed in the right perspective. It is only Dr Farooq and his bunch of jokers who want its restoration," adds Zahir-Ud-Din, the associate editor of the leading English daily of valley, Greater Kashmir.

Mehbooba Mufti the firebrand Peoples Democratic Party leader and daughter of former Union home minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, says the NC passed the resolution only to sabotage talks between the Hurriyat and the government on India.

"It has served the limited purpose," she says and adds "Farooq has made the Kashmir problem look like a localised problem between the NC and New Delhi, not as an international one". Mehbooba says that the ruling NC made no attempt to first prepare the ground and then pass the resolution.

APHC leaders say that autonomy was a non issue for the separatist conglomerate. Adds Syed Ali Shah Geelani, APHC chairman, "We have made huge sacrifices and restoration of autonomy is not relevant to our struggle. The government of India selected Farooq in 1996 when the people rejected him." Geelani adds that "Farooq must step down now".

Abdul Gani Lone adds, "The rejection reflects the colonial attitude of New Delhi towards Kashmir". He says APHC is clear and said "if Farooq has the guts he must resign".

However for the the ruling NC leaders it was "wait and watch". "We are waiting for the return of our party president and then only will we decide our future strategy" says A R Shaheen, provincial president of the NC.

Reacting to the report, a senior NC leader said "the Union cabinet's rejection of the resolution has no legal validity. We are only demanding restoration of the eroded autonomy. We will continue our struggle".

Back to top

Tell us what you think of this report