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BJP, Cong against J&K autonomy bill

Amberish K Diwanji in New Delhi

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah's plan to demand greater autonomy for the state will face stiff opposition in New Delhi. The Bharatiya Janata Party, the largest constituent of the ruling National Democratic Alliance, and the Congress, the largest opposition party, have both strongly opposed the initiative by Abdullah's National Conference.

The Jammu and Kashmir state assembly in Srinagar today began a special session demanding greater autonomy. The session was noisy with opposition parties staging a walkout. Given the stiff opposition, observers in Srinagar doubted if a resolution will ever be tabled.

The resolution, if passed, will have to be sent to the President for assent for it to become a law.

In New Delhi, political parties see the move as a desperate measure by Abdullah to shore up his waning support in the state. "The entire plan seeks to divert the people's attention from the National Conference's abysmal failure to govern," said Congress spokesperson Anil Shastri.

The BJP also lambasted the move. " Abdullah is only trying to hide his failures in restoring normalcy by demanding more autonomy," said BJP vice-president and spokesperson Jagdish Prasad Mathur.

Bhushan Bazan, leader of the Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Forum, is scathing in his criticism. "Abdullah is only trying to cheat the people of Kashmir some more. He has done little for the state where even today people are being killed daily."

"Thirty people die in Bihar and there is talk of imposing President's rule, but 30 people are killed in J&K every day yet no one talks of dismissing the National Conference government," he said.

Bazan insisted that nothing would come out of this autonomy session. The 'misleading the people' theme was echoed by the others also.

"The next state elections are due in 2001 and Abdullah is worried that he is not going to win. He is therefore raising the autonomy issue in the hope that the Kashmiris will see him as voicing their demands," said Shastri.

Mathur also agreed that Abdullah was increasingly concerned about his decreasing base.

The BJP is of the view that there is no question of doing away with almost 50 years of history. "It is impossible to go back to the 1952 status. The situation has changed and we cannot just go back in time," said Mathur.

He added that the BJP was against the demand for any further enhancement of autonomy, firmly believing that the road ahead lay in further integration. In fact, the BJP is opposed to Article 370 that provides special status to the state.

The Congress said that it supports the case of autonomy as per the 1975 accord, signed between the then prime minister Indira Gandhi and Sheikh Abdullah, leader of the National Conference.

"The autonomy level provided in the 1975 accord is sufficient. It is not possible to go back to the pre-1952 autonomy level as demanded," said Shastri.

The Congress spokesman said that going back to the 1952 status would compromise the unity and integrity of India, hence it was unacceptable. "We cannot accept anything that would harm the unity of India," he said.

It is also believed that Abdullah is concerned by the centre's move to release jailed leaders of the All-Parties Hurrriyat Conference Syed Shah Geelani and Yasin Malik, who are popular in the valley. Union Home Minister L K Advani had also stated that the government would begin talks with the APHC leaders to restore peace to the state.

Incidentally, the APHC has opposed Abdullah's demand for autonomy saying it is not germane to the key issues that bedevil the state, namely the rights of the Kashmiri people to determine their future.

"Abdullah is afraid that he is being sidelined and with the return of the APHC to active politics, his base will be eroded," said an observer of Kashmiri politics. "Abdullah probably thinks that by raising the issue of autonomy, he will show himself as not being a stooge of New Delhi and regain popularity."

However, given the stiff opposition, both within and outside the state, it seems unlikely that Abdullah's plans will fructify.

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J&K opposition wants discussion on militancy, not autonomy

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