'The BJP is thinking of advancing the polls before the situation deteriorates further in Kashmir.'
Tariq Hameed Karra resigned from as the Lok Sabha member from Srinagar and from the People's Democratic Party, of which he was a founding member, in September 2016 in protest against the PDP-Bharatiya Janata Party government's failure to curb the 'repression and oppression' of Kashmiris and the central government's 'failure to find a solution' to the Kashmir problem.
While resigning his seat -- which he had won in 2014 after defeating the National Conference's Dr Farooq Abdullah -- Karra said it was not acceptable to him to see the PDP joining hands with the BJP as the latter was pursuing the RSS's agenda in the Kashmir valley.
After resigning from the PDP, he joined the Congress party where he remains to this day.
"This withdrawal was a pre-emptive measure. The BJP did it today, maybe PDP would have done it tomorrow," Karra tells Rediff.com's Syed Firdaus Ashraf.
Your first reaction to the BJP withdrawing support to the PDP in Jammu and Kashmir?
This had to happen. On both sides, the intention was to grab power.
Two divergent agendas could not have gone together.
The only meeting point for both of them was to grab the chair.
They had no moral authority to form the government because both the parties fought against each other and sought votes.
People never accepted this government and they said it was an unholy alliance of two divergent ideologies.
As the late Muftisaab (PDP founder Mufti Mohammed Sayeed) said, it was like the North Pole and the South Pole coming together, but in our belief (Islam), that happens only on the Day of Judgement.
Earlier governments were successful in moving forward to create a peaceful environment, but this unholy government wasted everything.
Why did the BJP withdraw from the alliance at this point in time?
When the BJP wants to go in for general elections, I feel they cannot carry the PDP along with them all over India.
Today's decision indicates that Prime Minister Narendra D Modi will advance the general elections, that is why he got rid of the PDP.
Modi's graph is going down across India and the Modi wave is no longer going to be repeated.
The BJP is thinking of advancing the polls before the situation deteriorates further in Kashmir.
They cannot face general elections with this kind of situation in Kashmir when they are in a government with the PDP.
People will question the BJP throughout India.
For four years they enjoyed power and did Constitutional degradation in which the PDP became a facilitator to implement the RSS's agenda in Kashmir.
What about the Ramzan ceasefire which the PDP wanted extended, but the BJP did not? Is that why they withdrew support?
Which ceasefire are you talking about? It was only melodrama.
Sitting in an air-conditioned office and announcing a ceasefire does not mean there was a ceasefire on the ground.
Every day there was killing on both sides, militants as well as security agencies.
The BJP helped Pakistan as things which Pakistan could not do, the BJP helped them in doing in Kashmir.
The BJP is a nationalist party, even you cannot deny that. They are teaching Pakistan a lesson in Kashmir, so your statement doesn't stand scrutiny.
Which nationalism you are talking about?
You need to review the nationalism concept of yours.
The BJP misgoverned Kashmir and they did everything wrong because of their agenda.
Kashmir is slipping away.
The BJP is considered to be anti-Kashmir and anti-Kashmiris.
They are against the Constitutional guarantees of J&K which had acceded to India under certain conditions and guarantees.
Kashmir is just a vote bank for BJP. They are withdrawing now and will go around India to gain votes in the name of J&K.
if I am not mistaken, journalist Shujaat Bukhari's murder was mentioned as one of the reasons by BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav while announcing the withdrawal of support to the PDP.
These murders happened earlier too. This withdrawal was a pre-emptive measure.
The BJP did it today, maybe the PDP would have done it tomorrow.
Do you think not extending the Ramzan ceasefire was the reason for the withdrawal of support?
The BJP has given a slap on the face of the PDP. They have put the PDP in a tight corner.
The PDP was selling the Ramzan ceasefire among the people of Kashmir and the BJP was waiting for its timing.
I had predicted one year ago that this government will not last beyond June.
What will happen in Kashmir now?
Kashmir is burning and slipping out of hand.
The situation is like you are holding sand tightly in your fist.
The sand is the Kashmiri people who are slipping out and the fist is the security forces.
Superficially, you will see that Kashmir is in your fist, but as your fist gets fatigued, the sand will slip out.
This is the situation of Kashmir today.
What was the common agenda of both parties when they entered into an alliance?
It was a loosely-knit agenda without head or tail.
It was an unsigned document which nobody understands, that was released on the day of the oath-taking of the government.
They arrived at a common minimum programme, but never made it public and never signed on it. It is just a booklet.
On the contrary, when the PDP and Congress had an alliance they made a common minimum programme which was signed by both the parties.
Ask the BJP and PDP where is the signature?
This alliance was a sham as they cheated the people of J&K.
Muftisaab must have thought it through before agreeing to this alliance.
The BJP-PDP alliance was like mixing oil and water. Can you mix them?
Why did you resign as the PDP's Lok Sabha member from Srinagar?
I felt the PDP cheated the people of Kashmir as they asked for votes against the BJP and then went on to form a government with them.
Read my resignation letter. Even Nazi forces will feel ashamed to see what is happening in Kashmir.
But they must have done something good for Kashmir in the last four years.
They only looted. The BJP looted for its own good and the PDP did the same.
Ask the common man of Kashmir and find out what good they did to Kashmir.
What happens to Mehbooba Mufti now politically?
By tying up with the BJP she committed political suicide. Now it is up to the people of J&K to decide her fate.
Do you think fresh elections will be held soon?
I feel the BJP will advance the elections to Parliament as well as J&K together.
I have also said that Atal Bihari Vajpayeeji and Modiji's politics are different.
Vajpayee believed in hand-holding and Modi believes in arm-twisting.
What is the message that goes on the ground in Kashmir from this political drama?
The people will be more than happy. They never wanted this unholy alliance in power.
I've always said the day this government falls, things will improve.
Can we say that whatever Delhi wants, only that happens in Kashmir?
Delhi wished to do many things in Kashmir, but whatever the people of Kashmir want, only that will happen in Kashmir.
By oppression and repression you are losing Kashmir.
Oppressive and repressive measures will never be accepted here.
The mighty Emperor Akbar was defeated thrice by Kashmiris. It was only by deceit he could come over here and rule.
You read Rajatarangini (the history of Kashmir in Sanskrit).
It says if you treat the Kashmiri with love they will be your slaves, but the moment you act tough he will never (bow).
You speak to him with love and compassion, it can never be handled by oppression and suppression.
Vajpayee showed that, Dr Manmohan Singh showed it too, and Sonia Gandhi too did.
