B L Saraf

Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) has made its intentions clear to return to the electoral politics of the state, by taking part in the Assembly elections likely to be held in September. Ghulam Qadir Lone, head of the eight member committee which looks after the organizational affairs of JI told media persons in Srinagar, “we are returning to the original “Dastoor” (the JI constitution), the pre- 1987 position.”

Talking to the National print media he explained that families which are the victims of turmoil, in Kashmir, approached the party to do something beneficial for them and it was mainly for this purpose that “JI chose this option (election).” According to him, the election was the best way to connect with the people and, in this regard, it would be better to stand on its own rather than supporting any other party.

The JI, at the moment, stands banned by the orders of Union Home Ministry. Lone told media that talks have been going on with the Centre for some time for lifting the ban and he was hopeful of a positive result.

The knowledgeable sources in Kashmir say that the JI has stood the first test successfully (desired by the Centre) by taking an enthusiastic part in voting in the May, 24 Lok Sabha election. The head of the committee said that JI is ready to forget the past and work with any political party in alliance.

GQ Lone made it clear that JI doesn’t consider any political party its rival and, interestingly, went on to say “when the country and the constitution is one, what is the harm in opening doors for any other party.”

If JI’s latest move to enter the electoral fray in J&K materializes it will, indeed, be other major policy shift of the party after it had disassociated itself from the terrorist activities, in 1998.

Many people in Kashmir had the inkling that something is brewing between JI and the Central Government. In this connection, Delhi’s to and fro movement of a person who heads the post August 5th, 2019 born political outfit gave indications of it . Now the proverbial cat is out of the bag.

Influenced by the puritan thought which prevailed over major part of the Muslim world, the JI has been in Jammu Kashmir’s socio / religious field well before the electoral politics set in, in 1952. Its political ambitions, though, took root in 1967 and blossomed fully in 1971, when it made an open entry to the electoral midstream.

In addition to the Assembly seats the party participated in Lok Sabha polls of 1977, as well. Many in Kashmir hold a belief that the JI’s political ambitions were nurtured by the then bigwigs of Kashmir Congress, who ruled J&K at different times – one of them in a changed avatar.

That time, JI was propped up in a bid to thwart Sheikh Abdullah and his Plebiscite Front which commanded huge influence across sections of Kashmir population and in substantial portion of the Jammu populace. Internal bickering among the top Congressmen in J&K too played some part.

It has been in Kashmir’s political air that Muslim United Front (MUF) was conceived as an idea by the men who, at the time, mattered most in the Delhi Durbar.

It is a different story that once the political and administrative situation went in turmoil in Kashmir it took no time for its head to turn into a “villain”. It was as a constituent of the MUF that JI contested (now discredited) 1987 Assembly election to challenge Farooq / Rajiv accord.

It is a statement of the truth that ‘in the national interest ‘agencies of the Central Government (irrespective of the hue) are always in lookout for the “convenient political forces who can keep the incumbent administrator on the tenterhooks, in Srinagar, and play to their tune as and when situation demands so. What began in 1953 continues unabated, till today.

Rightly or wrongly, to many in the J&K PDP is a brainchild of the Central Government which ruled in 1999-2002. The Government wanted to checkmate NC and CM Farooq Abdullah who bothered it with his Autonomy document.

An impression grew in Kashmir that the growth of PDP as a political party- separate from the Congress from whose cadre the party borrowed extensively – was largely dependent upon the support at the grass root level and logistic provided by the JI.

JI is said to have immensely contributed to the PDP’s success in 2002 Assembly elections where after late Mufti Sayeed formed a coalition Government with INC, Jammu’s Panthers Party and some others.

The BJP seems to have many cards up the sleeve, as indeed all the Central Governments do have so far as managing Kashmir is concerned, which it plays at occasions with a view to find some space in the Kashmir Valley . Apparently, Apni Party and Ghulam Nabi Azad’s Cards have lost the potency.

So a new one is about to be thrown on the table. Could it be the JI? Very difficult to hazard a guess. However, the head of the Jamaat, G Q Lone has given some food for the thought on the subject.

He said “They want to serve the people and don’t consider any political party their rival. When the Country and the Constitution is one, what is the harm in opening the door for any political party? “Quite a loaded statement!

“Nation comes first”, BJP knows it better. We, therefore, trust that the party understands how dangerous it becomes to have a truck with the political forces whose nationalistic credentials are suspect. The separatism and sectarian agenda may have slowed down in the Valley but the ‘sentiment ‘has, surely, not ebbed out.

Latest electoral result of the North Kashmir is an indication. Nation cannot afford another Bhindrawala, a Frankenstein created by Indira Gandhi to further her party interest in Punjab. How it turned out later on need not be repeated here.

One believes that the BJP will not like its spokesperson to struggle on the national TV Screens on the issue of JI, as they do when asked by the rivals to explain BJP’s compulsions in aligning with the PDP to form Government in J&K, in 2015.

However, having reaffirmed faith in the country’s constitution it is good for the nation and J&K if JI returns to the electoral mainstream. After all, it still commands substantial influence in Valley and the hilly regions of Jammu province which can be utilized to usher in complete normalcy in J&K and the return of the IDPs to their roots, in Kashmir.

(The author is former Principal District & Sessions Judge)