By preventing leaders of the Opposition from visiting the violence-torn Kishtwar region, the Jammu and Kashmir Government has strengthened the suspicion that it has something to hide. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has sought to justify the action by pointing out that leaders of all parties, including that of his own and the Congress, have been barred because their presence could add fuel to the fire.
But that is only a smokescreen to explain away the undemocratic decision. Would he have applied the same yardstick if Congress president Sonia Gandhi or Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had decided to pay a visitIJ leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley was detained at and sent back from Jammu airport, while Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti was put under house arrest to stop her from visiting Kishtwar. The Chief Minister believes that leaders of the BJP and the PDP are trouble-makers and that they have a record of fomenting trouble; he cites the unrest in 2008 in the Kashmir valley. Of course, he is factually wrong as far as the BJP's role is concerned. Regarding the PDP's contribution, it must be said that the party has not always spoken unambiguously against anti-India elements that operate in the State. Still, Ms Mehbooba Mufti is an elected leader and cannot be stopped from visiting trouble-spots in the State in her capacity as a representative of the people. Mr Abdullah's contention that these leaders could stir passions and worsen the situation is laughable, given that the culprits of the unrest and violence, that has left at least three persons dead and property worth crores of rupees destroyed, are roaming free in the region. There are reports that prominent National Conference leader Sajjad Kitchloo had at best watched quietly while the town burned, and at worst provoked the anti-India gathering to rampage. Not just the Opposition, but even some leaders of the Congress (which is part of the State's coalition Government) have accused Mr Kitchloo of fomenting trouble and delaying the deployment of the Army. He had allegedly put spokes in the administration's move to formally ask for the Army, which meant that the town burned for several hours before the Army conducted its first flag march. The State's police was clearly under pressure to intervene in a very minimal manner, regardless of the growing violence. Mr Kitchloo resigned on Monday as Minister of State for Home, but that is not going to contain the damage.
The situation came under some control — though peace still remains tenuous at best — after the Army stepped in. No one is going to believe that the State machinery does not have information about those who organised or led the anti-India gathering, waving Pakistani flags for good measure. Mr Abdullah must tell us what action has been taken against those elements. In cases of clear-cut culpability, there is no need to wait for the findings of the judicial inquiry which the State regime has ordered.
Although one hopes that the probe will bring out the truth, Mr Abdullah has taken the easy way out for now by refusing to heed the information on the alleged culpability of his party colleagues and the brazenness of anti-national forces in openly coming out in the streets and chanting slogans of freedom from India. He should be directing his ire at these mischief-mongers and anti-India rogues, and not spewing venom on his political rivals. The Opposition is not responsible for the chaos in his State. He must own up responsibility.