J&K Chief Minister must check his language
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah ought not to have used the extreme remark that his State could secede from the Indian Union if Article 370 that gives J&K special privileges and powers is abrogated. Mr Abdullah was responding to a purported statement by Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office and a Member of Parliament from the State, Mr Jitendra Singh, that the Union Government was considering the repulsion of the Article. In the first place, Mr Rana did not say that Article 370 would be abrogated. Just in case there remained an element of doubt that may have arisen from his remark, Union Minister for law and Justice Ravi Shankar Prasad later emphatically clarified the Government's view that it favoured a structured discussion on the provision, and that such a debate can lead to a final call on its continuance or removal. Yet, Mr Abdullah and senior members of the National Conference have been busy milking the issue. They do not seem to realise the dangers of playing politics with a sensitive issue. Or they do, and still want to play with fire in the hope that the move will fetch them political rewards in the State where the National Conference did poorly in the recently concluded lok Sabha election. In fact, the need to gain lost political ground appears to be the motive behind the vehement — bordering on anti-national — remarks that the Chief Minister and his men have been making. Even assuming for the sake of argument that the Union Government in its wisdom decides to do away with Article 370, it does not provide justification for Mr Abdullah to threaten secession from India. While there are different opinions, legal and otherwise, on whether the provision is indeed the crucial link between India and its State of J&K, what should be clear is that the State is, and will remain, part of the Indian Union, Article 370 or not. The Chief Minister has no business to treat the State as his personal fiefdom, and to be the sole arbiter of its destiny.
As a democratically elected Chief Minister, Mr Abdullah must understand the value of a free and fair discussion and debate on contentious matters — and Article 370 is contentious. Rabble-rousers apart, even informed opinion is divided on the wisdom of continuing with the provision. While there are those who believe that the provision is a historical, enabling tool that keeps the State seamlessly bound with the rest of India, there are others who feel that the Article has actually been an obstacle in fully integrating J&K with India. While the proponents point to the many ‘benefits' that the State has received from the provision, the opponents refer to the ‘discrimination' that not just non-Kashmiris but even sections of the local population in the State have suffered on account of the Article. Because the matter is complex, it requires to be debated. This is the Government's stand, and it has been the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's position as well, which was reflected in the party's election manifesto.
There is no way the Union Government can or will take a decision either way without eliciting a broad range of opinions from people cutting across society, including experts on Kashmir and political representatives of J&K. There was, thus, no reason for Mr Omar Abdullah to have jumped the gun.