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 What
was happening in Jammu and Kashmir after the October Assembly
poll was an unseemly spectacle indeed. The people's mandate
was clear. They asserted through a fair, free, transparent and
democratic poll that they wanted freedom from terrorism,
freedom from fundamentalist trouble mongers, freedom from
cross border terrorists of ISI unleashed by the Pakistani
military dictatorship and freedom from misgovernance by those
who had perhaps stayed in power too long. It was a vote for
change.
The people of Jammu and Kashmir triumphed over terrorism,
fundamentalism and separatism. As many as 800 were killed in
the run up to the Assembly poll and during the poll they had
fallen victim to terrorist strikes designed to disrupt the
poll. Diplomatic and media observers from many countries of
the world came, saw and vouchsafed that the polls were free,
fearless and fair.
But when the cross section of political parties and a fair
number of independents were voted in, the little leaders
forgot the big purpose—the earliest possible formation of a
new democratic regime in the State. They began the old power
game of one-upmanship. Their concern was not what kind of a
new and healthy democratic coalition should be formed to
govern Jammu and Kashmir? They were more obsessed with: who
will be the Chief Minister?
If the newly-elected leaders kept personalities, parties and
factions above the mandate of the people, they would
themselves be to blame for missing the bus. Some of them do
not seem to understand that those who can elect you can also
reject you. If you miss the mandate to show your honesty and
concern for democracy above self, you may miss the bus
forever. So, politicians! Please behave!
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