The yr 2014 was filled with milestones for the Peoples Democratic Social gathering.
It notched up its greatest electoral efficiency in each the Meeting and Lok Sabha elections – since its creation in 1999.
That was additionally the final Meeting elections held within the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir in 2014. The occasion received 28 seats. Within the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, too, the occasion received all three seats in Kashmir Valley, a document.
The PDP then entered right into a coalition with the Bharatiya Janata Social gathering to kind what would become the erstwhile state’s final elected authorities earlier than it was downgraded right into a Union territory in August, 2019.
For a lot of within the Peoples Democratic Social gathering, the occasions of August 2019 additionally marked the beginning of an undoing of the occasion on the behest of New Delhi. Right this moment, it’s a shell of what it was.
After August 5, 2019, 20 of its 28 legislators stop the occasion. In response to a tough estimate, the variety of key members who stop the occasion within the aftermath of scrapping of Jammu and Kashmir’s particular standing and statehood is round 40. None of that is natural however pushed by a selective crackdown by the federal government, say PDP leaders.
Scroll sat down with the Peoples Democratic Social gathering’s youth president Waheed Ur Rehman Parra, an in depth aide of its chief Mehbooba Mufti, to know the scenario PDP finds itself in as we speak and why. Parra, 35, additionally talks concerning the affect of the August 5, 2019 determination on mainstream politics in Jammu and Kashmir and his expectations from the Supreme Court docket. Excerpts from the interview:
On July 31, throughout a celebration conference in Pulwama, you mentioned that a lot of the political events, together with the Nationwide Convention, have “restricted their calls for to holding elections or looking for concessions from the Bharatiya Janata Social gathering.” The place did that assertion come from?
It’s not about what I mentioned on July 31 and I’m not pointing fingers at one occasion. We might want to return.
After August 5, 2019, a brand new kind of politics has advanced in Jammu and Kashmir. Some events have been created, some politicians have been nurtured and a few got area [to grow]. For some, the area was shrunk.
Each regional and nationwide occasion is doing the identical politics. However the crackdown is on the Peoples Democratic Social gathering.
Different leaders and events have been given entitlements, perks, homes, safety, authorities lodging and workplaces – besides PDP leaders.
A former Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti, was eliminated from her home.
Her mom was stopped from going to Hajj. Mehbooba Mufti was not allowed to carry out the Umrah (a pilgrimage to Mecca carried out any time of the yr). Her household and kids weren’t given passports.
[Mehbooba Mufti’s mother, Gulshan Nazir, had applied for the renewal of her passport in 2020, as she wanted to go on a pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Her request was denied, forcing her to approach the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh in 2021. The government finally issued a passport in her name in February following the court’s intervention – three years later. Similarly, Mehbooba Mufti’s request for passport renewal in 2020 and her daughter Iltija Mufti’s request for a passport were rejected – and granted only after the courts intervened.]
This doesn’t occur to different events, who additionally declare that they’re combating towards the onslaught of the central authorities.
Would you want to call that occasion or events?
Everybody, outdated and new. Even the BJP in sure methods claims that they’re combating for Kashmiris, for Jammu or for peace. The Congress claims that they’re a nationwide occasion combating towards the BJP. However with the Congress, the federal government is cosier right here in Kashmir. They’ve been given good therapy.
Solely the Congress?
All types of events, from the brand new regional events to those who’re with us. Our members are raided, questioned, arrested and detained. Put up August 5, 2019, the longest detention was Mehbooba Mufti’s.
There’s a restriction on our motion. The federal government took away the lodging and safety of PDP leaders. [In contrast] unelected leaders have been given homes and safety.
So, there’s a utterly totally different algorithm to cope with the PDP. Solely the PDP is being cornered.
Let’s speak concerning the events that are a part of the Gupkar Alliance just like the Nationwide Convention. Are you saying that they’ve mellowed down on the restoration of particular standing?
I’m not saying they’ve mellowed down or not. I’m saying that with us – PDP – the therapy is totally different.
Why is that?
As a result of PDP is the one occasion which is speaking fact to energy.
Possibly as a result of Mehbooba Mufti articulates sentiments, she is below assault. There isn’t any different occasion below assault. Why would you limit one former chief minister from travelling overseas? Why will you query one chief minister’s mom [in a money laundering case] who was not even a part of the federal government? Why would you query one former chief minister selectively? There are not any corruption allegations. Why was her occasion damaged? There are different events that are a lot stronger, there’s no assault or assault on them.
Our occasion, employees, and leaders face immense strain on the bottom. If our employees maintain a gathering, the subsequent day they’re rounded up. They’re being handled as OGWs [overground workers of militant organisations]. We’ve got been getting worse therapy than the Hurriyat will get.
I’m myself an instance. I used to be arrested for 2 years regardless of having been a part of the federal government, working their youth programmes, and peace programmes.
Put up August 5, 2019, the [Jammu and Kashmir] Structure is gone, Articles 370 and 35A are gone however the authorities additionally needs the PDP area to evaporate utterly.
And is that as a result of the occasion is expressing, as you mentioned, the ‘sentiments’ of the individuals of Jammu and Kashmir?
Not solely sentiments. The federal government perceives the PDP, its narrative, politics and management as [representing a] resistance. We aren’t solely combating for energy which a lot of the events listed below are. [For them] election and energy have develop into the brand new narrative.
When Mehbooba Mufti was in energy, the dispute was nonetheless with the BJP on core points. They understood that she was not comfy with them as a result of she needed a bigger political peace course of in Jammu and Kashmir.
Are you saying then that there is no such thing as a use of being a part of the Gupkar Alliance, which was created to combat for the restoration of the pre-August 5, 2019 standing in Jammu and Kashmir?
We will combat for a bigger trigger once we can say that we’re struggling equally. However we aren’t struggling equally.
Yesterday, we had a traditional protest [in Srinagar] concerning the lack of electrical energy. All events do it. Even Congress does it, the BJP does it. The Apni Social gathering held protests in each district. They have been facilitated, police personnel have been escorting their employees. In our case, they tried to close us down. On the Palestine subject, Mehboobaji tried to do a protest, she was detained and her motion was restricted additionally.
How do you see the Nationwide Convention in all of this?
You possibly can see from their statements that they’re assured. They’re extra energetic than another political occasion in Kashmir. However their statements and our statements are very totally different.
In what sense?
In each sense. The primary particular person to react on any delicate subject within the final 4 years has been Mehbooba Mufti. We is probably not a powerful occasion as in comparison with others right here, as a result of 40 individuals stop our occasion since 2019. However the query is in terms of articulating sentiments or voicing points, we’re on the forefront. That’s why we’re paying a worth.
Would it not be simpler if different events be a part of you in expressing these views?
I feel then you’ll share tasks, you’ll share strain in addition to the area.
In distinction, you may see a brand new occasion, just like the Apni Social gathering, speak about together with the Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir as we speak, very overtly.
[The Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir is an influential socio-religious-political organisaton in Jammu and Kashmir, seen by the central government as pro-Pakistan. It was banned under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act for five years in February 2019.]
They [Apni Party leaders] not solely have Z-plus safety, however in addition they speak about points for which I’ve been booked. They made [former] Jamaat members formally be a part of their occasion and my chargesheet says you’ve got been hobnobbing with anti-national separatists and members of the Jamaat-e-Islami.
So, there’s a clear area for them. For the Apni Social gathering, the definition is totally different. If I say the identical issues even in a non-public room, we shall be booked below UAPA.
What you’re saying could have penalties for the Gupkar Alliance itself?
We aren’t towards the Gupkar Alliance. The alliance was shaped on Mehboobaji’s initiative. All I’m saying is that the PDP is the one occasion which is being attacked and focused.
The Nationwide Convention had reacted sharply to your assertion in July. It mentioned that you need to stop the alliance if the occasion is feeling “suffocated.” Are you?
No, we aren’t. We’re clear. They’re misreading the entire thing. We aren’t looking for a share in energy.
If elections are held tomorrow, perhaps the Nationwide Convention wouldn’t prefer to ally with you.
That’s not the problem. I’m saying that Kashmir had plenty of political companies, past the mainstream, even past the Nationwide Convention. However no one is speaking. Whether or not it’s the clergy, the social and political management, no one is talking on any subject. In Pulwama, you had an enormous mosque subject [Army personnel were accused of entering a mosque and making residents shout ‘Jai Shree Ram’], no one spoke about it.
There’s the Palestine subject, no one spoke about it.
Compared, the dearth of electrical energy is a really small subject. Who has put in place a lot censorship that one can not even speak about electrical energy?
The second PDP does it, its workplace will get sealed in 5 minutes. Your leaders get calls from totally different companies, summoning them. There’s a sample that’s being adopted, used towards one occasion.
Some 40 individuals stop PDP after 2019. They didn’t go away in isolation. There was plenty of strain.
Solely 20 out of your 28 lawmakers stop?
Twenty legislators, 10 MLCs (Members of Legislative Council), 4-5 Members of Parliament. Issues didn’t occur on their very own.
Most of them need to be a part of again additionally however they’re nonetheless afraid of the federal government’s actions.
Mainly, you’re saying that Mehbooba Mufti made a alternative of going a sure means put up August 5, 2019?
Each occasion has allied with varied events as per circumstances however what occurred on August 5, 2019 is a structural change. It’s not a authorities change. It’s not a regime change.
Your complete management right here appears to have vanished. There isn’t any voice, no company, no management. Kashmiris are feeling extra unvoiced than ever and if there may be one one who is making a noise, that’s Mehbooba Mufti.
However finally for a political occasion, doesn’t it boil right down to electoral politics?
It does. However once we have been electorally related, we had 28 seats and we have been in authorities. Ultimately, what defines a political occasion is whether or not you characterize the aspirations of individuals or not, in energy or out of energy.
I feel, for that matter, we’ve got been representing these aspirations higher than even whereas being within the authorities. If being electorally robust means you need to be silent on the core points, what do you do with that energy?
Are you saying that the elections are usually not an answer to the disaster in Jammu and Kashmir?
Let’s assume tomorrow elections are held and a bulk of seats goes to totally different events apart from the BJP, what then? If there is no such thing as a political empowerment within the course of and these elections are taking place in only a Union Territory and you aren’t allowed to say something, it’s just like the continuation of the established order.
Is PDP combating towards such structural modifications? Does it really feel alone on this combat?
For the PDP, the core problems with dignity, identification and safety of identification of the individuals of Jammu and Kashmir stay main. Wherever we really feel that’s below assault, we articulate our views on it.
However we really feel we’re the one occasion that’s dealing with plenty of authorities crackdown and strain. We really feel below assault.
Are you getting sufficient solidarity from different political gamers?
I don’t suppose so. I imagine there’s some solidarity from the individuals.
Political events?
When Mehbooba ji’s mom was questioned [by the Enforcement Directorate], there was not even one assertion from any political chief.
Though Mehbooba Mufti makes some extent to talk when Farooq Sahab was questioned. She makes some extent to talk for any Indian chief.
If there are elections now, what if the Gupkar alliance became an electoral alliance once more? Do you suppose that may be good for the PDP?
I don’t know. I feel it’s undoubtedly good for everybody. However, that’s additionally a call that each occasion must be on board with. We’re in help of it. We’re in help of every thing that doesn’t divide the mandate.
However the Nationwide Convention has hinted in a number of ways in which it might not go for an alliance.
Time will inform. For instance, in 2002, no one thought the PDP would win and kind the federal government.
A brand new dynamic has been added to electoral politics in Jammu and Kashmir.After delimitation, there’s a way that individuals may vote on spiritual strains. Would a lack of know-how between the PDP and the NC outcome within the division of Muslim votes, significantly in Kashmir?
That’s why we’re nonetheless attempting our greatest to speak about unity.
Mehboobaji tries to provoke these conferences. She is a part of the INDIA alliance of Opposition events. Even when we’ve got a really small contribution to make, she tries to be half of a bigger nationwide scheme.
The Supreme Court docket is asserting its verdict within the petitions difficult the August 5, 2019 determination tomorrow. What do you suppose will occur?
We’ve got little or no expectation from the court docket. Reasonably than a authorized subject, this can be a political subject. Our case is within the individuals’s court docket.