Swinging mood from autonomy resolution to probe resolution

Zahoor Malik. Dated: 10/8/2013 10:45:28 AM

SRINAGAR, Sep 7: Mood in the state legislative assembly was surely different this evening when it passed a resolution on Gen V K Singh issue as compared to June 26,2000 when the historic autonomy resolution was passed.
On June 26, 2000, the assembly amid lot of political excitement passed a resolution urging the central government to restore greater autonomy to the state. But this time the excitement was missing and helplessness was very much evident on the faces of legislators, who said they were more keen in restoration of the prestige of the house than scoring political points. They viewed that a fair and time bound probe by union government on the allegations, by former army chief that ministers of J&K have been receiving money from army since 1947, can restore their credibility.
Chief minister Omar Abdullah could not hide his hurt feelings on the reports that his phone was being tapped by the army. “If this is the case with chief minister, who heads unified headquarter also), what can be the fate of likes of us,” was the remark of senior PDP leader Muzaffar Hussain Beig.
In 2000, autonomy resolution was passed with the ruling National Conference (NC) having two-third majority and amid protests by opposition Congress, BJP and Panthers Party. The political coup by NC against its own NDA government led by BJP at centre at that time occurred amid the glare of national media. The jubilations by NC ministers and MLAs did not remain confined to assembly hall only but outside as well.
The then chief minister Dr Farooq Abdullah took a big political risk by going against his commitment to union government that the resolution would be debated only and not put to vote in assembly. The risk showed negative results with NDA outrightly rejecting the resolution and causing humiliation to NC.
Like the autonomy resolution, today’s resolution also witnessed support of senior party leaders like Abdul Rahim Rather, Ali Mohammad Sagar, Dr Mustafa Kamal, and Mian Altaf Ahmad.
Today, members of BJP and Panthers Party who initially showed reluctance to support any move to directly target Gen Singh too favoured the resolution to clear the mist. However, they cautioned that the debate must not be used to criticise army. After the speech of PDP leader Muzaffar Beig and chief minister Omar Abdullah in which they stated that criticising Gen Singh does not mean criticising army, since his allegations have been refuted by eight former army chiefs and the army inquiry has indicted him, the opposition MLAs from Jammu got pacified.
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti targetted the NC leadership from Sheikh Abdullah’s time and blamed the follies of leaders in the past for the present scenario. She favoured self introspection to show the Delhi establishment that “we are not bikao, but elected representatives of people.” NC leader Dr Sheikh Mustafa Kamal hit back at PDP leadership. But it was Beigh’s speech in the final stage of the discussion in which he stated that the house must stand united against the onslaught of Gen Singh to restore its credibility that set the trend for a united voice.
Having hit each other several times in the assembly in the past, Beig and Omar seemed comfortable with each other’s speech today and the latter complimented the former for his observation “which raised the standard of discussion.”
It was CPI(M) leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami , who suggested the passing of a resolution, and Beig adding “unanimously” to the passing of the resolution. In midst of the storm, the agriculture minister, who according to an army report, had received Rs 1.19 crores from army, for destablising the Omar Abdullah government , was seated near his arch political rival in Tangmarg, Dr Kamal. The latter did not spare him, telling him to resign “if he has moral courage”. In his typical style the senior NC leader hit at his favourite targets - Congress, centre and army with impunity. Feeling the heat chief minister left the house for his chamber for some time.
On June 26, 2000 the autonomy resolution was moved by the then law and parliamentary affairs minister, P. L. Handoo. The resolution said, “I propose to move the following as a substitute motion for the two motions moved on April 8, along with the amendments proposed by Sadiq Ali, Mohammad Shafi Bhat and . G. M. Bawan (all National Conference MLAs).'' “This House having discussed the report of the SAC, tabled on April 13, 1999, records its approval of the same and its acceptance of the recommendations made'' and “demands that the Centre and the Government of Jammu and Kashmir take positive and effective steps for implementing the same''.
In his speech, Dr. Abdullah appealed to the people of the nation to see the demand for greater autonomy in the right perspective. ``This (special session) was a good beginning towards achieving what we promised our people in 1996,'' he said adding that no one, including the National Conference, was ready to take up the challenge of the elections then. ``But, we were assured by the people in New Delhi on autonomy so we jumped into the elections at the risk of not only our lives but the lives of lakhs of people.''
``Those who made sacrifices did so to keep up the honour of the tricolour in the Valley,'' he said.

 

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