JAMMU & KASHMIR
INTENSEspeculationabounded
in the KashmirValleyaboutthe up-
coming Assemblyelectionandthe
possible erosionof theValley’ssu-
premacyin thepoliticallyfactious
Stateof Jammu andKashmirfollow-
ingnews reportsthattheBharatiya
JanataParty(BJP)-led government
at the Centrewasplanningto redraw
theexisting constituencies withthe
express purposeof increasingJam-
mu’sshare in theLegislativeAs-
semblyandits chancesof forming
the governmenton its own.TheState
has87 Assemblyconstituencies, 46
in Kashmir,37 in Jammu andfourin
Ladakh.
Although Governor Satya Pal
Malikdismissedreportsaboutde-
limitation,thepeopleof Kashmir
andthepolitical leadership arefar
fromconvincedbecauseof the BJP’s
provocativebehaviourwithrespect
to theState’sconstitutionalprovi-
sionsandits politicalandelectoral
manoeuvringin Jammualongcom-
munallines.Boththe National Con-
ference (N.C.) and the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) have
warnedthatanycurtailing of Kash-
mir’ssharein a future government or
a stiflingof its politicalvoicewas
fraught withdangerat a timewhen
home-grownmilitancyis resurgent
andyouthsarereadyto taketo the
streetsat theslightest provocation.
Theyhavemadeit clear thatthey
wouldchallengepoliticallyandleg-
allyanymoveaimed at delimitation,
whichtheydescribeas an attemptto
inflict “emotionalpartitionon com-
munallines”.
TheformerChief Ministerand
PDPchiefMehbooba Muftitweeted:
“Distressed to hear about GoI’s
[Government of India)planto re-
draw assembly constituencies in
J&K.Forceddelimitationis an obvi-
ousattemptto inflict another emo-
tional partition of the State on
communal lines.Insteadof allowing
old woundsto heal,GoIis inflicting
painon Kashmiris.”
N.C.leaderOmarAbdullahwas
morevocalabouthis party’scourseof
action.He tweetedon June4: “When
delimitationtakesplacein the restof
thecountrytheBJPis welcometo
applyit to J&Kuntilthenwe in the
@JKNC_willoppose,tooth& nail,
any attempt to make changes
withouta mandatefromthepeople
of the state.”Thebureaucrat-turned-
politicianShahFaesalreactedon the
samelines,warning theCentrethat
suchan exercisewouldbe seenas
“manipulativeandwillhavedanger-
ous consequences” for the State.
“Thisis givingan impressionthattheCentralgovernmentis out to further
disempowerandalienateKashmiris
andthereis no valuefor Kashmiri
lives.Ratherthantakingstepsto
bringpeaceto theregion it seems
thatarrangementsare being made to
turnit intoa warzone,”he said.
Reportsabout delimitationsur-
faced soon after Home Minister
AmitShahchaired a meeting,atten-
dedby Union HomeSecretaryRajiv
Gaubaandseniorofficials of the
Kashmirdivisionin the HomeMin-
istry,to takestockof thelawand
order situation in Kashmir. The
meetingtookplacethreedaysafter
SatyaPalMalikmethimon June1.
The reported delimitation drive,
whichhas longbeenan agendaof the
BJP’sJammuunit,aimsto effecta
changein the compositionof the As-
sembly through reservation to
ScheduledTribes whoform11 per
centof theState’spopulation.The
lastdelimitationexercisewasin 1995
whenthe StatewasunderPresident’s
Rule.Thecurrentmoveis seenas
politically motivatedas theFarooq
Abdullah governmentin 2002puta
freezeon delimitationuntil 2026 by
amending theJammu andKashmir
Representationof thePeople Act,
1957,andSection 47(3)of theState
Constitution.
As the Statedriftedtowardsbelli-
gerence,withyouthsin theValley
opposing the purporteddriveon so-
cialmedia,SatyaPalMalikattemp-
ted to playdownthe reports.“There
is a rumouraboutdelimitation.It is
not something that can be done
overnight as it is a constitutional
matter.TheHomeMinistryhasnotDevious design
TheCentre’s purporteddelimitationexerciseas aroutetopowerevokes
angerandconsternationamongnon-BJPleadersandthedisgruntled
youthsintheKashmirValley. BYANANDOBHAKTO
GOVERNORSatyaPal Malik
addressingthe media in Srinagar
on June12.NISSARAHMED