Syed Adnan
It wasn’t meant to be anything beyond symbolism. And that’s how it has concluded. The NC-led government’s resolution seeking “dialogue” on restoration of special status, which was passed by the J&K Assembly this morning, couldn’t be described better than a symbolic act that relieves NC of both internal and external pressure. It is truly a symbolic victory for the National Conference. So they have a reason to cherish. But more than that, it is a victory for the BJP too that it has successfully been able to thwart Omar Abdullah’s move to bring about a ‘real’ resolution on restoration of Article 370 which was abrogated by the Centre in August 2019.
The resolution, on the yardstick of realism and politics, is nothing more than a farce: a pure jugglery of words aimed to fool people into believing that it was about 370. No. It wasn’t. If it was anything, it was just to relieve NC from the burden of having said before the elections that it would bring a resolution seeking restoration of J&K’s special status. But today’s resolution is farcical to the extent that NC didn’t even make a mention of numerical letters 370 or 35 A in the draft, let alone the “restoration of 370 or 35 A”. Therefore, all it could do to assuage people with the jugglery of words is to “call upon Government of India to initiate dialogue with elected representatives of people of Jammu and Kashmir for restoration of special status, constitutional guarantees and to work out constitutional mechanisms to restoring these provisions.” The Assembly resolution also “emphasized that any process for restoration must safeguard both national unity and legitimate aspirations of the people of J&K.”
The craftily-worded resolution suited all: the NC, the BJP as well as the Centre. There is nothing that the BJP or the Centre should be (and would be) worried about. They can have the last laugh for a slew of reasons. First, the Resolution didn’t condemn, even in milder words, the unilateral abrogation of Article 370. It didn’t even call the abrogation illegal or unconstitutional. It didn’t even mention 370 or 35 A and/or prefix or suffix it with Jammu and Kashmir. It appeared to be talking about some general special status of some unknown place about which “a dialogue with elected representatives must take place.” But, as history has it, dialogues, like Omar Abdullah’s famous probes, have been taking place since times immemorial. And just like the Centre fixed no timeline for restoration of Statehood, there is no timeline fixed for holding this dialogue. And then the talk of “constitutional mechanisms for restoring these provisions” is more about bringing provisions for land and job rights for J&K domiciles, rather than the same land and job rights guaranteed under Article 370 in its original form. Therefore, there is nothing worrying for New Delhi or the BJP—the furore by the BJP legislators over it notwithstanding.
For the National Conference, it is, as said earlier, a symbolic victory. But that’s only a short-term goal. In the long run, the NC has lost a narrative, while the BJP has won the same. The NC’s loud election rhetoric is lost in maze of words that the Resolution mentioned. But, as one political analyst said, “even NC knew it was only about symbolism. In reality, there was nothing left with real 370 that Delhi had not controlled. Even at one stage, they lifted curfew in Srinagar from New Delhi while Omar Abdullah was the chief minister. So where was autonomy or 370?” He, however added: “If NC is able to get a good governance stint in lieu of today’s meek surrender over 370, at least it can have a face saving in the next elections.” Till then, let’s pay last respects to 370…
Tailpiece: 370 is dead. Long live 370.
(NOTE: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of Kashmir Dot Com, its editorial staff, or its affiliates. KDC does not endorse or guarantee the accuracy of any claims made in this opinion piece.)
