Fair Elections Needed For Peace
12 Sep, 2002 · 857
Anand Kumar views the J&K elections as a golden opportunity of conferring legitimacy on a democratically elected government
The announcement of the Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir has again brought the Kashmir issue on the centrestage of South-Asian politics. It has also raised a feeble hope of peace in the troubled state. But it seems the assembly elections, spread over the months of September and October, would be very similar to the elections held earlier in the state during the last decade. The secessionist parties have again declared that they would not be participating in the elections. That leaves only three contenders for power: the National Conference, Congress and the BJP. Though the People’s Democratic Party of Mufti Mohammad Sayed has its support base in some areas in the state, it cannot be a serious contender for power. The same goes for the BJP. In this situation, a state-wide contest can only be expected between the Congress and the National Conference. This issue is important as only a party with state-wide support could form the government, or at least be a leading player in a coalition government that may be formed. But the Congress has always been considered an outside force with hardly any local roots. The only serious challenge to the National Conference could have come from the All Party Harriet Conference, but, as they have decided to boycott the polls, the elections are likely to be strongly tilted in favour of the National Conference.
The elections in the state are important for two different reasons; first for the legitimacy it confers on the government and its impact on state politics and the law and order. The non-participation of the APHC group will not make the elections less legitimate, but their participation definitely would have been advantageous for state politics to ensure a larger participation of the people.
In the absence of APHC participation, the best option for India is to make the election as free and fair as possible. It will help create the impression that the Indian government is genuinely interested in seeking peace and democracy in the state. During the last few years, the law and order situation in Kashmir has perceptibly deteriorated. The large scale violence in the state has focussed the attention of the world community on the Kashmir issue. Now, it is being referred to in the same breath as the Palestine issue, which has implications for the Indian policy towards Kashmir.
So far, India’s declared policy has been to treat the Kashmir issue as an internal affair of the country. But after the end of the Cold War, several principles of international politics have changed and international security is increasingly being linked to regional security. Hence, if the situation continues to deteriorate and a warlike situation continues on our border, it will become very difficult to stop outside powers from interceding in the Kashmir problem. And, this is precisely what Pakistan wants.
If the state is run by a democratically elected government, which is perceived by the international community to be legitimate, it will help remove the stigma of repression on the Indian state, which Pakistan has always tried to pin on India.
Despite India’s severe criticism of Pakistan for its proxy war and state sponsored terrorism, it has not been able to influence the international opinion in its favour against Pakistan. Though the US has occasionally admonished Pakistan recently for its role in supporting terrorism, it has steadfastly refused to brand Pakistan as a terrorist state.
On the other hand, Pakistan has benefited enormously by the bloodshed committed by the militants. Turmoil in the state has allowed it to raise the Kashmir issue in every international forum, which has not only embarrassed India, but also invariably placed it on the defensive.
The J&K elections provide a great opportunity to give the state a democratically elected government, which is seen by the international community to be legitimate and enjoys the faith of the local people. They should not be led to believe that another farce is being conducted in the name of the elections, which will not serve any purpose.