Ali Muhammad Sagar: Modi isn’t Atal, won’t act like him
There is a hell of a lot of difference between Modi and Vajpayee. It will be a disaster if he becomes PM, leave alone the farce that he would be taking Vajpayeeji’s Kashmir policy forward. No way!
Is Narendra Modi really serious about what he says? We heard him saying in Jammu that he will pursue Atal Behari Vajpayee’s policy on Kashmir and seek a solution to the issue of Kashmir through the framework of humanity and democracy and by upholding the principle of ethno-national and social consciousness and cultural values of Kashmir which we all know are very dear to its people.
They proudly call it Kashmiriyat. But after a few weeks of making this pledge in public, he spoke about granting permanent citizenship rights to the refugees from erstwhile West Pakistan, again while speaking in Jammu, which will be totally against the spirit of Article 370 and the citizenship laws of the land. And now the Bharatiya Janata Party’s election manifesto categorically states it would abrogate Article 370 of the Constitution.
Is this how Mr Modi is going to address the issue of Kashmir? Will he be able to bring the separatists across the negotiating table by making such utterances? There is total contradiction in the two. In fact, Mr Modi himself is a symbol of contradictions.
Mr Vajpayee wanted to go away from the beaten track. Each time he visited Kashmir, he offered a hand of friendship to its people and an olive branch to the separatists. He also spoke positively about Pakistan from the soil of Kashmir, knowing well how important it was politically. He travelled to Pakistan to befriend it forever. There is a huge difference between him and Mr Modi. God forbid, if Mr Modi becomes the Prime Minister it would go against the interests of the state and secular and democratic ethos of the country.
The Prime Minister of the country ought to be a leader who carries all sections of society along and has a secular and democratic mindset rather than an individual who harbours communal hatred. Mr Modi’s track record is before us. What happened to the minorities in Gujarat with him as the chief minister of the state?
It is my personal view, and National Conference doesn’t look at the issue any differently, that Mr Modi has neither the intention nor the capability of stepping on to the path Mr Vajpayee was treading as Prime Minister of this country. Does Mr Modi know what the people of Kashmir want? Apparently not! Some people say it would be National Democratic Alliance government and Mr Modi its Prime Minister and that the BJP is only a constituent of it. But even then it is neither the BJP of Vajpayee era nor the NDA that the National Conference was a part of.
Political stalwarts like L.K. Advani and Jaswant Singh have been sidelined in the BJP, and there is no one like George Fernandes and Nitish Kumar in the NDA. It is Amit Shahs and his ilk who are calling the shots in the BJP. This leaves us with no illusion about what kind of government it would be. We all already know what kind of a person Mr Modi is. There is a hell of a lot of difference between him and Mr Vajpayee. It will be a disaster if he becomes Prime Minister, leave alone the farce he would be taking Mr Vajpayeeji’s Kashmir policy forward. No way!
(As told to Yusuf Jameel)
The writer is a senior National Conference leader and J&K’s minister for rural development and panchayati raj
Dr Jitendra Singh: Modi is here to serve the country
It is wrong to say that while Vajpayee wanted to resolve the Kashmir problem within the framework of insaniyat, Modi wants to abrogate Article 370. I don’t see any conflict of interest between the two.
Narendra Modi is a person of conviction and sincerity. He means what he says. I have no doubt that he will pick up the threads of the work of Atal Behari Vajpayee vis-à-vis Kashmir and take the former Prime Minister’s mission Kashmir to its logical conclusion. Mr Vajpayee was sincere in his work and so is Mr Modi.
Now some people are saying that since Mr Modi would be heading the National Democratic Alliance government, coalition compulsions will once again make it somewhat difficult for him to have a say on issues that are sensitive, such as Kashmir. That on these he will have to go by the NDA agenda and not his own. The apprehension may be based on certain past experiences. That is why we have gone to the people asking for absolute majority. Our target is to bag 272-plus seats and we are quite confident that the people of the country will not disappoint us.
Once we have absolute majority, the Bharatiya Janata Party will be able to carry out its agenda without being dependant on any other party. The people of Kashmir are looking for a breakthrough and the BJP has the capacity to provide it to them.
The BJP’s agenda is based on justice for all sections of the society and every step it has taken in the past has been in the nation’s interest. Whatever it does in future will have no other purpose but to serve the country in best possible way.
It is wrong to suggest that while Mr Vajpayee wanted to resolve the Kashmir problem within the framework of insaniyat (humanity), Mr Modi wants to play tough, even abrogate Article 370 of the Constitution. I don’t see any conflict of interest or any incongruity between the two.
Firstly, Mr Vajpayee never said that Article 370 should continue. You will not find a single quote or instance or statement wherein Mr Vajpayee said something different from what Mr Modi is now saying. These canards are being spread by people who have vested interest in Kashmir. Mr Modi was categorical in stating in Kathua that he will take Mr Vajpayeeji’s legacy forward. He also said Mr Vajpayeeji had shown us a three-pronged way of taking Kashmir forward — insaniyat, jamhooriyat (democracy), and Kashmiriyat and promised to follow path. I have no doubt that he will seek a solution to the problems we face in Jammu and Kashmir through the framework of humanity and democracy and by upholding the principle of Kashmiriyat.
The BJP is not against carrying Pakistan along. While we have always supported good neighbourly relations, they have to be based on equality.
You can’t allow Pakistan to browbeat India, create mischief and remain undeterred, as it was during the UPA’s rule. There were several terror attacks sponsored by Pakistan and the UPA was very apologetic.
The BJP will be able to take separatists along as it’s basic policy is based on justice to all and appeasement to none. Incoming Prime Minister Mr Modi has no self or vested interest in pursuing whatever goal he does. Also, the BJP is not like the Congress or its ally in Jammu and Kashmir, the National Conference, whose main agenda is to promote a particular family as a dynasty. This will make all the difference.
(As told to Yusuf Jameel)
The writer is the BJP national spokesman and candidate for Udhampur Lok Sabha seat
