Today, the Indian face for Kashmiris is inhuman: Tariq Hameed Karra

Interview with ex-MP, Lok Sabha

Tariq Hameed Karra, a senior and founding member of the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) in Kashmir, elected to the Lok Sabha from Srinagar in 2014, has quit his party and membership of Parliament, in protest at what has taken place in his state. Edited excerpts of a talk with Sanjay Jog:

What prompted your decision?

The call of my conscience. The PDP went against the basic principles on which the party was floated, the premise of being a facilitator for India-Pak relations, between the (separatist) Hurriyat Conference and the Government of India, on getting The Armed Forces (Jammu and Kashmir) Special Powers Act, 1990, repealed, the Public Safety Act dropped. Also, to facilitate return of our Pandit (Hindu) brothers and to save people from excesses, oppression and other brutalities.

First, PDP got into an alliance with the diametrically opposite, RSS-driven, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). I have been vocal against such a tie-up from the beginning. This party, I had argued, cherishes the desire of converting this Muslim-dominated state by way of Hinduisation. This is their agenda for all of India, to Hinduise the polity. The BJP has a very bad track record as far as Muslims are concerned. Be it the Babri mosque demolition, Gujarat riots, Akhlaq lynching, beef ban, rabid statements by sadhvis, by Sakshi Maharaj.

Did the recent happenings, especially after the killing of Burhan Wani, trigger the final move?

Kashmiris felt their distinct Muslim character is in danger and their distinct constitutional position in the Union of India was in danger, in the hands of the BJP and RSS in particular. Further supplemented by the happenings of the past two months, the jailing, the blinding, the killing of people who were protesting against one event. Today, the PDP is seen as a collaborator for the fascist RSS.

You have compared the present rule to Nazi rule.

I am still a mainstream politician, sworn to the Constitution of J&K, and as a Member of Parliament, by the Constitution of India. During Mufti Mohammed's time, I had consistently and vociferously brought forth the consequences of aligning with the BJP, and it is now a reality. 'Incredible India' has been converted into Intolerant India by people who claim to be the custodian of nationalism.

Do you clearly say that Chief Minister (and PDP chief) Mehbooba Mufti has failed to bring peace?

I will not personally comment on the CM but the state government as a whole has miserably failed to safeguard the rights of people, their lives, property, honour, dignity and Kashmiriyat. Insaniyat (humaneness) has converted into haiwaniyat (devilishness) in Kashmir.

What is needed to bring back normalcy?

As long as the Government of India or the establishment, RSS and BJP, do not recognise Kashmir as a political issue but treat it as a boundary or real estate issue, the situation will not improve. Besides, the Indian state should stop passing the buck to Pakistan. If Prime Minister Modi feels  there would be no Kashmir issue minus Pakistan, then he is accepting the failure to resolve the grievances of Kashmiris.

Nothing will work unless and until the anger of people, especially of youths, is doused. Today, the Indian face (for Kashmiris) is inhuman. Things will not be  normalised if the acts of security forces and the people in command are not changed.

There is an urgent need to build confidence through a host of measures. Stop brutalities, accept Kashmir as a political issue,  repeal The Armed Forces (Jammu and Kashmir) Special Powers Act and drop the Public Safety Act.

When it comes to dialogue with Pakistan, the Government of India argues that talks and violence cannot go side by side. A similar analogy should be applied to J&K. There cannot be talks when violence is prevailing.