)
The ‘anti-India’ rally organised by Masarat Alam to welcome Hurriyat Conference hardliner Syed Ali Shah Geelani back to the Kashmir Valley after several months in Delhi, is set to create fissures in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-Peoples Democratic Party alliance, though it might not result in a total rupture. The rally, on Wednesday, had created quite a flutter as several protesters raised anti-India slogans and waved Pakistani flags.
BJP has demanded immediate action against Alam and asked why the rally was allowed. The incident caused a lot of heartburn in the Sangh Parivar; there were reports of anti-state government protests in Hindu-dominated areas of Jammu.
Following the incident, the Jammu & Kashmir Police registered a case under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act against Alam, Geelani and other separatist leaders present at the rally.
“It is highly objectionable and condemnable. The slogans that were raised were pro-Pakistan, and Pakistan flags were waved. This is unacceptable. Mufti should take cognizance of this so that a message clearly goes out to Pakistan supporters that it will not be accepted,” BJP’s G V L Narasimha Rao told reporters.
Though the Sangh Parivar constituents have not come out openly against this incident, there would be renewed criticism, in coming days, of the decision to release Alam from jail. When he was released, Opposition parties had attacked the BJP-led central government. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said in the Lok Sabha: “I also lend my voice to the outrage on release of the separatist... this is not one party’s outrage, it is the nation’s outrage.”
Fissures in the Jammu & Kashmir coalition government showed from the first day, when the chief minister thanked “people from across the border” hours after he was sworn in. This was seen as a reference to Pakistan and militants for allowing smooth elections in the state.
A section of the Sangh Parivar was not comfortable with BJP’s tie-up with PDP and the latter’s pro-separatist agenda. When negotiations for the government formation were underway, senior RSS leader Seshadri Chari had told Business Standard BJP would rather explore the option of sitting in the Opposition in the state if PDP raised (pro-separatist) demands. “Even the position of the leader of Opposition is a big deal in the context of J&K,” he had added.
K N Govindacharya, former BJP ideologue, had said the party should desist from tying up with PDP for short-term gains. “If any alliance happens between PDP and BJP in Jammu & Kashmir I believe it is absolutely immoral. Such alliances are short-term gains, long-term losses.”
“For power, you can’t compromise on the basic ideals on which you have built up the whole organisation. How can you go back on Article 370? If BJP goes ahead and forms a government on these conditions, the organisation will have to pay for the next 50 years,” another RSS leader asking not to be named had told Business Standard.
