Srinagar, June 21 (KNO) : ‘London bridges falling down’ is a well known poem that children of kindergarten are taught in pre-nursery and nursery schools. The words aptly fit for the present political situation in Kashmir as the bridge of alliance between Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) fell down within just a blink of an eye.
Though there are series of reasons for the crumbling of the alliance, that was formed in January 2014 by the then PDP patron Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed , who claimed that the government formation was like meeting north pole and south pole and it was aimed at creating an atmosphere of reconciliation which may pave wave for the resolution of bigger issue lingering Kashmir issue. He, even thanked Pakistan for the successful polls that witnessed record voting, perhaps for the first time, where in a 50 per cent of youth participated. Though the plank on which PDP sought votes was contrary to the formation of PDP-BJP alliance as late Mufti had asked people to vote for PDP so that BJP backed by RSS is kept at the bay.
“This was when anger started brewing among the youth of Kashmir as the decision was totally in contrast of the promises made during election rally by the PDP patron,” says Abdul Basit, a Phd student from South Kashmir’s Bijbehera told KNO. “And then the things started deteriorating for obvious reasons. First, the issue of sainik colony, then the rolling back of article 35 A, and then 370 and the last but not the least, operation all out and the frequent CASOs across Kashmir, especially South Kashmir kept the pot boiling.” The anger among the youth against what they termed unholy alliance started brewing with each passing day.
And in the PDP-BJP rule, a record number of killings, pellet injuries, harassment, PSAs and arrest of separatist leaders through NIA and Enforcement Directorate took place. The three years of PDP-BJP rule has been declared by the youth of Kashmir as most bloody period in which 234 civilians were killed, 460 militants were also killed, 1025 youth including girls blinded partially or fully with the deadly pellets. Over 15000 youth were maimed in forces action in 2016 year alone while as it was for the first time that NIA arrested over eight separatist leaders and a business men in the “terror funding case.”
“Ultimate repression especially militant and civilian killings witnessed during the past three years became enough reason for the PDP-BJP boat to sink,” a senior journalist said, wishing not to be named. “Now the PDP is making hollow claims of paying price for defending Kashmir’s interests as if they were not aware of the real designs of the BJP and RSS.”