Early Times Report
Jammu, Aug 22: Even as the major political parties of state have reacted cautiously to a Congress leader's demand for a Hindu Chief Minister for Jammu Kashmir, the commoner in Kashmir is not averse to the idea. They see no harm in the demand.
A group of Kashmir University teachers said there was no harm in having a Hindu Chief Minister. "This is a secular country and anybody who fulfils the prescribed criterion can become the Chief Minister. A person, who is a registered voter, is of sound mind and suffers no disability whatsoever under any law can be the Chief Minister irrespective of the faith he professes."
But this is what the books on constitution say. The reality has to be found somewhere else. A second line separatist leader said the day India has a Muslim Prime Minister, we will think of a Hindu Chief Minister.
But not many people shared his views. A student of history gave reasons for not opposing the demand. "What have Muslim Chief Minister/ Prime Ministers done for the state? Sher-e-Kashmir exiled thousands of political workers in both regions of the state after assuming office of the emergency administrator. Soon after, he invoked the draconian Defence of India Rules (DIR) to crush his opponents. Bakshi diluted the state's special status, Sadiq merged into Congress and Mir Qasim was no different. Sher-e-Kashmir in his second term as Chief Minister, framed the Public Safety Act (PSA). His son-in-law Ghulam Mohammad Shah brought in the Terrorist and Disruptive activities prevention Act (TADA). This was followed by Dr Farooq's POTA and Omar's consent to NIE."
A Hindu Chief Minister, according to him, will prove a better administrator. "He will think hundred times before invoking any draconian law," he said. A speaker while addressing a seminar hosted by Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS) last month praised Maharaja Hari Singh for upholding supremacy of judiciary in the state. "The judiciary became a target of so-called popular rule," he said adding "no custodial death or enforced disappearance has been reported during Hari Singh's regime."
"What is wrong in having a Hindu Chief Minister? Why should people oppose the idea? If we have a Hindu Governor, a Hindu Chief Justice, why should a bunch of politicians dread a Hindu Chief Minister?" questioned a political commentator. |
