suhail

When Omar Abdullah started his innings as the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir two years back, it was largely believed braving militancy would be the biggest challenge for the youngest chief minister in India. Time not only proved the political Pundits wrong, but also brought Omar Abdullah face to face with a much greater challenge. He had hardly imagined he would be battling an unrest that would almost capsize his political boat. But for his father’s perseverance and Delhi’s support, Omar had almost called it quits in the thick of the crisis.

The young chief minister had been advised by his security managers that the suicide attack in city centre Lal Chowk on 6th January by the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) outfit was the harbinger of a ‘hot summer’ he must prepare to face as militancy related violence would remain at the center stage during the summer.

Perhaps none of the crystal ball gazers ever told Omar that his greatest challenge would come from the very people who had defied all separatist diktats and chosen to vote in the assembly elections of 2008 those ultimately culminated with the regional National Conference (NC) aligning with the Congress to cobble up an alliance that would be headed by Omar Abdullah.

The impeccable credentials the scion of  the Abdullah family had in the eyes of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson, Sonia Gandhi came handy. Omar was chosen to head a coalition that would not be run on a three-year rotation basis—Omar held a clear mandate from the Congress high command to head the coalition for the state assembly’s full six year term.

Not that the chief minister did not buckle at times. In the  alleged Shopian rape and murder case, Omar gave the first indication that lack of experience could endanger his power. Omar changed his stand as the Shopian agitation gained momentum. Initially, he said the two women had drowned accidentally, but as the locals continued alleging the duo had been raped and murdered,  the chief minister said he would bring to justice those who perpetrated such a heinous crime involving the two women.

The young man who thought he had a clear vision about the future of the state, came close to relinquishing power under pressure.The ‘Mr. Clean’ came under such pressure during the Shopian agitation that he thought the entire public outburst had been directed against him, or at least his close associates and advisors failed to convince him that there was more to the agitations in the Valley then meets the eye.

The same Omar Abdullah seriously contemplated quitting who had literally forced union ministries to act in cases like the alleged Machil fake encounter, the arrest and trial of a BSF commandant allegedly involved in shooting a teenager in Nishat area of Srinagar.
The fact that the chief minister always spoke about ‘a heavy conscience as innocents had been dying in clashes between the security forces and the protesters’ gave the separatists not only a sense victory, but more essentially a feeling that they had forced Omar Abdullah to withdraw into the safety of highly secured official residence. Some separatists even said Omar dared to attend his office in the civil secretariat only on days the city was out under curfew so that he did not have to face the very people who had voted him to power.

110 protesters died while hundreds were injured during the over five month long unrest during which the separatists ruled the Valley through their calendars which got official legitimacy as authorities reacted by curfew imposition on days the separatists called for widespread protests.Omar’s popularity ratings plunged as hatred and cynicism against him started taking root in public perception

So where did the youngest chief minister go wrong? Was mishandling of the sensitive situation and the lack of command over his forces, Omar’s biggest failing? Had he actually failed to reign in the  security forces?
These misgivings could  not have found  better credibility then came through a statement made by a senior cabinet minster who said the  central forces were not taking and acting on orders of the state government.
To discomfort Omar, his arch rivals in the mainstream camp, the PDP started a  concerted  campaign for his ouster blaming him for the unrest and the heavy toll of civilian life and property here..

I vividly recall having interviewed him after first 3 killings during the unrest and a major reshuffle in top brass of police. Unlike his usual self, Omar didn’t quite get the right words about the prevailing situation.

People in National Conference tell me that he expressed his desire to resign at least thrice But it was for the persistence of his father Dr Farooq Abdullah that prevented him from actually stepping down. The unflinching support from union home minister, P. Chidambaram and friend Rahul Gandhi also came handy. All this despite the fact that the Prime Minister, Manmoham Singh admitted “ the administrative deficit in the state”.

Attribute it to the inadequate advisory capacity of his advisors or Omar’s less than required familiarity with the realities on ground, the situation was ripe for the separatists as well the mainstream opposition to cash on with conflicting statements on those “responsible” for the unrest.

Naming militant outfits and political opposition as those fermenting the trouble didn’t go well with the masses who were protesting on the streets. For the people, the unrest was a spontaneous and indigenous resistance movement irrespective of the fact that there were many who fished in the troubled waters and exploited the situation to meet their ends.

By the time the union home minister and Omar himself retracted their allegations of militants and political parties being behind the agitation, situation had gone out of hand,  not to speak of  the gross mishandling that saw force ruling the streets. Media was virtually gagged and those who continued to speak were booked. Strict curfew and crippling restrictions characterized the life in Kashmir. Thousands of crores worth of losses, thousands losing jobs, crippled tourism industry meant an economy in shambles.No wonder then, the anger manifested in the incident when Ahad Jan a suspended cop hurled a shoe on Omar while he was addressing a parade during the independence day function in Srinagar.

But by now, given the role of the CRPF, stance of the union government and the  proportions the agitation had assumed, It was no longer just the public anger, discontent or an agitation against the state government, but a cry for permanent settlement of the lingering issue of Kashmir. So much so that senior separatist leaders. time and again shouted  that it was beyond the chief minister who had been brought to power simply to address the civic issues of Bijli, Pani and Sadak.

While the visit of the all party delegation to Srinagar and appointment of interlocutors may have done its bit, general feeling in Kashmir is that it was the fatigue in public and no tangible results yielded by the long drawn, self-imposed strikes that led to the fizzling down of the agitation.

And thus came the opportunity for Omar to try and reclaim the lost ground. Though it was never going to be easy, Omar set the stage with an important speech in state legislative assembly in the session that was boycotted by Opposition PDP.
Terming those killed as martyrs for a cause, Omar tried to strike a chord of empathy with the public. But most important was the statement wherein Omar became the first even chief minister of the state to question the very notion of state’s merger with India. A statement that raised many eyebrows in Delhi, did help Omar-though marginally.

What followed was a series of political rallies, Awami Darbars and greater interaction with people. While Omar was finding his ground, he pushed through the landmark militant return policy despite opposition not only from parties like BJP but also from within the ranks of his own coalition partner, paving way for thousands of youth who had gone to the other side of LoC for training in arms but wanted ton return and join the mainstream now.

Passing the bill to regulate the water resources of the state and generate revenue from the users including union government agencies was another move forward. Reworking the sheri Kashmir employment and welfare program to make it more attractive and useful has helped his image as a facilitator of development. Creating more job opportunities and working towards an employable pool of youngsters has been the key thrust area.

And in the backdrop of all that has happened off late, contrary to what many of us had thought, when I went out to ask people on the streets what they thought of Omar as he completes 2 years in the office, apart from criticism for what happened in summer, people had some good things too to say about Omar. While they are dismayed about how he handled the agitation, there is praise for some of his developmental initiatives and above all hope for his contribution for peace in the valley for times to comes.

And as state gears up for the panchayat elections in days to come, Year 2010, as it turned out to be for Omar, cements the though that it has been a story of great survival, at least for now.