Alliance with parties other than BJP would have alienated Jammu: Mufti Mohammad Sayeed

Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, the 79-year-old patron of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) took oath as the twelfth chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday after crafting a “historic” alliance with its ideological rival BJP. Mufti, also longest services state unit chief of Congress was also India’s first Muslim Home Minister under the Janata Dal government of V. P. Singh, when militancy broke out in the Valley. An avid golfer like his arch rival Farooq Abdullah of National Conference, Mufti headed government in J&K with support from the Congress between 2002 and 2008. An alumnus of SP College Srinagar and Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), Mufti holds degrees in Law and Arab History. In a freewheeling interview, he talks to dna.

DNA: Your alliance with the BJP has created fears not only in Kashmir but amongst Muslim community and secular forces across country as well. You will be held responsible for giving a foothold to BJP in Kashmir. Moreso, people in Kashmir came out to vote in larger numbers after 1987 and choose your party to keep the BJP out. But you have tied up with same party, against whom you sought consolidation. How you explain such a contradiction?

Mufti Mohammad Sayeed: You know the kind of mandate that emerged out of elections. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP tried its best to achieve their mission 44. But they failed. But I do appreciate them unlike in past, they didn’t hijack people’s mandate. They allowed mandate to reflect people’s verdict. They (BJP) have a mindset since 1947 against Kashmir and its special status and also about minorities in India.

But it was necessary to respect the mandate rather to override it. Politics in art of possibilities and managing contradictions. My job is to work with contradictions and protect political rights as well. This alliance, yes, I agree was like combining North Pole and South Pole.

But let me assure people in Kashmir, I along with my colleagues will protect political rights and also bring development and smiles to their faces. It is an opportunity for BJP as well to understand them and respect sentiments in Kashmir. I understand a gigantic task is on my shoulders.

And, it is also not first time in country that contradictory forces have come together. Let me remind you, the Morarji Desai government in 1977 was supported by Right and Left and so was the Janata Dal Government  of V P Singh in 1989,  backed by both Left and the BJP. And both these governments had overwhelming support of Indian Muslim leaders as well.

DNA: You had standing offers from secular groups like Congress and National Conference for support. Why you had to choose the BJP to sew up an alliance for government formation?

Mufti: I again turn your attention to fractured verdict. They (BJP) swept Jammu’s Hindu belt and got few seats in Chinab Valley as well. In 2002, Congress had fared well in this region and had reduced to BJP to a single seat. Then we did form government with Congress. Now the mandate was such, there was no way out. Political isolation of this region, which BJP had swept would have resulted  in more serious consequences rather than working with the BJP in government. I didn’t secure mandate like Arvind Kejrewal got in Delhi.

Yes, I had offers from NC and Congress. But that would have been limited to government formation. Both these parties like us didn’t had any representation from Jammu’s Hindu belt. And moreso, I wouldn’t not have been able to extract or implement any political commitments, either a review of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) or the return of lands occupied by security forces. Or even to go ahead with development agenda by incorporating in the agenda for alliance, return of  Dulhasti and Uri hydro power projects to J&K, securing  a share in the profits of NHPC emanating from J&K or getting a commitment of allocation of a dedicated coal mine in Madhya Pradesh to J&K with coal reserves of not less than 150 MMT for setting up a pit head thermal plant with equity support from Government of India. Was it possible if I had made a government with Congress and NC? People will judge me by my work, as they did during my first three-year rule between 2002 and 2008.

DNA: Your Agenda of the Alliance with the BJP, which is in power at centre is fourth such document signed between Srinagar and Delhi after independence. I may take you along 1952 Delhi Agreement between Sheikh Abdullah and Jawaharlal Nehru, 1975 Indira Gandhi – Sheikh Abdullah Accord and 1986 Rajiv Gandhi –Farooq Abdullah Accord. How different is your document and how confident you are it will be implemented in letter and sprit?

Mufti: I have spoken and fought against Sheikh Abdullah. But to be fair with him, he was arrested and deposed in 1953 just a year ager signing Delhi agreement. So could not hold him responsible for not implanting it. I can confide in you that Indira Gandhi, who was then in Paris  was upset at Sheikh’s arrest and even fought with her father. When she came to power, she tried to get Sheikh back in power and succeeded in 1975 after signing an accord with him. But there was one big mistake, when she said, hands of clocks cannot be turned back. If hands of clock are moved fast by machinations, they can be set right by turning them to original position.  Sheikh sahib didn’t got a significant political attainment through his accord. But he did give an excellent administration through his valued colleagues. He delivered on governance and also prevented further erosion of constitutional guarantees. The 1986 accord, I don’t remember had any political clause, except to put Farooq sb in chair.   

The current document is comprehensive and contains political agenda, which came up after two month long protracted negotiations. We had conveyed to our interlocutors that facilitating an internal (separatists) and external (Pakistan) dialogue, status quo on Article 370 and a framework to revoke AFSPA are non-negotiables from our side. If they don’t agree, they can explore government formation with other parties.

You may accuse me backtracking from anti-BJP agenda. But what I got under available circumstances and with available strength is the best available comprehensive political agenda. I am here to see every word of this agenda is put in action.

We made them (BJP interlocutors) to understand that development is possible only when there is peace. And peace needs and environment. People is Kashmir remember and commend my three years of governance. That was possible only, when then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had created an aura of confidence and peace. He extended hand of friendship to Pakistan and engaged separatist leadership. That gave me a room for development.

DNA: Do you feel Modi, with his hardline image will be able to carry forward the process of Vajpayee.

Mufti:  Jammu and Kashmir is a challenge at national level. It is not only for Modi. That is why I met Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Manmohan Singh, Sharad Yadav before flying to Jammu. It needs a broad consensus. We have a ray of hope and feel encouraged the way cases of human rights and killing of innocents be that in Budgam and Machil were tackled by the current central government.

Vajpayee-Manmohan Singh and former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf have already invented a wheel. That wheel needs a smooth road to operate on. I will lay a well oiled smooth road, facilitate engagements create an aura of confidence for stakeholders. Central government has to build bridges with Pakistan. Separatist Hurriyat and even Pakistan did allow conducive atmosphere for the conduct of recently concluded assembly elections. I conveyed this to Prime Minister, when I met him. I found he has a vision for South Asia. It would be idle to start working to vision form  from Jammu and Kashmir.