Says Who Really Failed Kashmir ? End Politics of ‘Betrayal’
Suhail Khan
Baramulla, Sep 19: As Kashmir’s fruit industry is on the brink of collapse due to massive losses stemming from the prolonged closure of the national highway. However the crisis has ignited a fierce political controversy in northern Kashmir, with local leaders now trading blame.
The latest remarks came from Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Rafeeq Rather, who was responding to a growing dispute that erupted after Baramulla MLA Javid Hassan Baig defended Chief Minister Omar Abdullah against criticism from fruit industry representatives. The representatives had demanded accountability for the government’s failure to reopen the highway.
In a social media post as per The Web Story/The Varmul Post, Rather asserted that Kashmiris have consistently voted with hope and trust, believing their leaders would uphold their dignity and political aspirations.
“If governments have not functioned ‘normally’ in J&K, it is not because of the people, but because leaders have time and again compromised, backtracked, and surrendered the very causes they sought votes for,” Rather stated. “So, instead of blaming the people, we need to look into the mirror. It is not the public, but the politics of betrayal that has failed Kashmir and Kashmiris.”
Earlier, MLA Baig characterized the criticism of Abdullah as a “game plan” to target him over issues that fall under the Central government’s jurisdiction.
“It is very unfortunate and also part of a game plan to target Omar Abdullah on issues pertaining to the central government,” Baig stated. He further contended, “Kashmiris have never allowed their own government to function peacefully. From Yousuf Shah till date, they have always dethroned their rulers and paved the way for outside rule.”
Baig’s comments have sharply intensified political tensions in the district, with opposition leaders dismissing them as a public stunt.
Adding to the backlash, Touseef Raina, the former chairman of the Baramulla Municipal Council, criticized the MLA’s statements as hypocritical.
Raina, speaking to The Web Story/The Varmul Post, said that instead of blaming the public, the MLA should examine his own political history of switching parties and reversing positions. He stated that such “inconsistency and opportunism are the real hurdles to governance, not the people of Kashmir.”
He remarked, “Our MLA is constantly giving such pointless interviews. He lives in a world of his own; his statements are completely incoherent. He is always busy degrading people, whether journalists or officers, and is continually making inflammatory statements.”
Touseef stated, “This time, MLA Javid Baig Sahab has crossed a line by targeting Kashmiris, which has exposed his hypocrisy and double standards.”
Raina criticized him, saying, “How can he forget that when he was in the PDP, he used to attack Omar Abdullah, who is now the Chief Minister? Now, for his own benefit, he claims, ‘Kashmiris never let the government function.’ This is the height of his double standards. Earlier after left PDP, then was targeting Mehbooba Mufti, despite being in her party for years. The public is well aware of his double standards. He must stop this self-serving politics,” Touseef said.
Raina questioned MLA Bla, said, “Before pointing fingers at Kashmiris, you should look within yourself. Before making accusations, you should introspect. Consider your own origins; at the very least, examine your own political ideology. How can you shift from one party to another? In any case, are there even any parties left in Kashmir that you haven’t joined? It’s as if you’ve jumped from the North Pole to the South Pole.
“Your behavior is confusing and troubling the common people because you have done nothing but lie to them. In reality, you are a hypocrite. You side with power, bow to it, and play with the public’s emotions, causing them pain,” Touseef further added.
Pertinently, The highway closure led to the stranding of hundreds of fruit-laden trucks along the Srinagar–Jammu route, triggering widespread resentment among growers. All fruit markets across the Kashmir Valley remained shut on Monday in protest against the government’s failure to ensure the uninterrupted transportation of fruit to markets across the country.
The clearance of the stranded trucks is expected to stabilize apple prices, which had plummeted due to the prolonged highway closure.
Meanwhile, in a major relief for fruit growers, the divisional administration in Kashmir claimed on Wednesday evening to have successfully evacuated 4,873 stranded fruit-laden trucks over the past two days.
