JAMMU: In an effort to shake the political scenario of Jammu and Kashmir, it is no less than a candid statement by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National General Secretary Tarun Chugh, as he has targeted Engineer Rashid with accusations of promoting “divisive politics” and playing a counterproductive role in the region’s road to peace and development. This is yet another rise in temperature for the BJP through political rhetoric ahead of the upcoming assembly elections in the region. While talking with media, as per Chugh explained the BJP’s zero tolerance policy against terrorism, stating that his party was committed to peace in Jammu and Kashmir. “There will be no tolerance against terrorism. Our party is committed to the peace, prosperity and progress of Jammu and Kashmir,” Chugh ascertained to an audience highlighting no-nonsense policy of BJP. While Engineer Rashid certainly took the full brunt of the attack by Chugh, the BJP leader did not stop there. Chugh also tore into traditional regional strongmen, including the Abdullahs and Muftis who have dominated the political landscape in Jammu and Kashmir for many decades. Chugh’s remarks come at a time when the BJP is seriously working to consolidate its presence in J&K, taking on the two dominant political dynasties of the National Conference headed by the Abdullah family and the Peoples Democratic Party led by Mehbooba Mufti. The two families, especially the Muftis, have been under attack from the BJP leadership for their tie-ups in the past and failure to bring stability in the volatile region. The Abdullahs and Muftis have retarded this state’s progress for decades. And now we have Engineer Rashid, who is no different. His politics has only worked to divide the people, which has led to unrest,” Chugh asserted with confidence. During his address, he termed Rashid’s politics part of an extended web of what he called “the divisive forces” that have been doing harm to the region. Engineer Rashid is a highly popular independent politician, chief of Jammu and Kashmir Awami Ittehad Party (AIP), who seldom misses a headline for his diatribes or heavy-worded attacks on both regional and national leaderships.
A populist appeal attributed to Rashid has been very vocal about Kashmiri identity, self-determination, and the right to self-rule, which frequently clashes with the BJP ideology of national integration. With his vocal stance on contentious issues like Article 370 and criticism of the BJP’s role in Jammu and Kashmir, Rashid has grown into a major adversary of the party’s agenda. But the direct attack by Chugh heralds a new phase in the BJP’s electoral strategy-by marking Rashid as a key player whose influence they seek to undermine.Chugh further extended his attack to national figures like Jawaharlal Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi, too, which also falls in line with the larger political discourse of the BJP. Chugh said the policies framed by them did not succeed in solving major problems in Jammu and Kashmir and thus engaged the region in a continuousbag of troubled times “. “Even the legacies of Gandhi and Nehru have contributed to this ongoing turmoil. The mistakes of the past should not be repeated. We are determined to correct these historical errors and bring Jammu and Kashmir into a new era of peace and prosperity,” said Chugh. Chugh’s speech is part of the larger effort by the BJP to redefine its political footprint in Jammu and Kashmir-a region where it has traditionally found it difficult to get a foothold. The voiding of Article 370 in 2019 marked a turning point that finally allowed the BJP to project itself as the party of strong leadership and decisive action. Under Modi, the BJP has focussed on showcasing Jammu and Kashmir as a transforming region. Economic development, investment in infrastructure, and also a crackdown on terrorism have become central to the party’s messaging. People of Jammu and Kashmir deserve better than politics of division. The BJP will usher in peace and development in each and every part of this region. We will not allow divisive leaders like Engineer Rashid to come in the way of progress,” Chugh concluded, appealing to the voters to vote for BJP in the coming elections. The political sparring between the BJP and regional leaders like Engineer Rashid is likely to get shriller in the run-up to assembly elections. The latter, who often projected himself as an outsider willing to take on the political establishment, is most likely to respond with sharp counter-arguments in the coming days. For now, Chugh’s impassive speech suggests the BJP will leave no stone unturned in its pursuit of conquering the political landscape of Jammu and Kashmir, marking the beginning of a high-pitched electoral season. The question is whether the electorate in Jammu and Kashmir will buy into this messaging of national integration and progress being sold by the BJP or will stick with regional leaders championing Kashmiri identity and self-governance. And only time will tell which narrative resonates more as the political battle heats up.
