An unholy nexus

I had written last week that it is time to take a deep breath, exercise restraint and think of the future. A number of issues exist and one thing we do not want is to be bogged down by negatives. While political warfare is inevitable in a democracy, there are certain issues that require self-imposed restraint.
The drama surrounding the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Ekta Yatra and its decision to hoist the tricolour at Lal Chowk, Srinagar, has finally come to an end.
The Centre and the Jammu and Kashmir government opposed the BJP’s move. BJP leaders Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley and Ananth Kumar were arrested at Jammu airport. I think the entire situation that was created was avoidable. The flag-hoisting exercise, given the current complexities of politics in the Valley, was not justified.
The BJP has a presence in Jammu but does not exist in the Valley. While this may enthuse its cadres, the impact on a national scale will be minimal while violence in Jammu would be very unfortunate and would elicit a negative reaction.
While India has consolidated and grown into an economic superpower, unfortunately Pakistan has disintegrated into chaos. Despite our best efforts — by both the National Democratic Alliance and the United Progressive Alliance (UPA-1 and 2) — little has happened.
The Centre has played a crucial role and, taking into account security issues across the border, we have done rather well. But the situation in Pakistan is volatile. Every day there are bomb blasts with heavy casualties. The situation in the Valley cannot be viewed in isolation and there is little point in giving the separatists and anti-India lobby any free publicity.
In the past three decades, little has changed in the Kashmir Valley except that many of us associated with events in Jammu and Kashmir have become 30 years older and a new generation has taken over the reins of governance, which, in my opinion, is doing rather well.
The period from 1980-90 was rather turbulent and this was inevitable as Sheikh Abdullah passed away and a new leadership emerged in the Valley. His son Farooq Abdullah took time to settle in, but in November 1984 Indira Gandhi was assassinated. With her death, things within the Congress changed.
With the wisdom of hindsight we can speculate on the hits and misses of the situation, but as I look back I think both Mufti Muhammad Sayeed and Dr Abdullah did their country proud and have served the state and the Centre with great distinction.
The future of J&K is bright and the National Conference (NC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) are evenly matched. The Congress has an electoral level which can support either side and all three have a part to play. As most things in life, conciliation rather than confrontation, will be the preferred option.

VARIOUS EXISTING mafias — liquor, land, builder, mine, oil, sandalwood etc. — affect our day-to-day existence. Should we be shocked at the brutal killing of the additional district collector of Malegaon, Yashwant Sonawane? Eight people who have been accused were arrested and should be hanged if found guilty. But hundreds and thousands all over the country are involved in the oil mafia and statistics show that 40 per cent of the kerosene never reaches the aam aadmi.
Chief minister of Maharashtra Prithviraj Chavan must act immediately. Also, I hope that my friend, Union petroleum and natural gas minister S. Jaipal Reddy, will do everyone a favour by looking at the issue on an urgent basis. He has impeccable integrity but takes his own time to take a decision.
We can play the blame-game and live in denial, but effective governance at the Centre and in the states has not matched the country’s economic growth.
It is sad that instead of the government, an army of determined non-governmental organisations — with the help of the Right to Information Act — are waging a war against mafias.
Besides the brutality we have seen now there would be hundreds and thousands of citizens intimidated and frightened into submission. Those who resist risk their lives. We think there is chaos in poorly-run states. But look at the situation in the well-run states, like Delhi, Haryana, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and Bihar, where a nexus between the criminals and the lower bureaucracy exists.
While everyone is aware of this unholy nexus, one has limited options and is forced to look the other way. Anyone prepared to fight is stunned into inaction by various laws where almost anything can become an “offence”. Also, few are prepared for a decade of litigation and harassment.
Moreover, criminals have no fear of the law as it does not exist and, very often, the rival mafia is deployed to resolve conflicts.
Public governance has broken down at all levels. We have reached a level where we have no option but to fight for survival. The tide is turning slowly but surely. Here, the media, more than anyone else, will provide shelter to those who dare the elements and wage war against the mafia and their associates.
It is to be seen whether Mr Reddy will act and wage a war against the oil mafia? Will we offer our condolences, pay cash compensation to the family and give sermons? Will we wait till the next tragedy strikes and another innocent is killed?

Arun Nehru is a former Union minister