The Model Of The State We Witness In Kashmir Has No Parallels
What is the state? Philosophers, thinkers, social and political scientists – all have defined the state in a number of ways. These models are replicated all over the world.
Left to Kashmir, we have the strangest model of the state – at least on the basis of day-to-day experiences and observations. Over more than 30 years of turmoil, we come across instances where members of the terror syndicate, their relatives and even distant relatives are showered with favours. On the other hand, poor Kashmiris who had some petty police record in the past are denied passports. After ten years, recently I stepped into the premises of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court in Srinagar. Some lawyers I met there said they had no idea about the recent notice issued to three former presidents of High Court Bar Association Kashmir, namely Mian Abdul Qayoom, Nazir Ahmad Ronga and Gh Nabi Shaheen.
In the course of discussion, I observed that many lawyer friends, who are law abiding and carry no baggage of anti-India narrative, are dismayed and disappointed with the model of state replicated in Kashmir for 30 long years. These lawyers were denied even a room in the Lawyers’ Chamber because the issuing authority initially was HCBA. Later, the High Court reserved the right of allotment with the registry. According to these lawyers, the action is “too little, too late”.
The entire system or the state was held ransom by the anti-India syndicate. How ironical it is that this syndicate was enjoying power derived from the structure of the state itself.
This separatist syndicate in the court premises would decide the fate of the people inside and outside the court on the basis of their political affiliations and ideological moorings. People would be elevated to the highest positions on the recommendations of this syndicate.
On the other hand, people who were even remotely associated with any militant group would be denied the chance of living a dignified life. Strange as it is, the model of the state we witness in Kashmir has no parallels.
