Kashmir unrest: Politicians like Iftikhar Misger quit mainstream politics to be on 'people's side'

After the separatist leaders called for a boycott of “pro-India politicians”, asking people to cease all interactions with them, many mainstream political activists have either publicly resigned or have gone into hiding in the last 25 days of unrest in Kashmir Valley. Both politics and politicians are missing in action on the ground here and their return to the public discourse seems to be a distant possibility. Fearing being seen on the wrong side of the divide again, many have either publicly resigned from their parties or have used the podium of the mosques to declare their allegiance towards the ongoing agitation. These are mostly grassroot political workers in villages and towns of almost every party, including the ruling PDP. [caption id=“attachment_2930296” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. PTI[/caption] Iftikhar Misger, a National Conference leader who unsuccessfully contested Assembly bypoll against Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, lives in the volatile Cheeni Chowk area of Anantnag town. He was recently seen raising anti-India slogans in a video that went viral on social networking sites. It is not clear how the protesting crowd caught hold of Misger on Saturday evening, but in the video, surrounded by people, the businessman-turned-politician is seen telling people that he is giving up his security and choosing to be “on the side of his people.” Anantnag town in south Kashmir has been the epicentre of violence for the last 25 days, and has witnessed killings of many youths and hundreds have been injured. The images of Misger, shouting anti-India slogans were enough to shake Kashmir’s political circles. This is the first time in the troubled region a mainstream politician has publicly joined separatism after quitting mainstream politics. On Monday, Misger refused to talk on the issue saying, “It was a conscious decision as mainstream politics have failed to bring a possible solution to the problem.” Kashmir remains on the edge with hardly any signs normalcy returning as mainstream politicians go missing on the ground, reports of attacks against them have also increased in the recent days. Late on Monday evening, Mujeeb-Ur-Rehman, who had earlier fought an election on Awami Ittehad Party led by Engineer Rashid against the chief minister, too resigned from his party. Rehman, a resident of Anantnag town, at the forefront of the ongoing unrest, said he was quitting mainstream politics and joining the struggle of his people for the “resolution of Kashmir issue.” “I don’t think being a pro-India politician is a viable option now at least for grassroot leaders like us, who interact with people on a daily basis. How can you be part of a supposedly democratic process when the ruling class justifies killing of young people and blinding of innocent children,” he said. A palpable fear and a sense of despondency has overtaken these political activists throughout Kashmir, who are increasingly coming under attack from people for choosing to be on the “side of the oppressor.” Late on Sunday evening, Education Minister Nayeem Akhter’s house was attacked in Parrarpora locality, while the minister’s family lives in his official residence, attackers hurled a petrol bomb at his private residence in a posh locality in uptown Srinagar. Although no one was injured, the message was clear enough to make politicians jittery. This was the second attack on Akhtar in two weeks, last time he was rescued by an additional deployment of forces from capital, after he come under attack from the stone-pelters in north Kashmir’s Bandipora town. “I don’t know if any of my colleague has even tried to come out of their official residence in these days, except for travelling to secretariat a few times, leaving aside meeting workers or going to their constituency,” a minister in the PDP-BJP coalition government, told Firstpost. “Those living up south are more vulnerable and prefer to be on the side of the people. We have become irrelevant as people don’t pay heed to separatists, it is a leader-less agitation,” he added. Recently, a joint statement issued by the Hurriyat Conference had asked people to hold mainstream leaders accountable and answerable for their “betrayal”. “For India’s local collaborators (PDP MLAs) facilitating the oppression of their own people, their moment of reckoning and introspection is over,” the statement said. The cycle of killings seems to be continuing and protests are refusing to die down particularly in south Kashmir. Late on Monday, a personal security officer of Ramban additional deputy commissioner opened fire on a crowd of protesters and shot dead one man and critically injured another at Lethpora area of Pulwama district. Both the security guard and the ADC were taken into custody by police after the incident, Superintendent of Police Awantipora Shridhar Patil said. For the politicians, be it the ruling class or those in Opposition, living in these volatile hotspots seems to be a herculean task, as a leaderless less and uncontrollable street agitation has engulfed the valley of Kashmir. Monday also witnessed the resignation of BJP leader, Ghulam Hassan Zargar, who unsuccessfully contested 2014 Assembly polls in Kulgam area of south Kashmir. Zargar chose a protest rally to announce his resignation from the party.