Govt missing in action: Flood washes away Omar's hope of repeat mandate

By Aasha Khosa

New Delhi: If public anger in Kashmir Valley over government’s absence from the scene of the catastrophe is any indication, Omar Abdullah’s party the National Conference may have just scripted its own eclipse from the political scene in the floods that have left a trail of death, destruction and chaos across Kashmir.

“The last favour Omar Abdullah can do to the people is to get out of the scene,” said Nayeem Akhtar, spokesperson of the opposition Peoples’ Democratic Front, the main challenger of the National Conference in state elections which are due in two months. Nayeem, like thousands of Srinagar residents was caught in floods and did not receive any support from the state government.

“I am talking as a common person, who was witness to the devastation and absence of state government from the scene all through the two weeks of floods,” Nayeem said.

Though PDP is yet to take a stand on continuation of Omar Abdullah, sources said the party would pitch for elections in December, obviously to make most of the public anger against the NC regime. “Right now, we are busy in relief work,” Nayeem told Firstpost. Interestingly, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti’s residence at Nowgam is still submerged in flood water. She however stays in a government house on Gupkar Road.

A National Conference leader close to the chief minister said, “We should forget about elections till at least six months and get on with massive reconstructing work – it will take at least this much time.”

Today, nobody would envy the 44-year-old chief minister Omar Abdullah for his job. He is in charge of rehabilitating thousands of people rendered homeless by the floods; get his government which had also collapsed under the floods back on its feet and rejuvenate his own political outfit to at least be in a position to face the elections.

As against this, Omar’s problems are only growing: his writ does not run and he has become butt of peoples’ anger. Employees, many of whom have suffered personally, have refused to return to their water-logged offices; many are refusing to stay back in Srinagar as they have already packed up their bags for Jammu, the state’s summer capital for next six months (October-March), where the government is supposed to move by the month-end.

As such the government offices have faced massive damage and destruction to vital documents, records and even the furniture for the employees to work. “We have no idea how to disburse salaries as all the records are lost,” said a middle run officer working in Srinagar district magistrate’s office.

Srinagar residents claim to have spotted many senior police officers moving in taxis and not their government cars, in order to avoid public wrath. “If this is the credibility of the government, how will Omar Abdullah function?” asked a Srinagar-based author.

At present, much of the relief and rescue operation is being coordinated and monitored by a central team led by Union home secretary Anil Goswami, who happens to be from the state. This team compressing a number of joint secretaries drawn from different ministries, functions from BSF headquarters located close to the airport. As against this, the state government’s control room located at Gupkar Road, does not even have a telephone connectivity for the people to speak to.

“As a metaphor of the current state of affairs the state government control room is cut off from the rest of Srinagar as roads are still water-logged,” said Maqbool Sahil, an author, speaking on phone from Srinagar.

Omar’s party, the National Conference, has simply gone into hiding. While Congress is at least desperately trying to join the army of volunteers who are distributing food, medicines and water available to the stranded residents of Srinagar, the National Conference is conspicuous by its absence. “We have to be careful for the vested interests can engineer attacks on us and also add up to the chaos,” said a NC leader who hails from Srinagar downtown, where no rescue sorties were undertaken by the army or Air force.

Many are angry that in the initial days of the crisis, Omar Abdullah had tried to pass the responsibility of handling the aftermath of floods to the Centre. “Five ministers rushing to Delhi to ask for aid from the prime minister was the most shameful thing,” said Farooq Khan, who is overseeing BJP’s relief operations in Jammu. He wondered why the ministers did not instead go to their constituencies to be with the people. “Omar Abdullah could have spoken to prime minister through video conferencing. Modi would not have refused an interview to the chief minister,” Khan said.

As per the rules, the Omar Abdullah regime’s six-year term expires on 4 January and the Centre has either to put off elections by imposing a Governor’s rule or allowing Omar to continue in caretaker capacity.

“We will prefer the Omar Abdullah government to go,” said Jameel Shaheen, a former politician, from Srinagar. His fear is that under a weak government, the massive Central funds earmarked for the relief and rehabilitation of flood victims will be swindled and it will lead to corruption. “The sentiment among officers will be that since this government will not return to power, let’s make the most of the situation,” Jameel said.

Like Jameel, many common citizens prefer governor’s rule over the continuation of elected government till the elections. National Conference, as such, was facing a huge anti-incumbency especially given the rise of the BJP across Jammu and Ladakh and an assertive PDP in the Valley. Now with the government getting flak for its inept handling of floods, the party is set to face meet its Waterloo in the elections.