HUMOUR IN KASHMIR POLITY
“Everything is changing. People are taking their comedians seriously and their politicians as a joke.”
– Will Rogers
They say that laughter is the best medicine and thanks to some of our leaders, even in such depressing times as these, we do manage to get our daily dose of laughter. And these leaders seem to be so concerned about our health that even when the Valley was reeling under sectarian violence, they continued to humour us with their comic utterances. So, when National Conference Additional General Secretary Dr Sheikh Mustafa Kamal recently alleged that the Hurriyat (M) Chairman Mirwaiz Umer Farook has become an agent of Indian and Pakistani agencies and “everyone knows about his dual loyalties,” the people suddenly got a reason to laugh and were heard exclaiming, “Yeh toh kamaal ho gaya!”
But Kamal is not the only politician who is also doubling- up as a physician and dispensing the medicine of laughter to one and all. We also have Senior National Conference (NC) leader and Minister of Higher Education, Muhammad Akbar Lone telling us something we never knew- that the stone- pelters are actually ‘Ikwanis’ and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is helping in the resurgence of the ‘Ikwanis’! He has also ‘educated’ us on the partisan role being played by the media in keeping this sinister development under wraps. And he may be right, as pelting stones at the cavalcade of such a ‘popular’ and ‘adored’ leader as Lone thinks himself to be, could only have been the handiwork of the Ikwanis, who were being nurtured by the PDP! Now, isn’t this an excellent joke!
If others in the NC can amuse us, then how can the CM stay behind? So, by alleging that, “They (separatists) meet with the agency people in restaurants and five star hotels for secret talks,” he has ensured that the quality and dose of laughter he provides befits his status! It also goes to his credit that he uses innovative means to amuse us- from breaking down in the Assembly to his theatrical growl on the AFSPA revocation issue, which ended in a whimper. While his claims on how J&K has developed under the NC led government keeps everyone amused, his recent statement that, “My target is to make Jammu and Kashmir a power surplus state and strengthen its economy to such a level from where it need not plead for Central assistance time and again for every development work,” takes the cake!
Not to be outdone, the opposition PDP too seems to be vying for the first spot in entertaining the public with humour. President and former Member of Parliament (MP) Mehbooba Mufti deserves appreciation for her own brand of original humour. Claiming that she was ridiculed in school with others asking her, “Why is your father a Congress man and an Indian despite being honest?” she had the people in splits of laughter and asking each other, “If he indeed is an honest man, then why is he into politics in the first place!” And keeping abreast with Omar Abdullah, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Patron and former Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed has come out with something that well be may be an ‘overdose’ of humour. You guessed it right- I’m referring to his recent statement that, “Leave Kashmir resolution to me… I’ll show the way,” which had everyone laughing and exclaiming, “Mufti sahib, where were you all these years?”
The quorum of jesters in Kashmir’s mainstream polity would be incomplete without the mention of State Congress Chief Saif ud din Soz. His utterances provide variety through his erroneous belief in his self- professed importance, such as, “I represent Congress in the State and have full backing of party high command.” And it was probably to prove this that he authoritatively said that “Omar Abdullah has been asking for the repeal of AFSPA for a long time. Today I want Omar and Union Home Minister to sit and come forward for a decisive proposition.” That, the Congress spokesperson Sandeep Dikshit unceremoniously demolished his stand on AFSPA and cut him down to size by saying that, “There have been demands for the repeal of AFSPA, but those engaged in the Valley feel this is not the appropriate time to do so. We stand by that view,” provided a source of immense amusement to all!
Laughter may be the best medicine, but in these trying times, we need politicians and not comedians in Kashmir. In any case, the type jokes being played by the politicians are an insult to the intellect of the common man. Therefore, since it is actions and not words, which impresses the electorate, will the mainstream politicians please get more serious and start paying greater attention to issues of governance rather than think that their main job is just to humour us. Afterall, there is a limit to everything and since excess of everything is bad, how can humour be an exception?