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| Governance, not ideology | | 
By B L Saraf
Whenever PDP – BJP government is confronted with the inherent irreconcilability of some issues, the managers of the Alliance try to wriggle out on the standard statement. The statement that 'ours is an alliance for governance and not of ideology or politics .'
One can foresee a government without an ideology – particularly in an Indian context after the coalition era had set in - but to say that a governance module can be without an element of politics is to stretch credulity, too, far. Governance is the job of a political executive which comes to the helm on the strength of its political capitol, strategy and art of managing contradictions. Take out political element from it, the executive will collapse in no time.
The art and science of a government is embedded in the rock of politics. Governance, when called civil administration, becomes polity. There is no gainsaying that peace, order and good governance are the ultimate goals of a democratic polity. In theory and practice the art of governance is preordained in the art of practicing politics. If someone says that he will remain in government without having anything to do with the politics it amounts to saying that he will be in the office but not in power. And no politician, of a salt, will ever agree to such a situation . Politics is, indeed, the soul of the governance .
' Governance Without Politics ' is an idiom that has gone, indelibly, in our political lexicon. Surprisingly, in crafting the idiom there has been total unanimity among all the political circles – separatists included. Separatists invoke it in their favor when Kashmir voters defy them and participate, in a big way, in the polls to elect members from Panchayat to the Lok Sabha. They try to shake off their embarrassment on the idiom that Kashmiris have voted for solving their Roti, Kapda and Makaan issues and not for the resolution of a political issue .
Omar Abdullah relied on it in 2008 when NC / INC formed the government, and now the present PDP and BJP dispensation takes refuge under it. Every one, here revels in the self deception.
In J&K, the argument that one can govern without caring too much for the politics falls flat on the face . Here, a bus stand cannot be moved to an expanded place without discounting the political fallout, leave alone establishing a medical institute at some place without earning political wrath of the other place . It doesn’t appeal to the logic, how can managers of coalition pretend being apolitical in governance when their `Agenda of Alliance' is replete with politically loaded issues .
For instance, with respect to the Kashmir issue it says , 'it will enhance people to people connectivity across LOC .' Then , it records 'The coalition government will facilitate a sustained dialogue with all internal stakeholders irrespective of their ideological views.' And 'will resolve the Kashmir issue within the ambit of Insaniyat as said by AB Vajpayee .” Before it could propose a concrete action on the return of Pandits, the matter went so politically viral that everyone became furiously opinionated, either for or against the move.
Sometimes it becomes prudent to live with what you have , rather than presume possessing things you would want to have for a better life . This Alliance government needs emotional management, though emotional integration would have been a desired thing . For the sake of good governance the Party emotions and aspirations must be kept under control . It never pays to be hypocritical. An ingredient of politics is a must for the recipe of good governance .
Some hatreds have grown in the Valley , as few stereotypes have been built. They can’t be demolished in a one go. A calculated political treatment is required. Pandits have lived outside their home for a quarter century. They can wait for a year or more. A well considered return, though belated, will be desirable than the one foisted post haste. A hurried solution often proves problematic . It is no divine duty of any government – much less of the present state government - to solve all the problems in one stroke . They can priorities the job and start the business with first, what some say, plucking a low hanging fruit .
Ideology may separate PDP from BJP but a dream of good governance should bind them together, in the larger interests of the state. J&K needs proper government. Circumstances have placed enormous responsibility on the Alliance. To discharge the responsibility it is necessary for the constituents to refrain from raising passions that may turn monsters, difficult to rein in later. It is time to display some sensitivity . No government can afford to be without a soul.
(B L Saraf is former Principal District & Sessions Judge. Feedback- [email protected])
(Opinions expressed in write-ups/articles/Letters are the sole responsibility of the authors and they may not represent the scoopnews.in)
Editor, Scoop News
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