RSS old man in JK, Leela Karan Sharma, who dominated the news for most of last summer has joined formal politics. A practising lawyer, 68-year-old Sharma is now the BJP candidate for the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls for Jammu seat. He has resigned from the Amarnathji Shrine Sangharsh Samiti giving its charge to his confidant, a retired army brigadier.
Sharma’s management of the strike that he led last year offered insight into the mind of a man who knows the tricks of his trade. Backed by entire Sangh Parivaar, he created a situation in Jammu and other Hindu belts of the state that division of the state appeared a near possibility. He roused emotions to the level of ensuring a successful economic blockade of Kashmir valley, Doda, Rajouri and Poonch for around two months. No trucks or buses were allowed to cross Banihal tunnel.
This triggered a situation that New Delhi had to fly a few consignments of medicine for over-busy emergency sections of the hospitals in Srinagar. In ensuring the blockade, apple laden trucks were set afire and petrol bombs were used with impunity.
During the agitation there were series of attacks in the Muslim belts in Jammu. A locality was completely gutted in these attacks. Even the police was not spared – some were lynched selectively while others barely survived. As the governments in Delhi and Srinagar fell on his feet, he ensured that he would talk only after all the Kashmiri leaders are made to leave the meeting hall.
It all led to consolidation of the Hindu vote bank th
