By Syed Shadab Ali Gillani
SRINAGAR: During a sombre obituary session held in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, lawmakers gathered to honour the memory of their predecessors. Sons of former legislators took the opportunity to pay homage to their late fathers, many of whom had passed down their political legacies to the next generation.
Satish Sharma, now a minister in the Omar Abdullah-led government, expressed regret for not fulfilling his father Madan Lal Sharma’s aspirations. Madan Lal, a former lawmaker and Lok Sabha member left a legacy of public service that Satish vowed to continue. In another tribute, Rafiq Naik of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) from Tral celebrated the contributions of his father, Ali Mohammad Naik, a senior JKNC leader and former Speaker of the Assembly. Reyaz Beadar, son of Ghulam Qadir Beadar and a former Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) elected from Pattan under the JKNC, chose silence during the session, letting his quiet presence honour his father’s memory.
This obituary reference held particular poignance as it marked the first session of the Assembly in six years, a hiatus since 2018. The extended list of tributes included 53 former lawmakers who had passed away during the interval, a sombre reminder of the evolving political landscape.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah addressed the assembly with visible emotion, reflecting on the absence of so many former legislators. Among those honoured was former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, whose legacy emerged as a focal point of the session, cutting across party lines with bipartisan respect and admiration.
In his speech, Chief Minister Abdullah praised Vajpayee’s statesmanship, describing him as a “visionary leader” whose approach to Jammu and Kashmir provided a potential path to peace. He recounted Vajpayee’s historical outreach efforts, including the iconic Lahore bus journey and his visit to Minar-e-Pakistan, gestures that embodied his commitment to India-Pakistan reconciliation. Vajpayee’s message that “friends may change, but neighbours do not” resonated deeply with Abdullah, who credited the former Prime Minister with advocating for “Insaniyat, Kashmiriyat, and Jumhooriyat” (Humanity, Kashmir’s unique identity, and Democracy) as a guiding principle.
Abdullah underscored Vajpayee’s contributions in connecting the divided regions of Jammu and Kashmir by opening cross-border roads, a move intended to foster personal and cultural ties across the Line of Control. He expressed disappointment at the subsequent widening of political and social divides, alluding to the 2019 abrogation of Article 370 by the BJP-led government, which redefined Jammu and Kashmir’s status by bifurcating it into two union territories. “Had Vajpayee’s roadmap been followed, we might not be facing today’s fractured reality,” Abdullah said, emphasizing the visionary nature of Vajpayee’s approach.
Reflecting on Vajpayee’s evolving views, Abdullah recounted the 2000 Autonomy Resolution, passed by the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly but initially rejected by Vajpayee’s cabinet. Abdullah revealed that Vajpayee later reconsidered the decision, appointing then-Law Minister Arun Jaitley to initiate discussions with the National Conference (NC) leadership. “Unfortunately, progress on this front stalled, and with Vajpayee’s passing, the course of history shifted,” Abdullah remarked, lamenting lost opportunities for dialogue and reconciliation.
The session also saw Abdullah pay homage to his late friend and former advisor, Devender Singh Rana. Abdullah shared a personal reflection on their time together, expressing deep regret at not being aware of Rana’s health struggles. He noted that the obituary list included legislators from Ladakh and Kargil, acknowledging that this might be the final instance of such a tribute, given Ladakh’s administrative separation from Jammu and Kashmir. “This last list carries a profound sense of change and separation,” he observed, underscoring the shifting political landscape.
Communist leader Yousuf Tarigami praised Vajpayee’s wisdom, citing his insistence on “friendly relations with neighbours” as a testament to his political philosophy. Tarigami recalled Vajpayee’s decision to extend a ceasefire despite internal resistance, a move he described as reflective of Vajpayee’s commitment to peace. JKNC leader Bashir Veeri affirmed that Vajpayee’s slogan of Insaniyat, Jumhooriyat, and Kashmiriyat was a legacy worthy of preservation, while PDP lawmaker Rafiq Naik described Vajpayee’s principles as essential for managing the complexities of Jammu and Kashmir.
While numerous political figures were remembered, only two lawmakers mentioned Syed Ali Geelani, a three-time MLA who later became a prominent separatist leader. Rafiq Naik and Dr Bashir A Veeri briefly acknowledged Geelani’s role but offered no further elaboration. Interestingly, nobody took the name of Jagmohan, the Jammu and Kashmir governor who also passed away recently.
As the lengthy list of tributes concluded, the Speaker called for a two-minute silence to honour the deceased lawmakers, assuring members that opportunities for further discussion on these figures and their contributions would arise. The session ultimately became a moment for the assembly to reflect on the legacies, aspirations, and missed opportunities that have shaped the political and social history of Jammu and Kashmir, with Vajpayee’s enduring influence and principles casting a long shadow over the proceedings.
