In fact, Rajiv Gandhi’s original intention may have been that if power in Kashmir fell into the hands of fundamentalists and separatists, it would mean that the possibility of India’s sovereignty being affected would also increase. Perhaps with this in mind, he might consider rigging the Kashmir elections by striking a deal with centrist Farooq Abdullah. However, his plan backfired and the valley was on fire, which has not been extinguished to this day.
The government faces a similar situation in 2024. All separatists participated in the elections. But the government did not prevent them from openly participating in the elections. Otherwise the atmosphere will deteriorate again. This may help the BJP form a government, but it will certainly spark discontent in Kashmir. The victory of the Congress alliance in Kashmir was the result of fair elections. This message also conveys to the world the faith of the Kashmiri people in the Indian Constitution and democracy. Whatever unrest is happening in Kashmir, Pakistan is behind it.
The 1987 elections were held jointly by the National Assembly and the Congress. The Muslim United Front took part in the competition. The Front is an alliance of local Muslim organizations and groups in Kashmir inspired by separatist ideology. That year, about 80 per cent of the voting took place in the valley, with the MUF winning. Notably, there wasn’t much voting in the valley this time either. Syed Yusuf Shah was a candidate for MUF and later became the leader of a terrorist organization called Hizb ul Mujahideen under the pseudonym Syed Salahuddin (Syed Salahuddin). There was a conspiracy to defeat Yusuf Shah who was winning massively. Not only did Shah lose the election, he and his handler Yassin Malik were thrown into jail. Yasin Malik also became the leader of the JKLF. Not only that, it is said that National Congress candidate Gul Mohideen Shah even beat Salahuddin himself in prison after winning the election.
These elections were so massively rigged by the then-Congress government that Sajjad Lone’s father, Abdul Ghani Lone, lamented that this would deepen people’s antipathy towards the Indian government. There were reports of electoral malpractice in the offices of district commissioners from different parts of the Valley. Indrajit Badhwar reports in India Today that pre-printed ballot papers for the national conference were recovered from polling stations in Patan. MUF operatives reportedly found similar pre-stamped books from polling officials in Edgar, Handwara and Choudhura.
According to a report in India Today in March 1987, MUF candidates were also accused of occupying polling stations in Khan Sahib and Hazratbal, with a gang of National Conference (NC) workers driving into the polling stations in Matador vans while police stood by and watched. . However, the government turned a blind eye to these accusations and complaints and instead took action against opposition leaders. As a result, Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s Farooq Abdullah-led alliance of Jammu and Kashmir National Conference and Congress won a landslide victory in the elections. While the Congress won all 26 seats, the National Conference declared victory in 40 seats after contesting 46 seats.
2- How the 2024 election could upend the past of 1987
The Modi government has promised to hold free and fair elections in Jammu and Kashmir. At the same time, Jammu and Kashmir will also get the status of a full state. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court ordered the government to hold elections in Jammu and Kashmir as soon as possible. If the government wants, it can create obstacles in the elections on the grounds of law and order. But the government kept its promise. By holding free and fair elections in Jammu and Kashmir, the government sends a message to the world that India does not illegally occupy Kashmir. Kashmir holds peaceful elections and everyone has the right to elect their preferred public representative.
Elections in Jammu and Kashmir have been conducted under the shadow of terror for the past few decades. Under the terror shadow of various terrorist organizations, this election was not an election in the true sense because many people did not vote and many people did not participate in the campaign. The greatest success was the inclusion of old separatist leaders in the electoral process.
3-The National Congress Alliance washes away the stain of 1987
Thanks to fair elections, the National Congress-Congress alliance secured majority in Jammu and Kashmir. The National Congress won 42 out of 90 seats. And Congress has six seats. While the BJP won 29. Apart from this, People’s Democratic Party managed to win 3 seats, Aam Aadmi Party 1, CPM 1, Jammu Kashmir People’s Conference 1 and independents managed to win 7 seats.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday thanked the people of Jammu and Kashmir for securing the highest proportion of votes in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections and said democracy has now been revived in the Kashmir Valley as the people elected without terror They represent, intimidation. Amit Shah tweeted that freeing Jammu and Kashmir from terror and developing it like the rest of the country is the top priority of the BJP. He said, I am very happy that after the emergence of terrorism in the 1980s, the people of Jammu and Kashmir saw such a transparent and peaceful election for the first time and participated enthusiastically in the election.
The outcome of the 2024 elections is an honest majority for the National Congress and Congress. Honest because the responsibility for conducting the elections lies with the government at the center of his opposition party, the Bharatiya Janata Party. In such a case, this time no one can make accusations of manipulation. Although the 1987 victory was an embarrassment to the National Convention and Congress, both parties can now be proud of their latest victory. The National Congress will be relatively satisfied as the voters of Jammu and Kashmir still do not give much importance to the National Congress.
