World

India's ruling Hindu party forms coalition in mainly Muslim Kashmir

PDP leader Mufti Mohammad Sayeed will be chief minister of the region and head of its coalition government

Afp March 01, 2015

PHOTO: PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

JAMMU, INDIA: India's ruling Hindu nationalist party was Sunday sworn into government for the first time in the country's only Muslim-majority state after a power-sharing deal with a regional rival.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have forged a coalition government after inconclusive elections two months ago for the restive Himalayan region's state assembly.

Read: India's Modi meets incoming Kashmir leader after deal

Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, the Muslim head of the PDP, was sworn in as chief minister of the region, where a sporadic revolt against Indian rule has been waged since 1989. In a symbolic gesture he enthusiastically embraced Modi, who was on stage to witness the historic ceremony.

"This is a great day. No one in their wildest dreams ever thought of this," PDP leader Naeem Akhtar said after the ceremony in the region's winter capital of Jammu.

"But I think Mufti Sayeed and the national (BJP) leadership of Modi-ji, they are on a journey to turn around Kashmir," an upbeat Akhtar told the NDTV network, using a Hindi honorific for respect.

The inauguration, held amid tight security at the University of Jammu, came after weeks of intense negotiations between the two parties which disagree on several critical issues in the region.

Read: Kashmir issue to be discussed with Indian foreign secretary: FO

Sayeed has described the alliance as the "coming together of the North Pole and the South Pole" while the BJP has hailed the move as a "miracle of democracy".

The negotiations followed December elections that saw the BJP capture 25 seats mainly in the Hindu-dominated Jammu region, while the PDP took 28, mostly in the Kashmir valley where Muslim separatist sentiment has traditionally been strongest.

But both failed to secure a majority to the 87-seat assembly, forcing the negotiations.

Both parties benefited at the polls from widespread discontent at the state's then-ruling National Conference party, over its handling of floods that killed more than 200 people in Kashmir in September.

Read: My government has only one religion, India first: Modi

The polls were marred by a number of deadly attacks in the region, which is divided between India and Pakistan and claimed by both.

Swarms of police patrolled the university grounds before the ceremony, which was also attended by BJP president Amit Shah.

"We have taken all necessary measures along the border (with Pakistan) and in the city to maintain law and order," police inspector-general for the Jammu region, Rajesh Kumar, told AFP.

Modi and Sayeed last week finally agreed on a common agenda to jointly rule the state and details were expected to be unveiled at a press conference later on Sunday.

But the agenda is unlikely to include any reference to scrapping a constitutional provision which allows Kashmir to make its own laws, even though the BJP has long been committed to its abolition.

Read: Show of support: ‘Our position on Kashmir dispute will not change’

The BJP has also traditionally baulked at demands by the PDP to scrap a draconian law that gives Indian forces sweeping search and shoot-on-sight powers in Kashmir, which is seen by critics as a cover for rights abuses.

Analysts warned that the coming together of two ideologically different parties could fuel discontent among Hindus in Jammu as well as Muslims in the Kashmir valley.

"A big challenge will be to shore up credibility among voters in both regions of the state," said Siddiq Wahid, a columnist and historian.

"What direction the discontent will take will depend on whether civil rights, like holding peaceful protest marches, will again be curbed."

The PDP had pledged during the election campaign to halt the BJP's growing influence after Modi swept to power at general polls in May.

The new coalition government faces the tough challenge of rebuilding after the floods that destroyed $16 billion worth of property and infrastructure.

COMMENTS (19)

Rakib | 9 years ago | Reply The emphasis on "Hindu" and "Muslim" in defining any public body is a typically Pakistani fetish. To the best of my knowledge Party constitutions of neither BJP nor PDP declare themselves to be "Hindu" or "Islamic" as such. That technicality apart, I don't see why Indians are shy of calling BJP, Shiv Sena and RSS, VHP, Bajrang Dal etc-all peas of the same pod-as being "Hindu" oriented? Its all a matter of perception too & like it or not BJP is perceived as a "Hindu" Party even within India among various sections of Hindus & Non-Hindus, though not among all.. Not only Pakistan but most of the world recognises BJP as "Hindu Nationalist Party". Does it mean media of Europe & USA look at everything from religious angle? May be. May be not. India does have other "religion" oriented parties also, such as All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, Shiromani Akali Dal & Indian Union Muslim League, apart from Dalit or Region oriented ones. Its a feature of Indian democracy..

Iqbal | 9 years ago | Reply @raider: But muslims in UK and the West are in poor state as well. They are heavily dependent on welfare. Why are you therefore implying that it is wrong in India but OK for the West. You should have simply said that our mindset is not to work hard and depend on the state. We do not take education seriously and that has brought our downfall.

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raider | 9 years ago | Reply @Bharat Patel: at least you have gone to confess that Muslim community in India is in poor state, if modi does not carry old torn mindset then escalation on boarder is meant at to be what, even it was nothing,when congress was in power

Bharat Patel | 9 years ago | Reply This comment needs to be made. the BJP was elected because there is a stron whiff of experience and anti-coprruption in that party I am sure that this will change if they stay in power too long. They also have a stronger backbone then Congress, and are able to make some tough decisions that the country needs. You Pakistanis need to go past that frozen thinking about the BJP being anti Muslim. After all if the economy grows most of the benefits will go to the poor - and they are mostly Muslims. and all we want is less corruption, open expressions without hurting anyone, and a discussion of the wrongs and the rights of what has happened and what has been proposed.. As one Deobandi leader has already said - we need to go past what happened 14 years ago. Gujarati Muslims are much better educated, are more prosperous then most and they can get jobs easily

Kolsat | 9 years ago | Reply @Indian: Do not make false accusation. RSS has never killed thousands of Muslims as you claim because no RSSwala has been jailed for such a crime. BJP is in power only for a short time in India but Congress was in power for 67 years. The Congress whom Muslims always voted for has not made such an accusation as you have made.

indrapal vansia | 9 years ago | Reply @Anand Rathore: Because that is the way they have been progammed, And I salute the person who did it', It is marketing at its best,

Iqbal | 9 years ago | Reply I suspect the author has an IQ of single digits. What was the point in saying "Hindu party......mainly Muslim Kashmir"? Is he aware that in UK and in the West there are regions where there are muslim majority (such as Leicester and Blackburn) but are ruled by Christian Party. Why is it OK for UK but not OK when it applies to India? Am I surprised Pakistan is a failed state?

Rishi | 9 years ago | Reply @Anand Rathore: Because pakistan was built on religious divide.

Indian | 9 years ago | Reply @jaya: joke much? Need I remind you the history of BJP and their speeches from their past leaders to pill hatred against Muslims. Or perhaps you want to enlighten yourself about the murders of thousands of muslims under their rule by RSS terrorists? Or may be the samjhota express tragedy where victims happened to be the non-Hindus? Oh right, in India, we do all the crimes but like to deny.

harkol | 9 years ago | Reply And it wasn't a news for you guys when the Muslim League formed a coalition govt. in Kerala in 'Mainly Hindu' Kerala?? Parties do not have 'religion' in India. BJP Is not a 'Hindu' Party. Majority of Hindus do not vote for BJP, and good number of Christians and some Muslims do vote for BJP. Till Pakistan can learn to understand how statecraft is above religion, it will not understand what secularism & democracy are all about.

Ishan | 9 years ago | Reply Hindu party??? This is reason why Pakistan is suffering. Stop relating everything with religion. It's a nationalist party.

S K Chadha | 9 years ago | Reply Sir, which party in Pakistan is Arab? Which party in Pakistan is not Sindu, Hindu or Indoi what ever you call this race?

Zaida | 9 years ago | Reply Bye bye Kashmir !

SEAsian | 9 years ago | Reply Modi must beware of "taqqiya".

raider | 9 years ago | Reply parties like laced with Hindu tag or either Muslim find no space rather likely to lose worth in future of trade liberalization, gone eras and religious fanaticism with which i with astonishment BJP is still going through and endure pavement to Hindu hardliner in their lines very like religious parties in Pakistan,

jay | 9 years ago | Reply BJP is a nationalist party not a "HINDU" party... half of Pakistan problem will vanish if it stops seeing world from a religious prism ......

satender | 9 years ago | Reply Stop giving self fanatized titles to Indian political parties. Pakistani and Pakistan is still amateur to understand the Indian democracy and political system... BJP is not a Hindu party but a nationalist party.

Anand Rathore | 9 years ago | Reply Wow What a Headline "India's Ruling Hindu Party"? Why Pakistani see everything with Religious Goggles? Why can't think Beyond Religion?

jaya | 9 years ago | Reply In Indian we don't look at Parties or any Institution through the prism of religion ! BJP didnt not win the election because BJP is Hindu, we dont wont based on religion we vote on what party is good for the country ! BJP is nationalist party not Hindu .... Which is proven by the Non Muslim candidates in BJP. My advice for Pak is keep your goggles of religion in ur pockets, use it Pak only as it works only in Pak . .. .

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