Of late,Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is in a sermon-delivering mode. This is unusual. He is rather a quiet person, and an introvert personality. But sometimes, he breaks his own rules. As a student of political science, there were few lessons that came out of his speeches , which were full of quote of quotes.. He reinforced the relevance of the style of writings of Charles Dickens, though I am sure that the author must have been curling in his grave, the way his surname was written in the official hand out on January 5.. Apart from that, there was another lesson, the term debate on vote on motion of thanks on Governor’s address has been replaced by the Governor’s address only. May be some terms have become obsolete.
But, when Chief Minister quoted Dickens, the lesson was that there were writers of the past who could foresee the future happenings to enable the politicians/statesmen to use that at an appropriate forum as to how did they feel about their real time experiences in their political life, full of roses and thorns.
During his reply to the motion of thanks on Governor’s address last Tuesday, when neither the main Opposition nor media was there to hear the quotable quotes, Chief Minister was quoted having said: “During the Round Table Conference I told the Prime Minister that a politician has eye only on next election while the statesman looks towards next generation.” There was merit in it. Chief Minister’s words were an echo of J F Clarke , who had said: “ A politician thinks of the next election, a statesman of the next generation. A politician looks for the success of his party; a statesman for that of his country. The statesman wishes to steer, while the politician is satisfied to drift.”
This difference between a politician and a statesman is very important, Ord. L Morrow, put it like this “ The difference between a politician and a statesman is that the politician sees which way the people are going and tries to stay ahead of them, whereas the statesman sees what is best and right and does that even if no one follows.”
Omar is well versed with the literature. He is a voracious reader. Some quotes are unforgettable and if those are worth repeating, one quotes them quite often. Like the one I remember that of Ernest Hemingway: “ It’s better to die on your legs than to live on your knees.”.
The resolution of Kashmir crisis requires statesmanship. Then why politics is being injected into it, as to who would take credit for what. A statesman should not worry about that, he or she should rise above it. The statesman should be above the party politics, and the people in the state have not forgotten that how all the parties, without any exception , had brought this state to the brink of another Partition in 2008. That ill-will still plagues the people of the State. There is an urgent need to resolve the “ Kashmir issue”, and all must take steps simultaneously. At the same time there is a need to create trust. Before taking steps toward resolving the issue that Chief Minister thinks, involves China and Pakistan as well, there is a dire need to bring down the barriers between the communities and the regions.
Omar deserves credit for saying that he is willing to walk ten steps if PDP takes one. A visionary statement. However, three issues are involved; why only PDP should take the first step;, secondly, when you extend hand of friendship , the statesmanship required that vocabulary should have been that of Joseph Addison and not that of Jonathan Swift, and thirdly, is there enough space which allows all this to happen.
Chief Minister is gutsy, he should not be worried about the credit – that’s pure politics – and for a moment forgotten about 2014. He should have loked beyond It will not take even a minute for him to realize and recognize that there would be many years and elections that will follow 2014. He has exhibited some statesmanship, but it requires walking upto Opposition benches, not through words but actions. He is the Chief Minister, his responsibility comes first. Let next generation see that this leader and statesman who would be turning 42 this month has something in store for next generation.
—Agencies