Fumbling CM

Fumbling CM

Is Farooq Abdullah governing Jammu and Kashmir with a firm hand or just bumbling along somehow? More people will be wondering about that after a protracted strike by three and a half lakh state government employees ended ignominiously for the Abdullah government. The government gave the impression of being on solid ground and of having examined the unions' case thoroughly when it decided to resist union demands and tactics. One month into the strike, the Chief Minister is reported to have felt the unions were going too far and obtained cabinet endorsement for tough action. What followed should have left no one in any doubt that the government meant business.

The essential services maintenance ordinance was invoked and the police made dawn raids to round up strike leaders. But the government had evidently miscalculated somewhere. Two weeks later with the administration paralysed for the 42nd day, it was decided that the unions' main demands on the payment of dearness allowances were quite reasonable afterall. Capitulation when it came was total. DA installments for two months costing the state Rs 100 crore are conceded and all punitive measures withdrawn.

Abdullah could not have chosen a better way of demonstrating that his government is floundering and has little idea of how it should respond to the many demands on it. It does not give the impression that it is prepared to go to great lengths to deliver on its promises to the people to revive the local economy and create new job opportunities.

On the political front there is, if anything, even more cause for disappointment because of the lack of progress on the autonomy issue. Whether this is despite or because of the National Conference's alliance with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is irrelevant for the NC's supporters. For them the contrast between Abdullah's rhetoric and the reality is galling. Rumours of cabinet discord on sensitive questions and instances of ministerial interference with security arrangements cause concern. Even theattempts to strengthen local self-government bodies have slowed or stalled altogether in a situation of heightened security to counter terrorism.

There is no question that the situation created by militants in the state imposes extraordinary demands on the state government. On the one hand it must ensure that nothing comes in the way of security operations and on the other that people can be insulated as far as possible from the continuous battle against terrorism. To say that Abdullah is not rising to the challenge is understating the case. He has not engaged himself seriously with the nitty-gritty of development programmes for the state and seems to believe his job is limited to extracting funds from the Centre.

He threatened to resign a couple of months ago if his demand for Rs 1000 crore was not met. In the event the Centre sanctioned Rs 400 crore but it is unlikely much of this can be invested in social or physical infrastructure development when government expenditure is rising rapidly. UnlessAbdullah can meet the minimum expectations of the people which is simple but real improvement in the conditions of everyday life, his problems will multiply.