Jammu and Kashmir may have finally solved all its problems. At least that is the impression one gets from watching its politicians these days. Roads appear perfect, unemployment seems conquered, drug addiction looks defeated and development apparently requires no further discussion. Why else would our political class spend so much of its time talking about each other instead of talking about the people?
Hardly a day passes without a fresh political skirmish. One day it is Omar Abdullah taking on his critics. The next day Sunil Sharma is responding with equal enthusiasm. Then comes a statement from Aga Ruhullah. Soon thereafter Farooq Abdullah enters the debate. The cycle repeats itself with remarkable consistency and very little visible public benefit.
Someone issues a statement. Someone reacts. Someone counters the reaction. Then comes a clarification, followed by another clarification. Television studios celebrate. Social media algorithms celebrate. Political supporters celebrate. Only the ordinary citizen is left wondering whether governance is taking place somewhere behind all this noise.
The irony is difficult to miss. These very leaders fought elections promising jobs, development, accountability and better governance. They sought votes claiming they had solutions to Kashmir’s challenges. Yet months after the elections, a substantial portion of public discourse continues to revolve around political blame games rather than public problem-solving.
One cannot help but wonder whether Jammu and Kashmir elected legislators or professional commentators. The Assembly was not constituted to function as a permanent television debate. It was created to legislate, deliberate and address issues affecting millions of people. Unfortunately, it often appears trapped in election mode long after the election has ended.
Every political controversy consumes public resources. It occupies media space, administrative attention and public time. Government machinery ends up responding to statements instead of focusing on outcomes. Precious hours that could have been spent discussing development priorities are instead consumed by political theatrics.
While politicians exchange accusations, Kashmir’s youth continue searching for employment. While leaders compete in verbal battles, villages continue waiting for better infrastructure. While parties debate who is responsible for yesterday’s failures, many citizens are more interested in who will solve today’s problems.
No tourist chooses Kashmir because politicians held a successful press conference. No entrepreneur invests because rival leaders exchanged allegations. No unemployed young person finds work because two parties managed to outshout each other. Governance is ultimately measured through outcomes, not headlines.
The government blames previous governments. The opposition blames the government. Regional parties blame New Delhi. Critics blame regional parties. Everyone appears busy identifying villains. There is far less enthusiasm when it comes to identifying solutions, setting targets or presenting measurable achievements.
To be fair, this is not the monopoly of any one party. The National Conference does it. The BJP does it. The PDP has done it. Senior politicians do it. Emerging politicians do it. The faces change with time, but the script remains remarkably similar. Politics becomes performance, and performance begins masquerading as governance.
Imagine if the same energy were devoted to water audits, tourism diversification, drug rehabilitation, spring rejuvenation or district-level economic planning. Imagine if every MLA published an annual report card for his constituency. Imagine if ministers publicly declared targets and reported progress every six months. The public conversation would become infinitely more meaningful.
Governance is difficult work. It requires planning, research, execution and accountability. Trading charges, on the other hand, requires little more than a microphone and a willing audience. Perhaps that is why it has become such a popular activity among politicians across the spectrum.
The real tragedy is not that politicians are wasting their own time. The real tragedy is that they are consuming the time, attention and hopes of an entire population. Every needless controversy pushes genuine public issues further down the agenda. Every political spat becomes another distraction from the unfinished business of development.
Jammu and Kashmir deserves better than perpetual political theatre. Its people deserve leaders who spend less time scoring points and more time delivering results. Elections are won through rhetoric. History, however, remembers performance.
Bitter Truth
The greatest threat to Jammu and Kashmir today may not be political disagreement. It may be the growing belief among politicians that appearing busy is the same thing as being productive. For a political class entrusted with the future of millions, that is not politics. That is vellapanthi.
