The release of National Conference supremo Farooq Abdullah after seven months in detention is a welcome move, albeit belated, but it remains to be seen whether it is a precursor to the release of other political detenues or just a one-off step keeping in mind his age and the Opposition outcry over the veteran lawmaker’s detention. A frail looking Dr Abdullah was understandably subdued after his release and said he would speak on political issues only after other leaders were freed and if he were allowed to attend Parliament.

His release has been welcomed across the board with many Opposition leaders questioning the necessity to book him under the stringent Public Safety Act that allows a person to be detained for three months without trial, and which can be extended up to two years. All three former chief ministers, Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, were booked under PSA; the latter two are still under detention.

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Dr Abdullah’s release may well be an attempt to showcase normalcy in a region that has been in virtual lockdown after the Centre’s sudden move on 5 August 2019 to abrogate Article 370 of the Constitution that guaranteed special status to Jammu and Kashmir and carve the state into two union territories ~ Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. After the longest internet shutdown the world has seen, connectivity was recently restored though with some curbs.

Dr Abdullah’s release is the first indication that the Centre is seriously considering revival of political activity which has been severely restricted as leaders of most mainstream political parties are still behind bars. A section of leaders from the National Conference, PDP and Congress joined hands recently to form a new political formation called J&K Apni Party, headed by ex-PDP leader Altaf Bukhari, which seemingly has the blessings of New Delhi and is seen as an attempt to counter the Abdullah and Mufti family dynasties.

The panchayat polls have already been deferred. The sooner elections are held the better it is for the people of Kashmir, who may get to voice their feelings, thrust as they were into an abyss of despair after the Centre abruptly rescinded the state’s special status and used a heavy hand to curb all dissent and block all communication. The goal posts may well be shifting with the demand now moving from reinstating special status to restoring statehood for J&K.

As long as the Centre continues to wield disproportionate power over regional aspirations, democracy will not truly flourish. Even in Jammu, where the BJP has a strong hold, the abrogation of Article 370 has brought with it certain apprehensions about the region being overrun by outsiders.

The Central government, while professing that the bold move on August 5 was to fulfil its ‘one country, one Constitution’ motto, has been forced to allay fears and promise not to allow a free run to outsiders in Jammu and Kashmir. It is now incumbent upon the authorities to release all the remaining political leaders and create a level playing field for democratic political activity to flourish in the troubled region that ironically is called paradise on earth.