Aadhay adhoray aur anokhay kam

Works of  Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah during his rule 1947-53

 21st November, 2015, I boarded a well maintained and most comfortable with luxury seats public transport Swaraj Mazda mini bus at Nishat for Batmaloo Bus Stand. It was almost one hour journey for twelve rupees as its fair. Frequency of the passenger vehicles including costly cars is too frequent to give any chance for over load. Lost in my thoughts, I preferred to remember my friend Maha Ganesh en route. I put myself on silent mode. Without any reason for my silence, the young and handsome fare collector in his twenties was surprised when I signalled him to come a little later for collection of the fare. By the time the vehicle crossed the Nehru Park stop, my meeting with Maha Ganesh was over. Simultaneously the Silent mode was over and I was back to normal mode.

Works of  Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah during his rule 1947-53

Works of  Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah during his rule 1947-53

I pointed to the light-posts all along the periphery of the Boulevard road and asked the passenger by my side about the history of these posts. Taking me for a stranger, he played bluff and said that these are about fifteen year old, the development work that goes to the credit of the previous government headed by Umar Abdullah. In response to my query, he said that he was 1967 born. Some elderly passenger on the back seat behind us, interested in our conversation  retorted: “These light-posts and Nehru Park are the only developmental works that were executed by the regime of Sheri-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, the then Prime Minister of J&K State during his rule from 1947 to 9th August 1953.” Pointing to the passenger by my side, he said: “This 1967 born passenger is ignorant about historical facts. He seems to be from the opposite group and wants to nullify the only developmental work done by the leader.” The vehicle came to a screeching halt at Dalgate stop to drop some passengers including the 1967 born. The learned historian replaced him and sat beside me to share his knowledge. I seized the rare chance and preferred to be a mute listener. He said: “Sheri-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah was a great leader. He was well learned and highly educated. He was MSc. Chemistry. He was leader of the masses.  Unfortunately he was replaced by his cabinet colleague Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad as the Prime Minister of J&K State. 

Works of  Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah during his rule 1947-53

In comparison to the stature of Sheikh Sahab, he stood nowhere. He was only 8th pass. But strangely, all the developmental works in the State were executed and accomplished in his short period of eleven years rule. No doubt, he built roads and buildings, connected distant villages with the city, but he is too small to be compared to the stature of the great leader of the masses, Sheri-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah. No doubt, he gave us free education both formal and technical up to post graduate level, but he is too small to be compared to the stature of the great leader of the masses, Sheri-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah. No doubt, he gave us free medical education at Medical College Srinagar, free University education, free engineering at Regional Engineering College Srinagar, Agriculture College and what not, but he is too small to be compared to the stature of the great leader of the masses, Sheri-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah. No doubt he abolished age-old ‘Mujvazea’ system and fed people with rice at subsidized price of Rs 0.25/seer, but he is too small to be compared to the stature of the great leader of the masses, Sheri-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah. He did all the developmental works in the State during his short span of eleven year rule and left no work for his successors, but he is too small to be compared to the stature of the great leader of the masses, Sheri-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah. Sheikh Sahab cared more for self-respect of the masses than subsidy and other developmental works.  He returned to power in 1975 as Chief Minister of the State and replaced Syed Mir Qasim who was PA to Mirza Mohammad Afzal Beig the Revenue Minister in Sheikh Regime from 1947 to 9th August, 1953. His sea of followers welcomed him and danced to the tune ‘Alea karengha-Wanguen karengha Bub karengha’ Bub karengha. Man of stature as he was, he abolished subsidy on rice and got full support from the public to the slogan “Aadhi roti khaiany ghay sur nahee jukayaian ghay”. His opponents even from his own party got a chance to raise finger on him, when he handed over reigns of the party to his mediocre son Farooq Abdullah, whom they called too mature for the job. Opponents say that he ignored the claim of his senior most colleagues including his son-in-law Kh.G M Shah, who stood by him in sun and shower. They say that he appointed his son Tariq Abdullah as Managing Director of the State Tourist Corporation with little experience in tourism and ruined the tourist industry. They say that filling a water-way to convert it into a road was an ‘ulta kam’ a wrong planning. They say that People realized his wrong planning only when the city got submerged in flood waters in September 2014.

I don’t agree but they say that Sheikh Sahab succumbed to his personal interests and compromised with his stature when he replaced Syed Mir Qasim as Chief Minister when his followers expected him to be again PM of the State. They say that despite the slogan “Aadhi roti khaiany ghay sur nahee jukayiany ghay” he prostrated flat in front of the late Mrs. Indra Gandhi the then Prime Minister of India when on her visit to Kashmir in 1975, he ran at the airport at full speed disproportionate to his age and stature to seize the opportunity to open the door of the car to let her ascend and hold umbrella to provide shade to madam in the river procession. They say that he provided an opportunity to his progeny to amass wealth contrary to the slogan ‘Aadhi roti khaiany ghay sur nahee jukayiany ghay’

They say that he left Kashmiris in bewilderment in a state of uncertainty. They say that all his works are categorized as ‘aadhay adhoray aur anokhay kam’. I said despite what they say, I agree with you that all his successors and predecessors are too small to be compared to the stature of the great leader. His leap from Saura to Gupkar is not an ordinary leap. It is an achievement that only a ‘shair’ can attain.

The vehicle came to its final stop and all passengers dispersed in different directions. We parted and I thanked him for all the information about historical events he shared with me.