Rejoicing On Their Fathers' Legacies In Kashmir

On that February in 2017, Srinagar바카라�s markets wore a deserted look. Security had been beefed up. It was to thwart separatists call for shutdown and processions to demand mortal remains of JKLF founder Maqbool Bhat and Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.

At his home on the banks of Nigeen lake in Srinagar, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq had been barred to lead a protest march on that February morning. Aghast Mirwaiz, he that day was cornered to his mansion by security forces. Later in the evening, anxiety again struck Mirwaiz mansion at Nigeen. Mirwaiz바카라�s US-born-and-brought-up wife Sheeba Masoodi was in labor. Amidst the shutdown call issued by the separatists including Mirwaiz on that day, his wife Sheeba had been shifted to a private maternity hospital in Srinagar바카라�s uptown area바카라�Rajbagh. 

That night jubilations arrived at Mirwaiz바카라�s Nigeen mansion. He was blessed with a baby boy. Mirwaiz was already a father to two daughters바카라�Maryam and Zainab.

The heir apparent to the influential pulpit of Mirwaiz had arrived, the institution which for now is headed by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. The Mirwaiz (head priest) is the 18th century institution of Kashmir which is presided over in Srinagar바카라�s grand mosque바카라�Jamia Masjid. On that cold February evening, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq바카라�s son, who could be the 15th Mirwaiz of the clan had been born.

Decades back the death of Maulvi Farooq바카라�s assassination had led his then-teenage son Umar Farooq to ascend the chair of head priest Mirwaiz. He was also subsequently made head of his father바카라�s socio-politico organisation Awami Action Committee (AAC). Umar, like his father, became Mirwaiz in May 1991. He was just 17-years-old then and a student at Srinagar바카라�s Christian missionary Burn Hall School. The politics of his father Maulvi Farooq didn바카라�t appease teenaged Umar then. He wanted to be a computer engineer. His father바카라�s politics however landed him to be a part of Kashmir imbroglio and become Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.  

Sheikh Clan:

There is also a clan in Kashmir, whose imprint is embedded in Kashmir바카라�s history and will continue to be in future. The clan which is on the opposite end of political spectrum, Sheikh clan is testimony to Kashmir바카라�s history. It has bearing on Kashmir바카라�s landscape politically. It has shaped Kashmir바카라�s past and continues to have a bearing on its future.

Sheikh clan which begins with Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah. It is the name which has admirers in Kashmir and also loathers in Valley. For some he is Kashmir바카라�s villain, for some he is Kashmir바카라�s 바카라�Bab바카라� (Kashmir바카라�s father). For some he is Sher-e-Kashmir (Lion of Kashmir), who had holistic vision for  Kashmir바카라�s 바카라�bright future바카라�, for some he is a 바카라�traitor바카라� who sold Kashmir바카라�s dreams.

National Conference old guards say how Kashmiris used to revere their 바카라�Bab바카라� when he was alive. They also cite example of his funeral in 1982. They say it was a funeral with all Kashmir as mourners. Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah during those times of monarchy in Kashmir had raised voice against oppression. He had spoken for Kashmir. He was jailed for Kashmir. It was when 바카라�Lion of Kashmir바카라� roared against the shackles of slavery in the  streets of Kashmir.
However, that for many now is a history. Many now argue that he 바카라�envisioned바카라� a 바카라�vision바카라� later for his clan only.

For his son Dr Farooq Abdullah. Kashmir바카라�s 바카라�prodigal son바카라� Farooq was a funky teenager, a flamboyant youngster, a prankster who even at times became a subject of ridicule. Particularly, at times when he tried to intervene during his father Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah바카라�s rallies. An old NC guard recalls how Farooq as a young man suddenly took the microphone during his father바카라�s rally. The crowd he said was all laughing when Farooq said: 바카라�Allah hu Akbar바카라� instead of 바카라�Narai Taqbeer바카라�. The slogan actually is 바카라�Narai Taqbeer Allah hu Akbar바카라�. 

Farooq as veteran editor Aditya Sinha writes is least interest in reading, since it 바카라�pains his eyes바카라�. His eyes are instead used to witness glitz and glamour. His love for Bollywood is known. His opponents in Kashmir always used to mock Farooq to how he rode Bollywood actress Shabana Azmi to Gulmarg on the day, when his government was allegedly toppled by Congress through his brother-in-law Ghulam Mohammad Shah, popularly known as Gul Shah or 바카라�Gulee curfew바카라�, the name Kashmiris gave him for putting Valley under reeling curfew for days together under his rule.  

It is said that Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah was against Farooq landing in politics. However, situation in Kashmir is tailored in a way that a carpenter is made to do the job of a painter. Unlike his father Farooq was never jailed except for the time when post 5 August 2019, he was jailed at his posh Gupkar residence in Srinagar under Public Safety Act(PSA), a law that his father SM Abdullah had enacted in 1978 as CM.  

Farooq has also been Kashmir바카라�s CM during tumultuous times. Be it 1989, when militancy erupted in Kashmir or 1996 when there weren바카라�t many hands to hold Tricolor in Kashmir. Many believe it was Farooq whose party NC suffered setback in the form of killings during 90바카라�s ensured elections are held in Kashmir. 

Nowadays, aged Farooq seems a changed person. His post 5 August 2019 speeches seem a more of a sermon. His demeanor now seems of a cleric rather than a politician at the fag end of his career. 

Unlike Farooq his son Omar Abdullah seems to be a sorted man. A Scotland returned Omar with degree in business administration, Omar became a Chief Minister of J&K in 2008. Earlier, he entered into politics after becoming Srinagar MP and subsequently landing a ministerial berth in then Atal Bihari Vajpayee led BJP government in 1998. 

Omar is not an extrovert like his father. However, in 2009 when Mehbooba Mufti accused Omar of involved in 2006 infamous sex scandal. It made Omar emotional while tears were seen trickling from his eyes inside J&K State Assembly complex. There were also talks that he will resign as CM. However, it was again Farooq who flew all the way from South Africa to pacify his son against the decision.

During Omar바카라�s tenure, Kashmir witnessed sporadic protests in 2008, 2009 and 2010-11. Omar바카라�s personnel life also was a public debate at times. He got separated from his wife Payal with whom he has got two sons바카라�Zamir and Zahir. 

Omar is a tech-savvy and is active on the micro-blogging site Twitter. Many years ago the former RAW chief AS Dulat compared Farooq and Omar. For him Farooq is a 바카라�damn good politician바카라� while Omar 바카라�can only tweet바카라�. 

Lone Clan:

The journey of Lone clan is perhaps the reflection of peril and tragedy that Kashmir went through. In those times when there were meagre opponents of 바카라�Sher-e-Kashmir바카라�, there was a strongest anti-Sheikh voice in Kashmir. The man was Abdul Gani Lone. Lone fought numerous battles against Sheikh in those times. Perhaps the intense was the one in which Sheikh accused Lone with 바카라�Tum charso bees ho(you are 420)바카라�, to which Lone retorted back saying: 바카라�tum aath so chalees ho(you are 840). 

From far off Dard Harr village of Kupwara district, Lone was among the very few educated Kashmiris of yore. He was among the first ones who had pursued law in far away Aligarh in 1940바카라�s. Lone is among the perhaps only politicians who started his political career in unionist camp to finally land in separatist camp. He started as a Congress man, was later expelled by Indira Gandhi, later switched to Janata Party and then formed his own Peoples Conference. The 바카라�Azadi tide바카라� in 1987 landed Lone in MUF(Muslim United Front). 

A changed Lone in 90바카라�s was a Hurriyat man. The militant organization Al-Barq was also considered affiliated to him. Lone died as a separatist in 2002 after attackers assassinated him during the death anniversary of Mirwaiz Maulvi Farooq in Srinagar바카라�s Eidgah.  

According to former RAW chief AS Dulat, Lone during his visit to Pakistan had told then Pakistan Dictator General Parveez Musharraf: 바카라�Don바카라�t worry about Kashmir, look after Pakistan. Your radicals will bite the hand that feeds them바카라�.

Lone has two sons, Bilal and Sajad. One son Bilal for now stands with the cause that Lone stood for at his death, while as Sajad represents a thought which is different. 

Bilal for now is a separatist with Hurriyat. He is considered among the Mirwaiz바카라�s close men. The political circles are abuzz that Bilal may join mainstream politics like his brother Sajad. Many insiders claim that Bilal is also willing to give his daughter a go in politics. 

Bilal keeps low profile unlike his brother Sajad. 

Sajad is a UK return with Psychology degree. He is married to Asma Khan, the daughter of Amanullah Khan, who was a head of separatist Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front in Pakistan. Sajad was also a minister in PDP-BJP coalition government. 

Mufti Clan:

The kidnapping of Rubaiya Sayeed in 1989 is etched in Kashmir바카라�s memory forever. It is the incident when militants made their presence felt to New Delhi by capturing the daughter of Union Home Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. Like Sheikhs, Muftis from south Kashmir바카라�s Bijebehara have their imprint on Kashmir바카라�s past and are likely to leave it in future as well.

Post 90바카라�s, human rights violations began to surface in Kashmir. In the battle of guns and bombs, myriad graves surfaced in Kashmir. Somebody바카라�s son, somebody husband, somebody바카라�s father, somebody바카라�s lover and somebody everything was buried in those graves. 

Mourning became normal in 바카라�Valley of romance바카라� during 90바카라�s. During those dark days, a woman wearing a scarf and abaya would surface from her ambassador car and attend those funerals. Those funerals of civilians and even militant commanders. It was when Mehbooba Mufti made mourning her politics and emerged on the political scene of Kashmir. She won 1996 Assembly seat from Bijebehara on Congress ticket. She later along with her father formed PDP in 1999.

The daughter of Mufti Mohammmad Sayeed, a former Union Home Minister and J&K CM, Mehbooba became J&K바카라�s first woman CM. She is also the last CM as well for now. It was after her father바카라�s death. She like her father joined hands with BJP to accede to the J&K바카라�s throne. Mehbooba is a pass-out of Kashmir University바카라�s law department.

A cat lover Mehbooba has been severe critic of Modi-led Centre government.

She is likely to pass the baton to her daughters바카라�Irtiqa and Iltija with the later already having announced her arrival on Kashmir바카라�s political landscape post 5 August 2019, when the region was stripped of its special status and subsequently downgraded and divided into two Union Territories.