Why Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah's Legacy Is As Chequered As Kashmir's Political Past

In this landscape of myriad graveyards, two such graves - both belonging to 바카라�Babs바카라� (fathers) or 바카라�Qaids바카라� (leaders) to their followers - have assumed special significance in recent years.

One belongs to National Conference founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah while the other to separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani. The latter's burial created a hullabaloo in recent times following his death when many in the Hurriyat patriarch's family claimed that Kashmiri authorities had taken away his body and buried it in haste.

But today, let us talk of NC leader Abdullah바카라�s grave, situated in Srinagar바카라�s Hazratbal area, nestled amidst the Chinars along the picturesque Dal Lake, overlooking the Zabarwan mountain range. 

On 5th December, which is Abdullah바카라�s birth anniversary, his grave was decked in red, NC바카라�s party flag colour. Hordes of NC party men thronged to the venerated site to offer their respects and prayers for the 바카라�Bab바카라�.

Born to the middle-class family of a shawl maker at Soura locality in Srinagar outskirts, Abdullah went on to champion the rights of people of J&K. He passed his matriculation from Punjab University, before doing his MSc. from Aligarh Muslim University. It was at AMU that he was inspired to fight for the rights of Kashmiris.

Abdullah is often referred to by NC followers as 바카라�Sher-e-Kashmir바카라�, the 'Lion of Kashmir바카라�. They often speak of the aura their 바카라�stalwart바카라� leader possessed. Some even believe that had Abdullah been alive, Article 370 would not be abrogated.

Then there are people for whom Abdullah바카라�s legacy has been nothing but a disdainful blot. For them, Abdullah is a 바카라�traitor바카라� who sold Kashmir for his own interests. 

Though Abdullah바카라�s mausoleum at Hazratbal attracted hordes of visitors on Monday who prayed for the departed soul, there are occasions when people curse him.  In many of the Valley바카라�s drawing-room discussions and at times outside shopfronts or during social gatherings, Abdullah is often 바카라�cursed바카라� for Kashmir바카라�s 바카라�ill-fate바카라�. 

Considered one of Kashmir바카라�s 바카라�tallest leader바카라� once who commanded respect throughout the Valley, certain events in Kashmir바카라�s history, particularly 1975 Indira-Abdullah accord and militancy in 1990 made Abdullah a "villain" in the eyes of many.

In October 1947, when Kashmir became a part of the country, following the last Dogra ruler Hari Singh바카라�s signing of the instrument of accession, it was Abdullah, Kashmiris believe, who orchestrated the whole thing, since he was the leader with mass unrelenting support.

Also, it was Abdullah who successfully negotiated the induction of Article 370 in the Constitution. It was for this reason that Abdullah became the 바카라�Bab바카라� or 바카라�Lion바카라� to many Kashmiris. 

So, why is 바카라�Lion of Kashmir바카라� seen in a different way in Kashmir today? While his admirers have their own reasons to love him, despisers and deniers too have their arguments.

Abdullah was Prime Minister of J&K from 1948 to 1953. It was in 1953 that he was jailed in Kashmir Conspiracy Case after he started championing for Kashmir바카라�s 바카라�Azadi바카라�. Critics argue that in 1975, Abdullah gave up his struggle and instead chose his own political career.

Later, when bullets and bombs shattered the Valley바카라�s serene landscape, Abdullah was again slammed by critics, particularly after an event in Srinagar바카라�s Lal Chowk when emotionally charged youth came out of Regal Cinema after watching 바카라�Lion of Desert바카라�, the Hollywood film showcasing struggles of Libyan freedom fighter Umar Mukhtar, and burnt down several life-sized portraits of Abdullah that had adorned the streets of Lal Chowk at the time. 

Such is the anger against Abdullah among a section of people in Kashmir that there have been foiled attempts to desecrate Abdullah바카라�s grave. Such attempts have been made both by militants as well as protesters such as in 2008 when street protests were a common sight in Kashmir.

There are 바카라�die hard바카라� fans of Abdullah still, who believe that his credentials can never be detested.

In 2019, when there was communication blockade in Kashmir, a stocky old man who used to deliver press notes to the newspaper offices each day was asked by reporters what he felt about Abdullah. His response? That he wanted to carry forward "the mission of the Sher-e-Kashmir바카라�. The old man turned out to be a retired officer, who gets a handsome pension and carries on with NC out of mere political conviction. 

Men like him believe that it was Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad, GM Sadiq, and later the Muftis and even now Bukharis, who always put 바카라�Kashmir on sale바카라�.

There is also a section of the landlord class that despises Abdullah for his 바카라�land to tiller바카라� act in 1953. The act brought in by Abdullah didn바카라�t allow landlords to keep more than 20 acres of agricultural land and one acre of residential land. The excess land바카라�s ceiling was transferred to the tillers, as per the act. It facilitated the removal of the feudal landlord system of jagirdari in Kashmir and was considered a 바카라�landmark바카라� act. 

Abdullah's grave lies just miles away from the separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani. But the difference in the two leaders, both in life and death, reflect the duality of politics in Kashmir, where even graveyards cannot be apolitical. It is perhaps for this reason that Abdullah바카라�s biography 바카라�Aatish-e-Chinar바카라� has this couplet of Allama Iqbal바카라�s inscribed in it:

Jis Khak Kay Zameer Main Hou Aatish-e-Chinar,
Mumkin Nahin Ki Sard Hou Woh Khak-e-Arjmand
(The dust that carries in its conscience the fire of the Chinar, It is impossible for that celestial dust to cool down).