Jammu, March 28: Senior CPI(M) leader and MLA from Kulgam, Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, on Saturday made a striking revelation in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly while condemning the recent attack on former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah.
Speaking during the session, Tarigami referred to the volatile period of the early 1990s in Jammu and Kashmir, marked by militancy, political uncertainty, and prolonged central rule. He stated that the Union Government led by former Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha Rao was keen and desperate to restore the democratic process in the region by conducting Assembly elections.
Tarigami revealed that amid these efforts, Dr. Farooq Abdullah had taken the initiative to convene a high-level meeting at the residence of late Molvi Iftikhar Hussain Ansari. According to him, the meeting was attended by several prominent political leaders from Jammu and Kashmir, along with diplomats from the United States.
He suggested that the presence of U.S. representatives reflected the extent of international concern over the situation in Jammu and Kashmir at the time, when the region was witnessing intense militancy and political instability.
While Tarigami did not explicitly allege direct foreign interference in the electoral process, his remarks highlighted the global attention Jammu and Kashmir had drawn during that turbulent phase.
For context, the 1996 Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections were held after several years of Governor’s Rule, marking a significant step toward restoring democratic governance in the region. The process to revive electoral politics was initiated under the Narasimha Rao-led Congress government, though the elections were ultimately conducted in September–October 1996 during the tenure of Prime Minister H. D. Deve Gowda.
The National Conference, led by Farooq Abdullah, returned to power following these elections, which were seen as a turning point in re-establishing political institutions in Jammu and Kashmir.
Tarigami’s remarks will sparked a political debate, with observers interpreting them as an indication of the complex interplay of domestic and international factors influencing the region during the 1990s.
