The arrest of Doda MLA Mehraj Malik and the prolonged delay in his release have raised many political questions, economic concerns and social anxieties. Hundreds of complications are born from the absence of an elected representative.
More than six months after his arrest, many questions remain unanswered: Why was the Public Safety Act invoked on an elected representative? What kind of threat did his presence pose to the public? Who are the people behind this unusual arrest?
But among all these concerns and questions, one stands above the rest. And it is the one receiving the least attention.
The growing loss of faith in democracy among Mehraj Malik's supporters, especially the youth, is the most serious and glaring consequence of this arrest. At first glance, many may dismiss this. But a deeper look reveals it to be the most dangerous outcome of all. Because we have been here before. And we know how it ends.
A Dark Chapter Worth Revisiting
Cast your mind back to the 1987 assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. I was studying in the Valley at the time and an eyewitness to what unfolded.
Just as with Mehraj Malik's election, people in 1987 were angry with traditional political parties after decades of voting and decades of broken promises. So, they decided to try something new.
I want to draw the readers’ attention to the mistakes made by the authorities during those elections - mistakes that eventually pushed the region into decades of turmoil.
During the 1987 elections, sensing public sentiment, several political groups in the Valley came together to form a united front called the Muslim United Front (MUF). Within a short time, this front became the voice of the people, and a strong wave in its favor spread from Banihal to Baramulla.
MUF fielded forty candidates. Among those candidates and polling agents were individuals who would later become militant commanders.
Mohammad Yusuf Shah, known today as Syed Salahuddin, chairman of the United Jihad Council across the Line of Control, contested from Amirakadal. His polling agents included Yasin Malik, Ashfaq Majeed Wani, Javed Ahmed Mir, Hamid Sheikh, and Aijaz Dar.
Just like Mehraj Malik’s supporters today, these young individuals initially believed in politics and democracy. They invested in polling booths, not gun power. But those in power, unwilling to relinquish authority, ultimately pushed them toward militancy.
Polling took place on March 23, 1987, with a turnout of 74–75%. It was unprecedented at the time. Although allegations of rigging were made against the ruling National Conference and its ally Congress, there was a general belief that the MUF candidates would win.
However, when counting took place on March 26–27, most MUF candidates were declared defeated, except for a few, including Syed Ali Shah Geelani. People widely believed that winners were declared losers and losers were declared winners.
After this, MUF workers, especially polling agents, were openly beaten and humiliated. In the pursuit of power, the emotions of young people were crushed. Disillusioned with law and democracy, many youths turned to violence, believing that it was impossible to achieve their rights through democratic means in Kashmir.
The anger and frustration among the youth were fully exploited, across the border, by Pakistan, which influenced them and pushed the region toward bloodshed.
What followed over the next three decades is well known to everyone. Thousands of lives were lost and every aspect of life – from economy, education, health and social cohesion – was disrupted.
This violence deeply affected our region and continues to have repercussions even today. The wound that has not fully healed even today.
During the 1987 elections, I was a young student in Srinagar. I vividly remember the level of anger on young faces: the rage of people who felt betrayed by the very process they had trusted.
The Same Pattern, Repeating
Today, a similar situation is unfolding in Doda.
At a time when elections were often dismissed as meaningless, thousands of young people chose to participate wholeheartedly. They rejected traditional parties. They elected a simple, honest, and humble young man from their own village: Mehraj Malik. They placed their faith in democracy.
But what happened next? The same pattern was repeated - not through electoral rigging this time, but by keeping an elected representative behind bars for a prolonged period.
This is the root cause of the growing unrest among the youth. Anyone familiar with Doda’s political and social landscape would know that the longer Mehraj Malik’s release is delayed, the more this unrest will intensify. This is a dangerous situation that is not receiving the attention it deserves.
I have personally spoken to hundreds of young men and women who voted for Mehraj Malik. Many of them say they have lost faith in law and democracy. Some believe that boycotting elections would have been the better option. Others say that honesty, integrity, and good intentions have no value here.
Such sentiments among the public, especially the youth, are extremely dangerous. Why was it necessary to invoke the Public Safety Act on Mehraj Malik? Can anyone explain what threat he posed to public safety, when the public itself stood firmly with him?
If he did not have public support, he would have secured only a few hundred votes and remained at home. The people chose him. And that choice deserves respect.
We have seen what happens when young people who believe in democracy are pushed to the conclusion that democracy does not work. It cannot work.
The anger of 1987 did not appear overnight. It was created by rigging, by humiliation, by the crushing of hope. We cannot afford to repeat that mistake.
Efforts must be made urgently to address the growing unrest caused by the delays in Mehraj Malik's release. The sentiments of thousands of voters in the Doda Assembly constituency must be respected. Their trust in the democratic process must be honoured, not punished.
Otherwise, another generation of our youth may be pushed onto a dangerous path. And we will spend the next thirty years, once again, paying the price.
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