J&K was an Exceptional case: Arif Mohammed Khan

The Governor, who was a speaker at a select meeting, organised by Nawab Mir Nasir Ali Khan, managing director of MAK Projects in the city, spoke about the duties and responsibilities of citizens in nation-building and said that diversity was the soul of India, which has been the case for centuries.

This was the first interactive session in Hyderabad and will happen in other parts of the country and also abroad.

In a conversation with Deccan Chronicle after the meeting, Khan spoke about the current fear of being branded anti-national and on the issue of Kashmir. He was elected to the Lok Sabha in 1981 on a Congress ticket but quit the party in 1986 because of differences with then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. He joined the Janata Dal and served as a union minister, but left to join the Bahujan Samaj Party and in 2004 joined the Bharatiya Janata Party but quit in 2007.

Q In your talk, you spoke on the duties of a citizen and what a citizen must do. What is the duty of the government? Is it not its duty to protect its citizens? People fear being called anti-national if they say something against the government. If I don’t agree with you, isn’t it my right to express it?
The situation in which I am placed as a Governor, I am sorry I will not be able to comment on the current political state.

But in response to your question on ‘anti-national’ I will ask you a question: In 1986, (Shah Bano case) I took a stand but there were so many people who branded me a kafir. It meant I was no more a Muslim. Should I accept it? The people at that time were threatening and believed that it is an obligation to kill such a person.

Q. Do you mean to say that what happened in 1986 should be replicated now?
No, that is not what I am saying. This is a typical journalistic response. I am not justifying what happened to me. What I mean to say is that there is nothing like a ‘free lunch.’ I will use my own language and not yours. What I mean to say is that we must have the strength to stand for our convictions. There are three stages. In the first you are opposed, then you are ridiculed, and then people will start accepting you.
You must have the strength to stand by your convictions. So don’t get rattled by this thing that somebody has called me anti-national. No, time will prove.

Q. But you have to live to prove yourself right?
If you are convinced that you are right, you can go to any lengths. I also suffered a major crisis. In 1986, I went to very learned erudite people. I consulted people who had a reputation. I wanted to be comfortable with my own conscience. I asked them to answer me only in yes and no. They gave me an answer in one sentence that it will be according to the teachings of Islam.
For so many years, I had to face the ire of people. Even in Hyderabad, they attacked me at the airport at that time. People do not know this. There is nothing like a ‘free lunch.’ You are bothered by what somebody is calling you. Let them call you as long as you are comfortable with your conscience.

Q. With regards to Jammu and Kashmir, do you think peace will return to the valley?
On Jammu and Kashmir, I am ready to reply to any question even if it is of  a political nature. Since 1988, we have been living in very abnormal circumstances.

Q. But there was no total shutdown.
It was much worse than a total shutdown. In fact, the ramifications were such that there was an attack on parliament and other parts of India were being affected.

Anyone who took a line that was different from the Pakistani line was killed. In the last 30 years, we have been living under very dire circumstances. An exceptional and abnormal situation always requires exceptional treatment. Normal treatment does not obtain. Those who are opposing Article 370 must know that it was the Congress party which I was a part of that was responsible for knocking the bottom out of the Article. What was left in Article 370? There was nothing. Pakistan was using this meaningless Article to create doubts in the minds of the Kashmiris that the Kashmir question is unsettled. We had to do something about it.

Q. When will this shutdown finally end and when will the army be moved out?
If we have suffered this for more than 30 years, at least wait for three months. Give some time. The situation will become normal and I have no doubt about it.