Stance in physical terms means a “standing posture” and the literal meaning of the word taken psychologically is a “rationalised mental attitude”. It also means a stand or an opinion on an issue. A unique quality of Kashmiri politicians is that they have either no stance at all or these are changing so fast that one cannot call these any rational attitudes but purely opportunistic stands. In Kashmir neither rationality exists nor is any body having a definite mental attitude. Every thing is ephemeral or ever changing. There is an interesting incident about changing stances. During mid sixties when a youth organisation known as Students and Youth League was formed by Kashmiri Students, they used to meet many foreign journalists and diplomats. Once a senior diplomat of USSR embassy who was an important member of the Communist Party of USSR came to Kashmir. A delegation of youth met him and asked him why USSR which always upheld national liberation movements through out the world was opposing Kashmir’s movement for freedom? They explained the declarations of Lenin in regard to these liberation movements. The Russian diplomat said that they did not oppose any liberation movement anywhere in the world. He explained that every movement has a leader and asked the young men who was the leader of Kashmiris? On being told that Sheikh Abdullah popularly known as the Lion of Kashmir was their leader, the diplomat immediately quoted specifically a number of contradictory declarations of the Lion right from 1931 till date. He asked the youth as to which one of these declarations should the USSR support? The youth were rendered speechless and could not explain the ever changing stances of the Sheikh! The contradictory stances of the Sheikh itself can be compiled in the form of a book with each chapter contradicting the next one. Starting his struggle for the basic rights of the Muslims of Kashmir he became a secular nationalist in 1938. In 1947 without caring for the true aspirations of the people he fell in the lap of Pandit Nehru and fully supported Maharaja’s very dubious accession of the State with the Union of India. Realising that he had been taken for a ride he turned against India and demanded holding of a Plebiscite to decide Kashmir’s future thereby landing himself in prison in 1953. In 1964 he started pleading for an Indo-Pak Federation with Kashmir as a bridge between the two hostile neighbours on one side and on the other had a dialogue with Chou En Lai in Algiers for Independence of Kashmir. The dismemberment of Pakistan in 1971 made him commit a somersault and he started befriending Indira who ultimately proved his nemesis, the Greek Goddess of divine retribution and vengeance. It has been a tragic journey for him from the charmer Nehru to Indira nemesis! The ever changing stances made him die as a sad man pinning till the last moment to retrieve the lost situation. One would have expected his progeny to undo his mistakes to calm his restless soul but they have proved more mercurial than him. From the stance of attacking Pakistan and destroying militant training camps by outright bombing to re-thinking on the very basic accession of the state to India is a long way. Dr.Abdullah is an actor par excellence and is a real artist in changing stances. He can cry and laugh at the same time. Shedding of tears on his swearing in during 1996 is a classic example. Once a British author wrote that a Kashmiri never reveals his true heart to an outsider but a kind word and a joke will get the best out of him. Well, Dr.Abdullah uses this criterion too often. He is a charmer and can sway the crowds with his humorous style and people never notice the changing stances. There are other people in his party who have a better rationalised mental attitude and could take substantive stances but they never come to the fore due to family constraints. Unfortunately, democratic functioning of most of the political parties in the entire sub-continent is a family business. This is also true of the other regional party where the family connections have hampered the rise of a possibly brilliant leader who got tossed from pillar to post for his right stances! That party does have some very tough stances especially regarding the demilitarisation and human rights but keeps on softening these from time to time. A stance has to be a firm physical posture and a rationalised mental attitude and not something fluid. As regards the principle mainstream party, they have only one stance-to make hay while the sun shines. There is hardly any leader who has some basic convictions or does some rationalised thinking. They all seem to be subservient to “Royal decrees” from the Dilli Durbar. Yes, there was one leader who was Indian by conviction and that was G M Sadiq. In fact, he did more to fully integrate Kashmir with India than any other politician in the entire history but at the same time he was honest and upright. Even Indira Gandhi was scared of him and showed him more regard than what she showed to Sheikh Abdullah. He was much tougher than his personal outward appearance and chewed with his beetle nuts all rival politicians including Sheikh Abdullah. Now let us take the attitude of what are presently called the leaders of the popular movement. They too have variable stances. On one hand some have very rigid and unshakeable stances bordering on stubbornness. On the other hand some have totally confusing and undependable stands. There is an abstract word “Azadi” but no one explains what it would mean in the ultimate analysis to a common Kashmiri. Azadi from what and Azadi to where? Some people want to maintain the integrity of the erstwhile princely state carved out by the colonial rulers while as some others plead the case of different communities. Some plead for merger with Pakistan, some want to go for total independence. The overall picture of what the ultimate goal should be and how that can be achieved remains vague and undefined. Again if the final goal is total Azadi or freedom involving complete independence, then there should be a definite path to achieve it. If that be so, then why so many organisations? Why can’t all of them come on a single platform and show the people one straight path to achieve the ultimate goal? There have been some concerted attempts recently for forging unity among different constituents of the popular movement. It is a welcome beginning and one hopes it will go all the way? One clear and unambiguous stance, one organisation, and a single road to reach the goal can make a world of difference. People both from within and outside have been advising Kashmiris to put their act together so that they know what Kashmiris really want and who are their true leaders? A multiplicity of stances that too ever changing with an umpteen number of “leaders” has created a totally confusing situation. It is alleged that this is the handiwork of certain agencies entrusted with the specific job of scuttling all popular movements by convincing people in general that the present status quo is the best option. It is a fact that confusion about goals, leaders, and organisations is ideal for maintaining a status quo. There is dichotomy about stances. People on one hand want “Azadi” and on the other want clean and good governance. If only Delhi had ensured truly clean and good governance, that too would have made a difference! There is some silver lining. In spite of all the confusion and changing stances, the common Kashmiris have their own inherent stance. The apparent flexible and changing attitude of the people is only a clever means to bid time and wait for an ideal opportunity to exhibit that real stance. An average Kashmiri is much more intelligent and politically more mature than normally thought to be, especially by the outsiders. In spite of all the suffering and difficult living conditions, he carries on with his daily life retaining in the depths of his heart the ultimate desire for total emancipation and freedom. He does not give up the hope that one day an opportunity will come his way when he can reach that cherished goal for which his ancestors had been pinning for ages and for which thousands of Kashmiris have sacrificed their lives!