“I am pushing for transparency and accountability but separatist leaders have none of these qualities”
Touseef Raina strides into the dilapidated municipal corporation office at Baramulla with two armed guards in tow. The tall and striking bearded 29-year-old is the president of the municipal council of the fourth most populous town in J&K, which has a population of around 70,000. With militants in the Valley focusing on soft targets like him to strike fear in the hearts of elected local body representatives, the danger is only too real. Already, three municipal councillors have been shot dead by terrorists this year—two in Sopore on March 30 and another in Tral on June 2. But Raina is not intimidated. “If people understand that everyone can speak the truth without fear,” he says, “then there can be change. Till such time as I have God-given life, I am afraid of no one. I feel truth is the only solution.”
And what is that truth? In the Valley, where criticism of the hardliners, particularly the Hurriyat, could invite reprisal from militants, Raina is unsparing. “I am pushing for transparency and accountability but Hurriyat leaders and separatists have none of these qualities,” he says. “We must question their false promises. Hasn’t anyone asked them what they have achieved by getting our youth to pick guns and create violence? Did they have a solid plan? They even refuse to talk to the central government.”
Raina squarely blames the Hurriyat for the state Kashmir is in. “Their false garb should be exposed. We should have leadership that has clarity and vision, not hypocrisy,” he says. “Our youth should forget the violent past and focus on creating an environment where both our present and future generations can flourish.”
Politics wasn’t Raina’s first love as no one in his family had ever done so. He started his career as a journalist after acquiring a mass communication degree
The Mood “We should have a leadership that has vision, not hypocrisy. our youth should forget the violent past and create an environment Where both present and future generations can flourish”
but soon became a social activist. Upset with the pace of development and corruption in local bodies, he felt they needed a radical revamp. And what better way to bring about that change than to become a part of the system? Raina saw his opportunity in the municipal council elections in October 2018. He lost, but remained undaunted. When byelections were held again in November 2020, he contested as an Independent and won. He was elected president of the Baramulla municipality this April.
He is now deeply involved in cleaning up the picturesque town located on the banks of the Jhelum, addressing discrepancies in the garbage disposal system, poor sanitation facilities, lack of parking for cars and potholed roads. Also the fact that every time it rains, the towns are cut off from the highways. It is a good sign that the Union territory administration is keen on empowering local bodies, and funds are no longer a problem. “I am now trying to change the mindset of our people,” he says, “so that instead of blaming the government, we should ourselves be accountable and deliver proactively.”
The youth’s overdependence on government jobs for employment is of deep concerns to Raina. He believes they need to start focusing on boosting tourism and other industries, so that there are more opportunities in the private sector for employment. While opinions on Article 370’s abrogation may differ, he believes the Union government must deliver on its promise of bringing development and change to J&K. “We have been demoted and made into a Union territory,” he says. “The people of Kashmir want their statehood back as soon as possible, and the central government must fulfil their promise at the soonest.” Raina then climbs into his SUV and heads to the main market in Baramulla. A host of businessmen surround him immediately and unload their woes on him. The young municipal president gives them a patient ear.