“Politics Just Found a New Prophet!”
Kashmir’s political stage has always loved drama walkouts, boycotts, broken promises but this week, it scripted a blockbuster. The Holy Qur’an, the eternal book of guidance, was dragged centre-stage as a lie-detector. “Qur’an ki kasam,” thundered Shri Sunil Sharma, Leader of Opposition, challenging Chief Minister Omar Abdullah: “Swear on the Qur’an that you never sought an alliance with the BJP in 2024!”
Omar didn’t flinch. He lifted a copy of the Qur’an and declared, “I swear on the Holy Qur’an, I never sought an alliance with the BJP.”
Cue applause from one side, outrage from the other, and a collective facepalm from anyone who knows Islam forbids frivolous oaths. The Assembly echoed with cheers and jeers, but the real casualty? Common sense.
Faith as a Prop, Not a Principle
The Qur’an says clearly in Surah Al-Baqarah (2:224): “And do not make Allah an excuse in your oaths…” Yet here we were, watching two seasoned leaders turn divine scripture into a political stunt. Sharma’s challenge wasn’t about truth; it was about optics. Omar’s response wasn’t about faith; it was about one-upmanship.
Remember 2014? When a Jammu politician swore on the Bhagavad Gita to “end corruption in 100 days”? Or 2019, when a Valley leader held the Qur’an aloft promising “no alliance with Delhi”? Both oaths lasted exactly until the next press conference. Integrity, it seems, has an expiry date shorter than milk.
In 2021, a south Kashmir MLA swore on the Qur’an during a rally: “I will resign if I fail to bring water to every village!” Three years later, the villages are still dry, and the MLA is still in office. The oath? Forgotten. The water? Missing.
“Anti-NC”? No Just Pro-Accountability
Some NC supporters flood my mentions: “You’re anti-NC!” Let me clarify with an example. When the BJP promised “56-inch governance” in 2014, I criticised their failures too—flood relief delays, unemployment spikes. When PDP swore “self-rule” in 2015, I called out the U-turns. Today, NC promises “healing touch,” but youth unemployment in Srinagar hovers at 23% (CMIE data, 2025). Questioning that isn’t bias; it’s duty.
Democracy isn’t a fan club. It’s a report card. If a leader claims “zero tolerance for corruption,” but files show ₹47 crore unaccounted in a single tourism project (CAG report, 2024), I’ll ask questions—whether the leader waves the Qur’an, the Gita, or the Constitution.
The Oath Factory
We’re one step away from “oath packages” in election manifestos. Imagine the pitch: “Vote for us! Free Qur’an oath with every promise!” Why stop there? Next election, candidates could swear on Ghalib’s poetry for Urdu voters, Shakespeare for English-medium elites, or the JK Bank passbook for the middle class.
In 2023, a Baramulla candidate swore on his mother’s grave: “I’ll build a hospital in every tehsil!” The hospital? Still a plot of land. The grave? Still waiting. Oaths are cheap; delivery is expensive.
Accountability
The Real Sacred Duty
The public doesn’t need theatrics. They need jobs, roads, electricity. In Anantnag, 40% of households face 8-hour power cuts (JKPDD data, 2025). In Kupwara, 62% of youth are jobless. These aren’t “anti-government” statistics; they’re reality.
When Sharma challenged Omar, he could’ve asked: “Where are the 50,000 jobs you promised in 2024?” When Omar responded, he could’ve said: “Here’s the employment data, not an oath.” Instead, we got a scripture showdown.
Both leaders missed a golden chance. Sharma could’ve quoted the Qur’an’s actual command in Surah An-Nisa (4:135): *“Stand firmly for justice, even if it be against yourselves…”* Omar could’ve reminded everyone that the Prophet (PBUH) said, *“A Muslim’s word is his bond.”* No oath needed.
In the End, a Little Irony
Kashmir deserves leaders who deliver, not performers who swear. The Qur’an isn’t a prop; it’s a mirror. Hold it up to power, and hypocrisy cracks.
As Surah Al-Asr warns: “By time, mankind is in loss—except those who believe, do righteous deeds, and enjoin truth and patience.” Truth doesn’t need swearing. It needs doing.
So here’s my oath no book required: I’ll keep asking questions until governance replaces gestures. Because the real blasphemy isn’t criticising leaders. It’s watching them reduce faith to a soundbite while the people wait for water, power, and hope.
