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Trifurcation and communalism Sir, Kindly refer to the article "Is trifurcation of J&K State Communal ?" (DE 5-12-2000) by Mr. D C Sharma. Mr. Sharma, the learned author of the article, "Is trifurcation of the State communal ?" has justified the trifurcation of J&K State in an excellent manner and for that he deserves appreciation. However, he has wittingly or unwittingly forgotten the harms already done by these "Communal" elements in the past and also the untold sufferings faced by both the communities i.e. Hindus and Muslims in the Indian sub-continent perpetuated upon them by the religious fundamentalists in 1947 and thereafter in subsequent period. The author will bear with me that these forces are still at large to perpetrate communalism among various religious groups, and are trying to create atmosphere of illwill between the ethnic groups by arousing regional passions, and to cause a sense of hatred among other section of people to achieve their objective to retain or regain their political power and lost glory. Being fully aware, that besides Kashmir valley, areas of Keran, Karnah and Uri (which has 99 percent Muslim population) the majority of the inhabitants of the districts of Doda, Poonch Rajouri Tehsils of Mahore, Gool and Udhampur district and the twin tehsils of Bani and Billawar of Kathua district also belong to Muslim community and even a slightest reference to communalism can have adverse impart on their feeling. Further, the author has touched the issue of the settlement of the Muslim refugees from China and Turkestan, some other countries in the State, grant of citizenship rights to them ( which admittedly is not correct) and denial of the same facilities to the Buddhist refugees from Tibet and to Hindus migrated from the "erstwhile British India" now is Pakistan, which can in no terms whatsoever be regarded as "secular" but can easily be categorised as communal in character. For that none can or should blame the author, as the word "communal" had been so used in the past that even the meaning of "religious fundamentalists" have become fake against it. The author has further added salt to injury by alleging that the land in and around Jammu city is being doled out to certain Muslim families from Kashmir Valley, Doda, Rajouri and Poonch districts perhaps to tilt the proportion of population in favour of the non-Hindus. Are these remarks not communal?, and still we expect that Gujjar Bakarwals or "other non-Hindus" shall side with the propounders of Trifurcation of the State. The Jammu and Kashmir State was, is the only State in the country where Jagirdari system was abolished and land distributed to landless peasants without any compensation to the owners. This populous measure was appreciated by all except a few land-lords and money-lenders who organised themselves under the political platform of "Praja Parishad" and also spearheaded an agitation for merger of the State with the rest of the country under the slogan "Ek Nishan Ek Pardhan and Ek Vidhan". It is strange enough that the very people who spearheaded the agitation for complete merger of the State with the rest country in 1952-53 now advocate separate statehood for Jammu. The objective is clear and can be well gauged by all intellectuals and right thinking people. The trifurcation of the State shall definitely harm the bounds of relationship among the people built in the past 50 years. Yours etc... |
