Keep minorities in mind

Sir,

No one can deny the stark truth that the minorities in the Jammu and Kashmir have all along been treated very shabbily under each and every Government. The National Conference can not say "no" to it, the Congress Party cannot say "no" to it and the spell of Governor's rule can not say "no" to it." You can fool some people for all time, some people for some time, but not all people for all time." To be a member of the minority community has along been an abhorred affair in the State.

Now that all the political parties are in the fray contesting elections. All the leaders are making frantic efforts to capture power. At this point to time let them bear on their minds that the Jammu and Kashmir State should be compared to a huge ship cruising through turbulent waters to a golden destination. For this voyage every section of the people must be galvanised together as firmly of the various parts of the frame. The strength of the frame is equal only to the strength of the weakest section of the frame. One little crack, i.e a disgruntled minority, would force the huge ship to halt in the midst of the Deep till the crack is repaired. Hence the protection of the rights of minorities in sine qua non in a healthy democracy. The very basis of minority-protection is that the political underdogs must be protected against the interference of the majority in their cultural and linguistic development. Mr. Justice Gopal Surup Pathak in his book: "Minorities and the Law. Page xxvii" says: "The protection of minorities means the protection of non-dominant groups which while wishing in general for equality of treatment with the majority wish for a measure of differential treatment in order to preserve the basic characteristics which they possess and which distinguish them from the a majority of population."

It is a stark truth that in a democracy a majority runs berserk and tramples upon individual rights and minority rights. The Kashmiri Pundits have all along seen it whether in be in the Government offices, in the matters of appointments and promotions, admission to professional colleges, even in matters of adjustment on prominent posts etc. The Kashmiri Pandits have seen for themselves that even a majority formed in and through the democratic process may be tragically mistaken in what it approves or condemns. The famous dictum, vox populi vox dei need not always mean that the voice of the majority is bound to be reasonable and is bound to have the correctness and sanctity of the voice of God. The voice of the people is not necessarily the voice of reason. Here I wish to quote Tom Paine who writes in his famous preface to the Origines de la France Contemporaine in 1875. "Ten million ignorances do not make up one knowledge." Royer Collard, a French doctrinaire, has put it thus: "The will of a single person, the will of many, the will of all, is only a force that can be more or less powerful. Neither obedience nor the slightest respect is due to these wills purely and simply because they are wills." Jefferson said in his first inaugural address in 1801: "Although the will of the majority is in all cases to prevail, that will to be rightful must be reasonable." To be reasonable, the will of the majority has necessarily to protect the minorities, their interest, culture and individuality without jeopardising the public interest.

So whosoever comes to power in the Jammu and Kashmir State should realise that alienation is not the problem with the majority community. They have always been getting betters of soft places it are the Kashmiri Pandits, Sikhs and the Christians who have always been tasting the humble pie in the State. Let they be reasonably reasonable and remember the famous quote of Abraham Lincoln:" Anarchy and despotism are the only alternatives to democratic majority rule. But the majority rule of democracy rests on the faith that through the continuing process of political education men can become sufficiently reasonable to discover, through evidence and the give-and-take of free discussion, a better way of solving common problems than by anarchy or despotism".

Yours etc...
Predhuman K. Joseph Dhar
Jammu (Tawi).

Uproot Congress grass

Sir,

The weed is commonly called ''Congress grass" (Parthenium lysterophorus family, Asteraceae) which is growing very rapidly through out the J&K State and even in the whole country. The weed grows annually in all types  of soil and a single plants is capable to produce seeds in lacs in a single life span. The seeds are very minute, light in weight and can easily disperse to the distant areas by the winds and other means too. Most of the seeds are viable and can germinate & establish themselves in varied ecological systems.

The pollen grains and even seeds of the weed suspend in the atmosphere as tiny particles and make it unhealthy with the result various diseases are caused to the human beings, domestic as well as wild animals. Some important disease caused by the Congress weed are allergy, skin eruption, throat infection, irritation in eyes and so on.

A few plants of Congress weed had been seen only near Railway Station at Jammu during the year 1984-85, but now after about 17 years, it is present every where in the State/Country and has occupied about six percent of the total area. As per rate of its growth it is estimated that after 10 years, it will occupy more than 30 percent of the total area of the State/Country.

Moreover, this weed inhibits (Suppresses) the growth of the other plants which are very essential for the mankind. So, till the invention of weedicide against "Congress weed'', Let us take an initiative jointly to eradicate such a dangerous weed by biological means i.e, uprooting, piking in seedling stage (immature stage) during rainy season, drying & burning the same.

Yours etc...
Prof. H D Singh
HOD Botany
Govt. Degree College, Rajouri.