Colonel Shiv Choudhary (Retd)
In the context of foreign political leadership, a leader may have massive online followers. In the context of Indian communities politics, the leader must have visible supporters. This is more apt when it comes to the leadership of border area based Jats (Choudhary) community in the J&K State, given its history of divisive leadership, internal squabbling, multiple claimants and long periods of leadership absence. It was perhaps destined to live and exit that way. To this end, All India Jats Maha Sabha (AIJMS) sammelan held in Jammu on 20 Jan 2019 under the leadership of Man Mohan Choudhary, President All India Jats Maha Sabha(AIJMS), J&K state, with the presence of national leadership members like Ch. Yudhvir Singh, General Secy AIJMS, Rakesh Takait, President Bhartiya Kissan Union(BKU) and Ch. Dharamvir Singh, Secy AIJMS and almost 1200 members including ladies from the State, was a testimony to his leadership, standing, acceptability, hard work done and increasing clout. In fact, the mere large presence, tone, texture, tenure, mood and palpable undercurrent at the venue threw many challenges for the dissidents, divisive and ambiguous voices prevailing within Jats community in the State. There was an unwritten message too for everyone conveying, “Accept me, be with me or challenge me”. Looks Man Mohan Choudhary, was rightly responded at least by the sheer number of supporters present there for his availability, accessibility and acceptability.
The high level sammelan was necessitated due to very specific circumstances as obtained in J&K State leading to enormous sufferings by this community, forced to stay on border after having been refugees during the last three Indo-Pak wars. The issues raised by them were mostly old but the continuous apathy of the state and Central Government, unfulfilled promises made during elections, disturbed schooling and suffering due to regular border shelling, are hurting them deep now. This agriculture and border based community has already suffered enough during three Indo-Pak wars, and regular shelling all along the border, only recharges them now in their resolve to fight for redressal with more vigor and will. In nutshell, the charter of demands put forth by Man Mohan Choudhary included (a) Grant of OBC status, (b) Allotment of promised 5 Marlas plot in a safe area instead of bunkers on the border, (c) Transfer of land ownership rights to the displaced families, (d) Extension of RBA benefits up to 8 km,(e) Payment of promised Rs 30 lakh for one time settlement, (f) Simplification of process for payment of Rs 5.5 lakh and (g) A job to the NoK and Rs 10 lakh compensation to the civilians getting killed due to the Pak shelling.
Prominent speakers from various parts of the State blamed the past Governments especially the PDP-BJP coalition for having gone back from the promises it specifically made during the last state and parliament elections to lure the voters and then forgetting them so quickly. Members from the RS Pura, Rajouri and Kathua were very vocal in cautioning the community to not get swayed by the similar promises of the politicians during forthcoming elections. They highlighted various promises held out to them but only to be forgotten on temporary cessation of border hostilities forcing people called as “Border Sentinels” to continue to live in a saga of indifference, betrayal, threat and uncertainties or post election results.
There was a collective feelings filled with emotions, poignancy, sympathy and anguish seeing some of the victims of the border shelling having lost their limbs with no hope of support from anyone except promises, visit and apology by the politicians and officials. There were straight words of caution and advice to question politicians when they are most vulnerable during pre-election campaign. Central leadership members gave an open assurance of full support from other states to any agitation or movement if and when launched by the natives living on border. They warned the State Government against ignoring genuine concern of all affected people lest they will be forced to force the Government to listen. All soft and hard options were discussed post meeting and kept open. It was decided to adopt best approach as per the response, sense of urgency and response displayed by the government on actual delivery.
It is understandable that all issues raised from time to time, have not been paid attention to. The possible reasons could be the lack of awareness of influencing power of their votes and support due to internal division, divisive social and political leaning. Silence and elusiveness remain the hall mark during much needed sharing of single platform on ‘One Cause, One Community, One Voice’. The main factor that underpins the current state of the Jats community is a fact that no political party has been able to co-opt this community. Equally, the people have not managed to hitch on their band wagon and aspirations, to lawmakers either in the state or Delhi. Also, no single party can claim to have all the Jats as its support base as was the case during the era of late Ch. Devi Lal in Haryana, Ch. Charan Singh in UP and Master Chajju Ram and S.Chela Singh of Chhamb sector in J&K State. Here it is apt to say that there is nothing wrong in pursuing one’s political aim and alignments. It was always there. Surely, the community ambience and its bargaining power appears strengthened if all decide to transcend party lines, bury ego and decide to come under single umbrella. The underlying hard realities are that majority of the border community continues to suffer due to proximity of border, regular shelling, abandonment of small land holdings, disturbed education, non- cohesiveness of leadership, failure to catch up with changing time and swing few election results. It has plentiful of intelligence, experience, potential and rich history to press for their genuine demands for progress and safe living. Given its unutilized strength, it can surely change social, political, economical and educational landscape from daily thuds of loud shelling explosions causing deaths, injuries, miseries and frequent evictions, to a peaceful life for future generation.
The demands put forth by these people should neither be equated nor compared with any other state due to very special and peculiar border related circumstances and sufferings. Also there seems no hope of any positive thaw either in the Indo-Pak relationship or Pak amending its notorious ways. These demands deserve all the support and consideration. Post sammelan meeting with the Governor of the state by representatives had offered him an opportunity to take a holistic macro view based on merit and compassion. The 50% capping imposed by the hon’ble SC and scrapping of bracketing Jats in OBC list by the Congress in 2014 and HC of Pb and Haryana following suit, will be the both guiding and deciding factors.
The sammelan has given impetus to the already surging expectations. No criticism should be done for the sake of popularity or hogging limelight. Life will continue to be threatened on border by Pak due to its war mongering DNA. There can be no justification in denying a permanent solution to the perennial issues. To accelerate this march, there is an unavoidable need to co-opt and listen to more educated people sharing their acumen, skills and articulation on wide spectrum rather than confining to few. This will help one and all on long term basis. A leader may also look at the need to have various nucleus groups for education, jobs search, availing schemes, legal support, anti dowry, border victims care, corpus creation and media management.
Border residents are known for courage and audaciousness. Love them, laugh at them, embrace them, hate them or terrorize them, their genuine issues warrant consideration. Ignoring them will only drive them to more difficulties. Community needs to appreciate and repose its faith in the leadership of leader who does not ditch them it at a heavy personal loss, or someone else proves better than him. I am all for anyone who makes effort and invests time and efforts for bettering the lot of border residents including all other affected communities, ameliorate their sufferings and secure their future generations. I will still put my money on democratic process for strengthening the collective bargaining power.
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