Col J P Singh, Retd
Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has off late shown extraordinary interest in the state’s development and politics. He is getting liberal funds for various projects and he himself is sanctioning lot of health care schemes. His political statements and developmental messages, carried in various papers, periodicals and editorials starting from 1st April 2012 are very inspiring at the time when state govt is not showing any initiative in eradicating corruption, improving delivery mechanism and providing good governance. Starting April, he is seen and heard somewhere or the other in the state at least twice a month with significant political and developmental messages, seen pushing developmental and health care facilities and beckoning people to develop tourism culture in Jammu region to better their lives and future.
Azad Sahib’s current four days visit to inaugurate Bhaderwah Festival at a time when his party is involved in the management of Presidential elections shows that even though in Delhi, his mind is in J&K. Knowing he will get engaged in electioneering in Southern states in the due course, his visit is timely for clearing the mist from the political clouds. Asking people in Bhaderwah to accommodate tourists at home as paying guests like Himachalis is very progressive idea.
Showing up at Nowshera on the umpteenth death anniversary of Matser Beli Ram with his cohorts, calling him a great Congress leader (the job of JKPCC president) is a sign of clear political agenda of connecting with the public on whatever the occasion / opportunity it may be. He had earlier cautioned Congress ministers of coalition govt in front of forty to fifty thousand audience, in Maharaja Hari Singh Park on 1st April, that they are ministering their own constituencies only due to which major development works are losing govt attention. He advised them to concentrate on those constituencies which don’t have MLA from Congress so that next time people vote for Congress there also. He took strong objection to the non representation of 7 districts of Jammu in the cabinet which meant early reshuffle. Though the reshuffle is getting delayed, the pressure to address this deficiency remains. We can see it happening soon after presidential election because Azad is for a reshuffle for representation of left over areas in the cabinet and weeding out corrupt elements.
Azad by now is a confirmed visionary, a seasoned politician and a renowned national leader. He has been very effective Chief Minister of J&K despite the PDP leg pulling. Gen S K Sinha, the former Governor has testified it many times in his musings. He is perceived as man of action. Creation of 4 administrative districts in Jammu during his tenure met the long pending demand of Jammu region. Although his generosity to the valley by giving them also equal number of districts and subsequently succumbing to cancel govt order granting land use to Amarnath Shrine Board for the pilgrims can never be approved. But putting exclusive blame on him may not be fair because we do not know the political and coalition compulsions beyond such unpalatable decisions. Questions are being raised on replacement of Pranab as crises manager in Delhi after his election as President. I see Azad filling the vacuum as he is capable of handling inter and intra party conflicts. He has done it before as Parliamentary Affairs Minister.
He matters a lot in the govt and his party in Delhi and being ex Chief Minister he matters in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh as much. He proved it true by catapulting Jugal Kishore Sharma over veteran Pt Mangat Ram for Legislative Council just before Panditji was to file his nomination papers. Dejected Panditji called it reversal of her own decision by Sonia Gandhi when I met him on the day of its reversal. It proves that his writ runs large. But ironically that has given rise to factionalism in the state Congress which is increasing by the day as seen more clearly during and after the Youth Wing elections. The clarion call by every top leader in the Congress Convention in Srinagar to burry the hatchet and work unitedly has failed to make any impact. Despite factionalism; Congress in J&K, particularly in Jammu and Ladakh is seen as last hope of the people. By talking development and tourism, he has established close connect with gross root. Jammu is far behind the valley in development and feels orphaned because no local leader from Jammu talks about its neglect loudly, probably afraid of losing their job. Azad has given Jammu some hope. Today if some one asks me who is pro Jammu leader. I would say without any hesitation that Azad seems to be in the making although he is a tall and respected national leader who cannot be confined to a region or a state. Why I say so is because he sees lot of potential in Jammu in nation building. It is people from Jammu who are laying down their lives for the defence of country and have patronized Congress through thick and thin.
They pay electricity bills and all the taxes. It is they who have accepted migration form the valley and are working hard to make Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrimage and Amarnath Yatra possible. Mughals discovered the potential of Kashmir, Dalai Lama discovered the potential of Ladakh whereas Azad has discovered the potential of Jammu. By giving full 6 years to Omar, he has defined Congress role in the future politics and coalition. A year ago Jammu resounded with demand of rotational Chief Ministership from none less than Congress stalwarts because they saw Jammu being ignored in development. 13th State Finance Commission has also reflected discrimination and gross disparities. Protest note of Swami Raj Sharma, IAS, member of Finance Commission is an eye opener for the people of Jammu based on which MLAs from Jammu contested it in the Assembly. Since 1st April 2012, Azad Sahib has got vigorously involved in development works in Jammu region. While granting full 6 years to Omar to lead the coalition, he reminds us that it was PDP which ditched the Congress by pulling the rug thus putting his initiated development plans in cold storage. Congress won’t do that to NC and wants Omar to ensure speedy development of all the regions is his call to the coalition partner. Why are these statements coming from a central minister and not from JKPCC is intriguing particularly when prospects of Congress in the rest of the country are turning by the day and their ministers are involved in scams and scandals everywhere?
There is no short cuts to sincerity and success. Azad sahib has been sincere and successful wherever he has been and has profoundly appreciated the necessity of laying firm foundation of fair democratic practices and transparency in J&K. Hence he is beckoning neglected Jammu to political power. I, as a layman, consider Azad Sahib’s initiative in Jammu as an unprecedented visionary move. Political panorama of state politics is slowly and steadily changing.
PDP is working hard to gain in Jammu. BJP although fighting for survival is ironically destined to be the christened as museum pieces of J&K polity because it does not have a tall local leader like Pt Prem Nath Dogra in the state and Atalji in Delhi. Congress’ factional fight is basically a struggle of identity. The day Delhi realises that Azad is undisputed Congress leader, the factional fight will be over once and for all. Azad has rightly predicted that whether it is PDP or NC, Congress has to be part of a future coalition. If Congress fights next election under Azad, it will remarkably increase its tally in Jammu region, thanks BJP split, with reasonable increase in numbers in the valley, thanks to the alleged culpability in criminality in their party politics besides scams and corruption charges leveled against the ruling son – father duo. Jammu dominated Kashmir in power politics till independence.
Thereafter Jammu and Ladakh have been playing second fiddle to Kashmiri leadership. Time for a paradigm political shift has come. Now it is going to be Jammu and Ladakh again calling the shots; even if not on political turf war so soon, it will be on unraveling tourism and economic turf. Azad is a catalyst of this paradigm shift. People have been blaming Jammu for aligning with nationalist forces (Congress and BJP) which have been ignoring Jammu and blindly favouring Kashmir. The time of regional players in J&K is getting over. Whenever the state has been ruled by regional leaders, inter region tensions have increased and centre state relations have strained. Hence it is in the best interest of state that nationalist leaders take the centre stage in J&K politics.
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