Col J P Singh, Retd
Sham Lal Sharma, Cabinet minister and a senior Congress leader is supporter of Regional Councils in J&K. He reiterated it while speaking on the eve of 193rd Coronation and State Foundation Day Celebration on 17 June 2014 at Akhnoor. “Much talked about discrimination with Jammu will not end till Jammu gets Regional Council”, he said. Consider Regional Councils for Rajouri – Poonch, Chenab Valley and Pahari Speaking Areas of Kashmir as well if you consider Union Territory status for Ladakh, he stated. The Congress leader is known and hailed for raising the issues concerning Jammu on and off. The real issue although is trifurcation but Regional Councils may be a step towards dowsing the fires and minimising discrimination lest the demand for trifurcation picks up vigorously prior Assembly polls.
The era of discrimination started with the end of Dogra rule after independence and Sheikh Mohd Abdullah’s rise as a popular Kashmiri leader. He was made Prime Minister of the J&K by Maharaja Hari Singh soon after he acceded his Princely State to India. It was done on the insistence of Pt Nehru, the Prime Minister of India. Having led Quit Kashmir movement against the Dogra Ruler who hailed from Jammu, Sheikh began his rule with anti Jammu agenda. He missed no opportunity to crush Dogras and Jammu sentiments with a heavy hand. Not only that he crushed Jammu sentiments, he also turned anti India resulting into his dismissal as Prime Minister of J&K and subsequent detention and trial.
People of Jammu and Ladakh have been living with a sense of neglect and grievances since independence. They feel that they are being oppressed and discriminated by Kashmiri elite. They also feel that New Delhi did not give them any attention during the turbulent periods of partition. Moreover Delhi did not give the region its due for their nationalism and having borne the maximum brunt of partition & 1947 – 48 Pak invasion. National Conference, the mainstream political party and beneficiary of partition, started its rule with a step motherly treatment to Jammu and Ladakh. Main reason for the grievances is lop sided political power structure which is in favour of Kashmir. It has not been addressed ever since the formation of 1st elected NC govt in J&K despite various protests.
Movement for State’s trifurcation erupted after Sheikh Abdullah’s arrest. Ironically the Congress leadership in Delhi viewed it as anti national activity allowing the regional chasm to accentuate and take a violent turn to be ruthlessly crushed. But the movement never died down nor did it pick up like Telangana. The power remained concentrated in the hands of few Kashmiri leaders. A stage came when the demand for trifurcation died down because many political parties and some sections of society were lured to share political power. Business class saw a greater opportunity in united J&K. The BJP and Panther Party were in the forefront on the trifurcation of J&K but could not mobilise the masses. Hence the demand for trifurcation got different shades at different times and went through many twists and turns.
Congress has always been for the status quo despite its eroding base in Jammu region. When a senior leader bats for regional councils to end discrimination, the issue gets reinforced and calls for serious debate. Will Sham Lal Sharma be a lone crusader against discrimination with Jammu or the other anti change agents also don the mettle of change. Status quo is likely to be challenged again. Jammu State Morcha has already raised trifurcation in a memorandum submitted to the Prime Minister. If BJP plays on Article 370 sentiment, Panthers will advocate trifurcation and Congress will exploit discrimination. This has been the dilemma of our State politics which revives at the time of elections.
Reorganising and creating new states is authorised by the Constitution of India. This is how number of new states were created after independence and today their number is 29 after the creation of Telangana. At the time of re-organisation of states in fifties, the State of Jammu & Kashmir was excluded from the preview of SRC on the plea that issue relating to the future of J&K is pending in the United Nations. Now that Andhra Pradesh has been bifurcated and J&K is no more an issue before the UN and the reasons for its re-organisation being similar to Andhra; demand of various political and social organisations should be seriously considered. At one point of time Dr. Karan Singh’s view was that Jammu be merged with Himachal and Ladakh be made centrally administered union territory. He had advocated a unilingual Kashmiri speaking area North of Bannihal Pass to be a separate unit. Present arrangement, he felt, was ‘administrative monstrosity’ with the govt moving up and down between Jammu and Srinagar every six months. His views were shared by most of the political and social establishments but never forced forcefully. Despite darbar move being an existing practice, it can’t continue indefinitely. Kashmir as unilingual state with two regional councils; one for the valley and the other for Paharai speaking areas comprising of 24 Assembly seats will be a very compact unit and easier to administer, develop and defend. Similarly vast mountainous Ladakh as Union Territory and Jammu as separate state will be easy to defend and develop. Interlocutors, in their report have recommended Regional Council for Jammu. Least of all, greater devolution of administrative and economic powers by the state govt to Jammu and Ladakh divisions, with a direct financial package form the centre should have been granted. Since the report has been dumped, another SRC should be constituted. This is dictated by distinct regional and communal polarisation in Lok Sabha election verdict. If it is left to the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh to decide what they want, trifurcation better be made an election issue for the Assembly polls and the truth will come out. Re-organisation of J&K cannot be overlooked any longer.
Article 370 was a major issue of Lok Sabha election in J&K. All exploited it to the hilt hoping to win the election. After NC-Congress devastation in the election, they are caught between the devil and the deep sea. Assembly election will be highly complicated and more difficult for them because of the surcharged political atmosphere because of Article 370. Article 370 and discrimination is likely to come up in the coming session of the state legislature. It is said that a politician thinks of next election whereas as a statesman thinks of next generation. Let there be no clash of interests between politicians and statesmen. Sham Lal Sharma has been speaking for Jammu. His voice must be heard even if other voices are ignored.
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel