Col J P Singh
Elections in J&K have always been a messy affair with different dynamics at play in three regions. As the election fever started, calling it a tactical move, two ideologically opposite parties declared their support to a new found common friend, the Congress, in Jammu. On both the Jammu seats, Congress is being supported by NC and PDP. Ideologically these parties have totally divergent philosophies. Their political and constitutional positioning is also different. It shows that electoral politics today is hardly any ideological battle. It is politics of power sharing. Even a layman would call it an alliance to dislodge BJP. Politically it may sound right; ideologically and morally, Congress aligning with those who are culpable for woes of Jammu, is monstrous. Jammu has been the foremost casualty of NC-Congress, Congress-PDP and PDP-BJP alliances of the past. More importantly Jammu is the casualty of political domination and discrimination of above mentioned alliances. The alliance looks outrageous at the very outset. Hence it is full of exclamations and question marks.
J&K comprises of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. Tactical alliance is only in Jammu. Why no alliance in Kashmir and Ladakh is the very first question to the prophets of doom. While there is impending doom in the valley, there is distinct rise of ‘regional sentiment’ in Jammu & Ladakh. Fight for rightful place in the political structure of the state is clearly visible in Jammu and Ladakh and is manifesting into an exclamatory electoral fight.
Congress knows that Kashmiris are 95% in the Secretariat, JKP and JK Bank etc. Similar %ages are seen in each PSC/SSRB selection lists. Congress should see with the open eyes to look into where the Dogras of Jammu and Ladakhis have vanished? Who is responsible for discrimination and character assassination of Dogras. Who has destroyed monuments and heritage of Dogras systematically? Who has engineered the demographic encirclement of Jammu? Doesn’t Congress know that Bangladeshis and Rohingyas pose a serious security threat to the City of Temples and Palaces. Who politicised dastardly Rassana crime and blemished Dogras and who counteracted anti Jammu agenda? Omar Abdullah’s ‘shame on Dogras’ tweet and Mehboob’s onslaught on Dogriyat has not gone down well in Jammu. Why ally with those in Jammu who are perceived to be suppressing Jammu? Who came at Jammu’s rescue at a critical juncture is equally exclamatory. It was none other than a social organisation, the ‘Dogra Swabhiman Sangathan’ (DSS), now a political party, which picked up the cudgel and pledged to restore Dogra pride. The so called tactical alliance’s biblical cord also seems to be attached to emotional upsurge in Jammu. But what is interesting to note is that the grand old party, instead of voicing Jammu’s concerns, is piggy backing those regional parties which are responsible for trampling Jammu.
People of Jammu have not forgotten NC’s treacheries. Calling Maharaja Hari Singh communal, meted out immense humiliation upon him and forced him to exile ipso-facto suppressing Dogras. Sheikh vilified Maharani also. Sheikh whose nationalistic credentials were suspect, made sure that 1/3rd of Dogra empire passed on to Pakistan. Sheikh wanted majority of Kashmiris in J&K and hence let go Punjabi and Pahari speaking areas to Pakistan. Forcing Ceasefire before those areas were liberated was his plan. While Congress reiterates reversal of POJK but Farooq Abdullah advocates converting LoC to IB giving away POJK to Pakistan. During his rule, Sheikh initiated the process to disband State Forces. In August 1949 he stopped their pay. Maharaja strongly protested and pledged to pay from his privy purse thus blocking disbandment. He convinced Nehru to shift State Forces from J&K. This is how Sheikh treated the valiant force which faced initial Pakistani attacks and saved Kashmir for him to rule. He ruthlessly crushed Jammu agitation of 1952 and once returning from Jammu, after crossing Jawahar Tunnel, Sheikh said, “Bye Bye Jammu”. In the working committee meeting of NC on 18 May 1953, Sheikh proposed ‘Independence for Valley. The hatred, anger, suspicion and antagonism which Sheikh bred against Jammu since 1930s has ruined Jammu. Should Jammu want to detach from Kashmir after all this, what will be the stand of grand old party? NC-Congress contested 1987 state election jointly. The election was rigged. Those declared elected were declared defeated within hours. Dr. Farooq Abdullah became the Chief Minister. It was under his rule that unprecedented insurgency erupted in the state and radicalisation began. Pandits genocide and demographic invasion of Jammu is also alleged to his rule. Whole country is paying the price for these doings. In the first ever state election of 1951, NC won all the 75 seats by rejecting nomination papers of Praja Parshid, (the only opposition) candidates. It was mother of all treacheries. Lopsided political power dynamics is because of rigged election of 1951, the trend which NC patronized even later. It is NC which has been creating controversies about state’s accession to India giving the impression that the state has acceded only for funds and grants. Congress entered into alliance with PDP from 2002 to 2008. While NC continued its rhetoric of greater autonomy, the PDP came up with ‘Self Rule’ as a political philosophy and advocated free movement across the LoC. Self rule meant near independence. This gave flip to separatism in the valley. Congress was part of the grand design. Mufti Sayeed was a Congress stalwart and had been state President. None of his Congress colleague and admirers in Jammu joined PDP because of his self rule agenda. Despite that the scion of the Dogra royal family joined PDP with pomp & show though chucked it later. Breakup of the unholy PDP-BJP alliance was all about rise of terrorism and radicalisation in Kashmir by tacit support of PDP. Hindu-Muslim tensions grew under this alliance. Knowing the track record of PDP, Congress getting its support for the sake of power is morally and politically outrageous. Philosophies of NC, PDP and Congress are exclamatory as well as questionable. This alliance doesn’t represent aspirations of Jammu. It is only to serve their interest. Hence no justification for Jammu to vote for NC, PDP or its supported candidates.
The last question is; is Congress so weak in Jammu that it had to align with NC and PDP to stay relevant? It shows that Jammu has been taken for granted despite unusual circumstances this time. It was the NC-Congress coalition govt which terminated Dogra certificate which is deemed to be anti youth act. What right will the combine have to seek votes from Dogras after having taken away their identity and well deserved privilege of enabling their enrolment in the armed forces. Dogras by culture and nature are patriotic and prefer military service. Denying them this facility amounts to committing treachery on patriotic people. Post Balakot Airstrike and during election campaign, NC and PDP have made provocative statements and hailed Pakistan. NC candidate has shouted pro-Pak slogans. Why has Congress ganged up with such parties? Earlier there was no alternative in Jammu. One of the national/ Kashmiri party was the only choice. But now there is a choice. Dogra Swabhiman Sangathan is in the fray with ‘Farmer driven Tractor’ as election symbol. I am sure Dogras will keep the past of NC, PDP as well of such opportunistic alliances and their outcome in mind while supporting this alliance. And they will look into their future and future of Jammu region while voting. Let Kashmir not trample Jammu by proxy. It is a food for thought for the erstwhile royal family as well.
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