Col J P Singh
Breathes there a man with soul so dead
Who never to himself hath said
This is my own land, my native land?
(The quote above justifies the heading).
Constitution of three member ‘Delimitation Commission for J&K UT’ on 6th March 2020 is a welcome step. It is seen to have opened big doors for Jammu. But I don’t think so. Reorganisation of J&K earlier and delimitation now is not going to address regional disparities unless the delimitation exercise is taken up as a devolution package. Nothing has been said about it yet. Trifurcation of J&K was a demand from all the three regions since long. Kashmir was fighting for Azadi since nineties. Jammu was asking statehood since 1948. And Ladakh Union Territory Front (LUTF), a conglomerate of all political parties, had been vigorously demanding UT since 2002. But what happened wasn’t seen even in the wildest dream. Jammu and Kashmir have not liked the bifurcation. Prolonged detention of political leaders including former chief ministers, social media restrictions, recently lifted, and large presence of security forces, continue to invite global criticism. Hence at the face of it, the reorganisation of J&K has not solved regional imbroglio; rather complicated and internationalised it. How to handle it is still telling upon Delhi. Constitution of ‘delimitation commission’ is seen as one such knee jerk step to silence the voices of dissent.
Everything is okay in Ladakh but not in Kashmir despite an illusive lull. (before the storm). For Jammu, reorganisation and down gradation of a State, created as an empire by their ancestors, is irksome. The balance of power remains lopsided. It is tilted towards Kashmir. 68% Muslim population of J&K UT is perceivably inclined towards Kashmir. Hence a silver lining for Kashmiris in the status quo. Jammu did welcome abrogation of Article 370 but questioned bifurcation.
Jammu sentiments should have been factored while addressing K’imbroglio. Jammu should have been separated to get it out of majority-minority quagmire. Will delimitation commission address Jammu’s woes is skeptical. “Abrogation of 370 and reorganisation of J&K is for the development and prosperity of Kashmiris”, said PM in his 8th August address to the nation. Jammu wasn’t mentioned in his speech. “We want normalcy. Our aim is that Kashmir should be a paradise on earth not just for India but for the entire world”, is what Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh recently said to a weekly magazine. Yet no mention of Jammu. Hence a golden opportunity for Delhi to encash abrogation of 370 and negotiate with minority nationalistic Jammu to counter majority Kashmir agenda (reason for keeping Jammu with Kashmir) is lost. Jammu sufferings, sentiments and aspirations of Dogras, deserved a mention in Modi’s speech since they voted for him in the last two elections en bloc. Dogriyat was given a much feared roughshod yet again. What should have changed, hasn’t. My assertion is that Delhi has lost the opportunity, not Jammu. Option/initiative is still with Jammu. It can’t be deprived of this by Delhi or Kashmir.
Delimitation also can’t reshape Jammu’s destiny because the delimitation is being carried out within a year on the basis of 2011 census which was flawed. That is why Voice of Dogras, NPP, Ekjutt Jammu and DSSP as well as intellectuals like K N Pandita, Gen G S Jamwal, Sushil Pandita etc are raising Jammu’s lost opportunities in public to warn the powers that be to sense the pain of Jammu. As I understand Dogras will not easily accept the status quo. If at all they do, it will be with a pinch of salt. Hence they must put across Jammu woes before Delhi and the ‘delimitation commission’ forcefully to compel them to wait for 2021 census and demand a devolution package for Jammu. It should include a package for the migrants of Pakistan, now J&K domiciles after abrogation of Article 370, POJK refugees of 1947 and afterwards and 30 years victimised Pandits. Simultaneously top assured reversal of Statehood, including illegally held POJK be taken up with the central govt which J K Apni Party is also demanding one to one from Modi on 15 March 2020 and assuring us publicly. Jammu parties also must take it up with the prime minister and home minister.
Jammu is a gateway to the paradise. Should Jammu be unhappy and unstable, Kashmir can’t be paradised. To restore normalcy in Kashmir besides giving Jammu its due, out of the box alternative solutions are worth considering. One of them is Srinagar UT. Srinagar and surrounding areas can be made a UT and named ‘Srinagar UT’ and the rest restored as State. That will hold out the umbilical cord which connects Kashmir to Jammu. World known tourist centers Gulmarg and Pehalgam can be part of Srinagar UT with an International Airport already in place at Srinagar. Srinagar UT can be developed like Switzerland of Europe and Vancouver of Canada encompassing Hollywood & Bollywood film worlds. It will be a world class tourist centre and business hub as envisioned by Modi and Rajnath Singh. Srinagar UT can be governed on the model of Chandigarh. Advantages of such re-organisation will be:- (i) end of militancy since the perpetually disturbed areas will be detached from the rest of the State and the LoC from where the infiltration takes place and controlled by the centre, (ii) flux of global tourists to the Paradise will make it so prosperous that the very idea of hatred, domination and militancy will vanish, (iii) meets demand of Pandits as separate and protected Homeland. (iv) number of legislators so reduced can be granted to J&K (UT/state) enabling more representation of Pahari people. Jammu be made a separate autonomous ‘Regional Council’ and so must be Kashmir. If a serious thought is not given to proper devolution of political power, whole exercise of normalcy and delimitation will turn out to be a retrograde step.
Sh. K N Pandita, a veteran journalist has made viable suggestion to the Delimitation Commission in his column in Daily Excelsior on 11 March 2020. Commission must take its cognizance. J&K Assembly’s writ must run in POJK which is integral part of India in some form. 24 Assembly Seats reserved for POJK must be dereserved and allotted to Jammu Division where displaced persons are living and in which illegally held area falls. Once the POJK is restored, they can be redistributed. Onus is on the migrants of POJK who must represent their case before the Commission forcefully and get 24 seats allotted between them and Pak refugees. Displaced Pandits must get their due share from Kashmir quota; 5 to 6 seats as justified by Pandita. For a fair devolution, Commission will have to wait for 2021 census and Jammu will have to get prepared to exercise its option.
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