Mahesh Chander Sudan
We, the people of India, have witnessed momentous dismantling of erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir and fateful territorial division into two Union Territories effective from 31 Oct 2019. While introducing Reorganization Act 2019 in Rajya Sabha, Minister of Home Affairs conveyed that this constitutional change of status would usher people of Jammu and Kashmir into new era of peace and prosperity defeating design of destruction being executed through militancy by our neighboring aggrieved nation. The reorganization bill successfully passed through both houses of Indian Parliament and finally received Presidential assent on 09 Aug 2019 to take effect on 31 Oct 2019. This passage of the Reorganization Act 2019 was in combination to other moves of government of India including a presidential Order C.O 272 dated 05 Aug 2019 and a presidential declaration C.O 273 dated 06 Aug 2019 that revoked special status heretofore enjoyed by then state of Jammu and Kashmir. Two union territories formed out of erstwhile state of J&K undertook their journey quite differently, one blessed with Legislative Assembly (Unicameral) and other to be ruled by Lieutenant Governor alone. However, formation of democratically elected government as provided in the Reorganization Act 2019 is yet to be achieved in JKUT whereas the UT of Ladakh could settle down with new administrative arrangement with peace and prosperity in moderation.
2. Apparently, the new arrangement entailed some changes in terms of redrawing territorial limit for legislative assemblies that have been increased to 90 and as such a Delimitation Commission was ordered in March 2020 with one year initial term, extended by another year and two months to finally submit its report by 06 May 2022. In a democratic set up, power vests with people who eventually elect their representatives to form government duly authorized to govern public assets for larger interest of the state and the people of Jammu and Kashmir are longing for years to exercise their franchise as mandated in the supreme law of land. At the same time, the deficit governance dispensed through alternate arrangement is devoid of inclusivity that allows maximum participation of people being ruled and restricts whims and facies of rulers. Indicators like lack of employment, high inflation, limited health services, social and political empowerment with corrupt administrative set up demonstrates inability and incompetence of the system of governance. Exclusive domain of governance with couple of people would possibly hurt the spirit of democracy that flourishes with maximum participation of stake holders in day to day governance of public assets. In addition, Growing Mandir-Masjid conflicts are bound to set in polarization of the Indian society that may possibly suit the political interest of the politicians but it would surely dent national image across the globe.
3. In nut shell, the people of Jammu and Kashmir (Union Territory) feel dejected owing to uncertainty that plagued the system of governance especially as citizens of the largest democracy of the world have been denied their basic right to form their own government despite the fact that democracy stands for government of the people, for the people and by the people. It is in the right earnest to mention that the participation of local people could be enhanced in the present system of governance under Lieutenant Governor to minimize widening gap between the ruler and the ruled. The ground reality does not support big claims made by government of India while uniquely demoting erstwhile state of J&K into union territory besides revocation of special status granted under Article 370 and 35A. Settlement of much publicized Kashmir issue still remains unresolved, valley suffers terrorism though at modified intensity, recent cases of target killing of local and non-local employees/workers reflects government failure to ensure right to life to her citizens in valley as enshrined in Article 21 of Indian Constitution. It clearly sums up that there is no change of status pre and post 05 Aug 2019.
4. It was also conveyed that additional employment opportunities will be created for youth of Jammu and Kashmir to minimize chances of unemployed youth joining terrorism in valley and falling prey to drug addiction across the Union Territory. Highest rate of unemployment in the JKUT post 2019 and unusual spread of drug addiction clearly suggests that system has failed in this aspect also. There is hardly any noticeable change in the public health services. The health service sector of the Union Territory has not been strengthened and improved to match the demand. It continues to suffer shortage of medical, para medical and associate staff besides poorly managed infrastructure all across government hospitals. Poor people continue spending their hard earned money on treatment of their family members in private clinics, both within UT and outside UT, most of them are proxy owned and managed by doctors of government hospitals.
5. As regards education sector, the government schools are ill equipped with infrastructure both in terms of buildings and modern teaching aids that detract students towards privately owned/managed schools resulting in underutilization of permanent teaching and administrative staff. There are instances of schools having more strength of teachers and staff than students especially in the urban area. There is criminal waste of public money spent on retention of surplus staff in the education department whereas all other government departments are suffering shortage of manpower to an extent of 50% post vacant against authorized ones. In nutshell, the private sector is minting money owing to ill managed government schools.
6. It is felt that overall situation for a common citizen remained unchanged despite big claims made by government of India to support historical stripping of Statehood of J&K, revocation of Article 370 and 35A and denial of democratic right to people of Jammu and Kashmir in forming their own popular government. Almost four years down the lane, the people of Jammu and Kashmir have started realizing that history will not spare them for their failure to protect their political interest. It is expected that the element of exclusivity in governance by LG and his limited number of advisers will be replaced by inclusivity to serve larger interest of the state. Jai Hind, Jai Bharat.
The author is Wg Cdr (Retd)
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