Ranbir Singh Pathania
Whereas, on the other hand, mid-night of this year’s mid-summer, in the Central Hall of Parliament has re-enlivened the mid-night of 14-15 August of 1947 with Jawahar Lal Nehru, the then Prime Minister at his histrionic best. Nehruji’s gospels of ‘Tryst With Destiny’, ‘Redeeming the Pledge’ and ‘India waking to life and freedom while the world sleeps still echo loud and vivid on the political horizon of the country.
Prime Minister has called it as ‘Good and Simple Tax’ and a new model of ‘Cooperative Federalism’. He also steals the opportunity to take a leaf out of Sardar Patel’s book who integrated all 562 princely states into the fold of independent India.
The entire nation seems stitched together with a single thread ‘One nation, one tax, one market’. Although some ground work in the direction had been done by Kelkar Commission and the former Finance Minister, P. Chidambaram but the courage and pragmatism to bell the cat was only at the command of Modi-led Government at the Centre.
On implementation of GST, State of J&K has opted, ‘Road not taken.’ First special session of Legislative Assembly seeking a debate on implementation of 101st constitutional amendment in J & K was adjourned sine die. Now the House shall re-assemble on 4th of July for discussing the same subject.
A tax that subsumes 16 taxes, fetches additional 10,000 to 25,000 crores more per year on an average, has a win-win situation for consumer states including J&K, curbs inspector raj and cascading effect, has been painted and projected as a taboo in the state of J & K.
Antidote: if we do not allow GST to come in J&K. A financial fiasco can unleash leading to hoarding, profiteering and inflation. Prices of essential commodities shall witness an increase of 5-25 % due to double taxation. Neither the apple, walnut handicrafts, basmati and the other goods produced in J&K shall be easily able to go outside J&K. Nor shall the out-of-state manufacturers be easily willing to send their products to J&K.
How surprising is it that non-sense prevails upon sense and rational and reasoning vanish in the air when ‘Threat to Special Status’ slogans are rented on the Kashmir soil. Rather ‘Article 370 is in danger’ has been the favorite hobby-horse of political fence hitters in Kashmir since 1947. National Conference has called it as, ‘last nail in the coffin of Article 370’. At a round table meet organized by Kashmir Social and Development Studies, a former High Court Judge has gone to the extent of terming it as ‘biggest ever assault on state’s autonomy’.
It was in 1984, thirty-two members of All India Services serving in J & K formed a housing co-operative registered as ‘Rajtarangini’ to meet the their housing requirements. This entailed a fierce spill over within as well as outside the state assembly. All India Services officers were called as ‘agents of colonial power’ ‘East India Company.’ Officers disbanded in the society disgust. Idea was dropped like a hot potato.
Same was the story in 2008. A few permanent structures on a small chunk of land on the virgin top of mountains of Chandanwari were shown off as a threat to the demography of J&K state. Whereas fact remains that these permanent structures were to facilitate only one month-long Shri Amarnath Yatra which not only is the economic backbone but is a real embodiment of secularism, religious tolerance and mutual co-existence of the land called in the name of Maharishi Kashyap.
In the rest of country farmers get handsome compensation, that even in a time bound manner, for the lands acquired for the public purpose because they are governed by the Central Law “Right to Fair Compensation Act”. People living on forest lands in rest of country are protected by statutory safeguards against unwanted evictions and harassments due to Forest Dwellers Act which is in vogue in rest of the country. Similarly, panchayats in rest of the country are more empowered and self- sufficient because the Panchayati Raj law there is more vibrant. And in case we go on and on, entire countdown shall be a weary exercise.
There are no qualms in saying that Article 370 has acted more or less ‘Lakshman Rekha’ for the public-friendly legislations to come in J & K.
One thing that does not go down the throat as to why Article 370 has not stalled, “Central Seat Freeze Law” which debars delimitation till 2026. The Act of Indian Parliament was passed with full peace and unanimity on the floor of house in the year 2001.
Perhaps, ours is a state which till now has been driven more by emotional rhetoric and less by constructive work on ground. Despite richest tourism potential, virgin landmass and an enterprising, energetic human resource, employment index is on pretty low ebb. We have an abysmally poor performance in the field of sports, healthcare, literacy etc
If emotional slogans, flip-flop stands and window-dressing could have been able to deliver goods, J & K would have by now turned into happy oasis of a State.
Emancipation should be constructive, categoric and contributive always. This is what it suits national interests and urgencies. And the people also like and reward it.
In J&K, we are led by Mehbooba Mufti who despite all odds and mischiefs from within and across the border, has rode the tiger in Kashmir transcending an impression that ruling J & K is less a family-centric flirtation and more a serious commitment.
And at the Centre, the ‘Yugpurush’ of Indian political firmament, Narendra Modi, seems to be in a combative mood taking up lost threads from Vajpayee’s pragmatism on Kashmir issue – redeeming Jhumuriyat, Kashmiriyat and Insaniyat.
Let us all stand united and cohesive on the political firmament of the country and be part of the national mood and sentiment on GST.
(The author is member of J&K Legislative Assembly and practices law in the J & K High Court.)
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