Ashwani Sharma
2014 was an epoch-making verdict. Some hailed it as victory of the Right-Wing, others opined it as inerrable execution of plan which spread across turf of social media to the steppes of constituencies, led by ‘infallible’ Narendra Damodardas Modi. The phenomenon returned back in 2019 albeit bigger & ‘fatter’. The tally for BJP led NDA had swollen to 353 with BJP single handedly mustering a triple century.
Soon after the verdict of 2014 everyone across India had realized the fact that undercurrents of nationalism which were brewing for quite some time had taken the shape of gigantic tides ready to uproot any (Political) idea which is otherwise. Not to undermine the fact that it got gelled successfully with new found Hindu Resurgence. Now six years since 2014 a lot of water has flown under the bridge and today terms like Nationalism, Anti-Nationalism, Ultra-Nationalism & Hyper-Nationalism are no longer being served as starters or desserts rather they are part of the political main course.
Jammu has always been considered as nationalist to the core. So much so, that to safeguard the ‘National Narrative’ it has always compromised its priorities, of-course in ‘National Interest’. 73 years of appeasement has created proverbial Gulf Of Incredulity. And it is not based on any rhetoric or Pro-Jammu jingoism instead if any establishment, one day, decides to bring a white paper under any head, the veil will finally be lifted upon the propagators of equality narrative between two regions of Jammu And Kashmir. On sarcastic note, Jammu will score more only on one count, the number of Toll-Plazas.
Then why it is that our nationalism is taken for granted? Some may object to this statement but when you do not figure in any debate on prime time despite your populace getting pounded on borders, courtesy a hostile neighbor or when your glorious history is not deemed fit to be taught in schools or when your status as Refugee Capital of India goes unrecognized, then you are most unlikely to explain the conundrum perfectly.
When all of this happens with impunity the only other suitable statement which comes to my mind is “Gareeb Ki Joru Sabki Bhabhi”. What else otherwise can explain this monumental neglect?
Some may argue that post August 5th 2019 things have started to change in Jammu’s favor. It is true but only partially. Post the events of that day and almost a year after, it seems that Article- 370 is repealed only legally whereas organic structure is still in place to nourish the Frankenstein which was unleashed by Sheikh Abdullah with guilefulness. We have seen many symptoms of that de-facto arrangement still in place since August 5th 2019. The natural understanding of major after-effect of abrogation of Article-370 would have been political empowerment of Jammu or at least steps in that direction. What we have witnessed instead is formation of a new political front comprising Half Separatists & Half Seculars, again based out of Kashmir.
Centre’s dilly-dallying approach on Domicile rules is another symptom. Rollback of certain provisions, under pressure, in a span of 48 hours doesn’t exhibit clarity of purpose on their part. Merits of the case may be debatable but they (Centre) certainly lacked intent. Decision to carry out Delimitation on the basis of 2011 census is also a major Faux Pas when a fresh 2021 census is just round the corner. And to make things more complex a recent statement by a national party’s local spokesperson that Delimitation will be based on issued Domicile certificates takes this matter to oxymoronic proportions. These symptoms are good enough indicators that Jammu’s nationalistic fervor is taken for granted by some political players as an assurance for electoral gains.
Historically speaking the nationalist Jammu was abandoned on the midnight of August 15th 1947 when geo-politics of the region changed overnight. What unfolded in shape of Article-370 and later 35-A clearly meant that after abandoning, the process of political starvation and gross human rights violations were enshrined as laws under the constitution. Isn’t it painful that even after getting the distinction of carving out the biggest princely state of India with boundaries extended up to Russia and Afghanistan, the valiant Dogra soldiers, Generals and their highly respected and admired Maharajas have always failed to make cut into history books of the country? The wounded generations of the nationalists, out of bound at HRD ministry, are still holding the tri-color nevertheless. More than seven decades and counting, sadly on ‘National Narrative’ Jammu seems aloof and lost. I take liberty to twist a famous song by Shiv Kumar Batalvi Ji to express my emotions “Ik Kudi Jida Naam Hai Jammu Gum Hai, Gum Hai, Gum Hai.” Surely our place on national centre-stage is still hostage to misplaced priorities. If nationalism had a price, we are still paying the EMIs.
This explains though Jammu, as always, is nationalist but a commoner has started assuming him/herself as An Abandoned Nationalist.
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