Rajan Gandhi
Jammu and Kashmir State sends only six members to Parliament without a single reserved constituency. With it being at the centre of a border dispute between India, China and Pakistan, it’s always in turmoil since independence on one pretext or other. As per 2011 Census, of the total area of the state, 78,114 kms is under illegal occupation of Pakistan, 5,180 kms is illegally handed over by Pakistan to China and 37,555 kms is under illegal occupation of China in Leh district. Mainly our state is divided into three primary divisions – Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh with a population of above one crore and majority population being Muslim followed by Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and Christians. The state also enjoys a special status via Articles 370 and 35 A which are major bone of contention right now. Last five years of BJP rule has already seen much bloodbath and these elections are being held under pressure from separatists and constant threat of attack from terrorists. In the last election in 2014, NC and Congress lost to Narendra Modi wave when BJP got hold of Jammu and Udhampur seats. However this time, both the PDP and NC decided to stay away from the Jammu and Udhampur seats by not fielding any candidates in favour of Congress on the pretext of non division of secular votes.
Jammu Lok Sabha constituency is number 6th with total electorate above eighteen lakhs and has assembly constituencies of Samba, Vijaypur, Nagrota, Gandhi Nagar, Jammu East, Jammu West, Bishnah, Ranbirsingh Pura, Suchet Garh, Marh, Raipur Domana, Akhnoor, Chhamb, Nowshera, Darhal, Rajouri, Kala kote, Surankote, Mendhar, Poonch Haveli. In 1999, BJP candidate Vishnu Dutt Sharma was elected MP from this constituency. In 2004, the seat went to Madan Lal Sharma from Congress who beat Nirmal Singh from BJP. Madan Lal Sharma was re-elected in 2009. BJP’s Jugal Kishore won the election in 2014.This constituency consists of four border districts– Samba, Jammu, Rajouri and Poonch. Residents, particularly of the border areas, often suffer shelling and firing. It is one of the more developed constituencies of the state with 50 percent of the population living in urban areas.
Udhampur Lok Sabha constituency is number 5th with total electorate above fifteen lakhs and assembly constituencies of Kishtwar, Inderwal, Doda, Bhaderwah, Ramban, Banihal, Gulab Garh, Reasi, Gool Arnas, Udhampur, Chenani, Ram Nagar, Bani, Basohli, Kathua, Billawar, Hira Nagar. BJP’s Chaman Lal Gupta won the election in 1999. He was succeeded by Congress’s Chaudhary Lal Singh in 2004. Lal Singh was re-elected in 2009. BJP’s Dr. Jitendra Singh was elected MP in 2014.The constituency is spread over six districts of Kathua, Doda, Ramban, Reasi, Udhampur and Kishtwar in the Jammu region of the state. The majority of voters in this constituency are Hindus followed by the Muslim voters, including the tribal Gujjars and Bakarwals. Sizeable Sikh voters are also present in this constituency.
In 2004 and 2009 general elections for the Lok Sabha, the BJP could not get even a single seat in the state. Hence, a vigorous campaign followed in 2014 elections and beheading of jawans was no doubt one of the most talked about issue during election rallies throughout India, the party won from three constituencies, including two of Jammu, and the remaining three constituencies went to PDP. Here lies the key to the power at Centre as history is witness to the fact that whosoever has won the two parliamentary seats of Jammu Division has formed the Government at Centre, yes strange with only two seats but it’s a fact. Once during Atal Bihari Vajapee’s visit to Jammu some of the BJP workers asked him when we will form the Government at Centre and his apt reply was, you give me two MPs from Jammu and we will form Government at centre and this proved to be true in 2009 as well as in 2014. Ample representation has been given to Jammu division from time to time in the Central Government be it Karan Singh or Gulam Nabi Azad, both of Congress or Chamal Lal Gupta and Dr. Jatinder Singh both of BJP. So ultimately what’s so special about Jammu division and the answer lies in the fact that despite being ruled by a Hindu ruler at the time of partition itself reins of power were handed over to Kashmir centric Muslim parties along with balance of power to be permanently in their hands due to unequal distribution of assembly constituencies during the constitution of constitutional assembly itself along with three distinctive things given to J & K from the rest of country; separate constitution, separate flag and own PM and till date those discrepancies have not been addressed completely except transformation of PM post to CM. All the things left wide spread resentment and after consultation with M. S. Golwalkar of RSS, Mukherjee founded the Bharatiya Jana Sangh on 21st October 1951 in Delhi, became its first president. In the 1952 elections, the Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS) won three seats in Parliament of India, including Mukherjee’s and this BJS was later to be known in today’s modern days as BJP. Syama Parsad’s famous slogan Ek Pardhan, Ek Nishaan and Ek Sawidhaan led to massive protests in Jammu Division and ever since the mysterious death of Shayama Prasad Mukherjee Jammu has always remained ‘Fountain head of Nationalism’, be it 1965 Indo-Pak war, again 1971 Indo Pak war, Kargil war, post Parliament terrorist attack army deployment or more recently Pulwama attack.
Post Pulwama act, coffins of martyred soldiers were too much for the public and keeping in view of coming general elections, ruling BJP had no option except to raise the passions of public on nationalism which automatically involves whole country and as such the pro Modi wave generated post Balakote attack explains the importance of Jammu as Fountain of Nationalism. J & K has found a prominent position in the ruling party’s campaign all over the country due to the BJP’s plank of ‘Nationalism’. Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself hinted to first-time voters to choose BJP by urging them to dedicate their vote to the sacrifices of martyrs of Pulwama attack of 14th February. The subsequent airstrike on a Jaish-e-Mohammad terror camp at Balakot has been a constant citation of the BJP’s nation-wide campaign. Modi Government’s tough approach adopted has also resulted in an escalation of violence with 2018 alone seeing the highest number of civilian casualties in the valley. 160 civilians killed and when we include militants and security forces, it crosses over 500 in the year.
But unfortunately all these efforts have not delivered the desired results as on the whole state, be it resources or focus of development or jobs or allocation of funds, iron like grip of Kashmir centric parties is still there and is too obvious. ‘Dogra Swabhimaan’ has been battered time and again and too much resentment was visible against BJP also as despite absolute majority in Parliament, 25 State MLAs and being coalition partner for more than three years nothing on ground has been delivered on article 370, 35A, Rohingyas or any other matter of concern of Jammu public. Pakistan is trying to change demography of every single border city of India, be it in West Bengal, North East, Assam, Bihar, UP and even Jammu. With so much turmoil in Kashmir we cannot afford to have any trouble in Jammu region as well. Pakistan sponsored terrorists had tried it in the past and they did it more recently at Kistwar by gunning down of Parihar brothers of BJP as well as Chanderkant Sharma of RSS.
Jammu has always been trendsetter for BJP to put its agenda of nationalism be it Article 370 or 35 A or surgical strikes. The anxieties of the Kashmir electorate are not about local issues but largely about the special status of the state and the continued presence of security forces. Congress manifesto promises centre’s dialogue as a means of solving the conflict in the state and an amendment of the AFSPA law to strike a balance between the “powers of security forces and the human rights of citizens”.
NC promising separate PM and autonomy as well as in sync with PDP’s rhetoric opposition to the scrapping of special status and article 35A but the fact is that despite almost 72 years of independence Jammu is still waiting to get its due share and one hopes that injustice meted out to Jammu is taken care of during PM Modi’s second term as both PM Modi and BJP President Amit Shah have given fresh assurances on article 370 and 35A. However everyone is silent on issue of delimitation to reconstitute assembly constituencies to tilt the balance in favour of nationalistic Jammu and it remains to be seen that promises are kept or once again it proves to be election gimmick only. Million dollar question is will the ‘Fountain Head of Nationalism’ be given its due during 2nd term of PM Modi or Jammu will keep on sulking like in the past to be used time and again during elections.
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