Karanvir Gupta
Fast Forward to 2030! Are we imagining a city that is basking in its glory of past. Past, that itself has long gone forlorn about 60-70 years ago. There is no story to tell but screams, dissolved governments, yelling and scoring sides and may be pelting stones. There is this doom that has been eventually casting its shadow over the entire state. All that shines is some vintage collection rotting in some library or Government shelves that no one is interested in either.
What have we build of opportunities we had? What is all that we could have done but we didn’t? Instead of taking all the remarks made upon us on our personal ego. And giving ears to all the opinions of those, who don’t matter and neither do their opinion, but getting incited and making decisions basis that! All we would then be – a big ball of remorse bloated with ego, inflicted with venom and none of its own. But all forgotten to ask one thing as always – Where’s the missing link?
“Now what belongs together will grow together”, said Willy Brandt in 1989 after the Berlin wall was torn down and masses were allowed to move freely between the East and the West Germany. It was believed that no growth could ever come by dividing the potential and magic of one big state into two. You trace back the pages of history and you will find that at any point of time when a revolution or a movement took place, it was because of the combined efforts by the masses. A collective realisation that they are being fooled, being told the same story again and again so that they can’t think fresh and beyond. They are shown a picturesque future which does no good to anyone but only to those at the helm of affairs. Only when the masses realised that, did American Revolution, French Revolution or the Industrial Revolution for that matter took place. But there was one thing common among all those – A Vision!
Lack of a vision is what is making J&K weak as a state. We do not know where we are headed to. We are caught unaware amidst the political chaos, the radical dilemma and the banana republic. Leaving us to mere mango people! There is no vision for how our state should be connected via road, metro or other transport means. Will our current infrastructure meet the future needs? There is no vision into a plan 5 or 10 years down the lane where we would want to see ourselves on the turf of International Tourism. There is no vision into what will be the state of Education, Healthcare and Civic services. Will be any basis points better than today or will we be positioned at the bottom of the charts? There is no vision into how the entire state can be electrified in coming years and how the benefits of development can trickle down the far flung areas even if that means providing amenities to just a handful of families in country areas. There is no vision of how we are going to keep the cultural legacy and heritage intact.
There is no vision into how our environment can be saved and sustained. How our forest reserves and species are going to be protected. Our concern will remain if Srinagar gets to be there on the list of smart cities or Jammu. Which of the two gets to get an IIM or an IIT? Every time, there is this distribution of resources – there will be a feud/protests – without realising the need of an asset in that region. No body ever talks of a Common Development Plan, CDP , if you would want to call it for the State of J&K. Because everyone – the public, the government and the intelligentsia have been drugged with the emotion of treating these separately. You know why! Because that turmoil sells. They say “When a problem becomes beneficial for everyone, nobody wants to solve that problem.” And this is what is happening with J&K. The strong are becoming stronger and powerful ruling the state for years and plan to do so for coming years too. Because they know they have made the public impotent in thinking the right solution. The masses have been convinced that they can earn a living without working for it. And that, my dear fellow brethren is apocalyptic for us as a state!
This lack of vision is not going to do any of us any good. And this is going to be our sure short way to existential crisis. Kashmir, which once was considered the throne of wisdom and enlightenment, will be reduced to a mere zone of conflict for no real reasons of conflict but for personal gains. J&K will be one rear example in the annals of history whose dots won’t connect because everything would be reduced to mere mentions in the history books – maybe! Today is the time when we take out the drawing boards once again and faster and put relevant dots so that they connect. Let’s find the missing link – let’s find the commonality for the greater good and the coming generations! Let’s paint the canvas with a lake that is as clear and fenced by a boulevard of fallen Chinaar leaves where you find the lion and the sheep trespassing the greens together. Let’s be sure of what we want J&K to be known for!
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