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| Vikramaditya again made a right noise | | Dogra certificate row | | Early Times Report
jammu, Sept 8: PDP leader and MLC Vikramaditya, who only last week had created controversy by making an uncalled for statement that status-quo in the state was not acceptable, on Monday made a right noise. He without mincing words asked the PDP-BJP coalition government to revive forthwith the regime under which the Dogra youth used to get Dogra certificates and availed certain concessions while seeking jobs under the central paramilitary forces. Earlier, he had also sided with the agitating people of Jammu region and demanded establishment of All-India Institute of Medical Sciences in Jammu, saying Jammu region deserved the institute as it lacked medical facilities.
Vikramaditya's statement came a day after MoS in the PMO Jitendra Singh accused the Congress of denying the Dogra youth of their right to get Dogra certificates. "We demand that (Jammu & Kashmir) government should grant Dogra certificates to Jammu youths as it is their birth right," he said, and added that "the Dogra certificate was there for long and it helped the youths of the region to get accommodated in the defense services".
The PDP MLC, like Jitendra Singh, also held the Congress responsible for the withdrawal of the regime under which the Dogra youth used to get Dogra certificate. "The Congress government diluted the certificate in the name of equality between the two regions, but it helped nobody," he said. He further said: "Dogras are well-known for their courtly manners, great courage and strong powers of physical endurance and these qualities in Jammu youths make them highly desirable recruits for the Armed Forces. It is well-known that Dogras all along the Jammu, Himachal and Punjab belt have historically proved to excel in battle. This has been a long outstanding demand by the Dogras of Jammu. This certificate was issued primarily to Dogra youths living along the border belt in order to facilitate their recruitment in the armed forces".
Interestingly, while Vikramaditya made common cause with Jitendra Singh and batted for the revival of the system under which the Dogra youth used to get Dogra certificate, no other BJP leader or minister or MLA or MLC spoke a word on the issue which the Dogra youth hold very dear. They have thought it advisable to keep their mouth shut so that they remained in the good books of Kashmir. They are, it appears, interested more in enjoying the loaves and fishes of office than in the well-being of the people of Jammu region who voted the BJP to power to "suffer more humiliations and discrimination". They had also not uttered a word against the state government when it in April 2015 refused to grant Dogra certificate to the Dogra youth. Not a single BJP MLA had raised his voice against the categorical refusal of the Coalition Government in granting Dogra Certificate to Jammu youth communicated in the Legislative Assembly by Revenue Minister in reply to Assembly Question raised by one of the members. Earlier in 2011, all the 11 BJP MLAs had created a storm in the Assembly. They had disrupted the proceedings and denounced the Congress and the NC for depriving the Dogra youth of their legitimate right to Dogra Certificate.
It was on April 29, 2011 that the NC-Congress coalition government acting on the Centre's directive to extend the relaxation for recruitment in paramilitary forces to all permanent residents of the state revoked the order No. Rev. (LB) 69 of 2011 dated 25-03-2011 on issuance of the Dogra certificate. "In view of the amendment circulated by the MHA, relaxation in physical standards of height and chest measurement has been extended to all the permanent residents of Jammu and Kashmir," an order passed by the state's revenue department said, adding, certain portions of the earlier order stood superseded. In its January order, the MHA had announced relaxation for residents from Kashmir, Leh and Ladakh regions under the geographical criteria while extending the same relaxation for the Dogra people under the ethnic tribe community. Taking a cue from this order, state revenue minister Raman Bhalla had directed the tehsildars and deputy commissioners of Jammu to issue the Dogra certificates, a move which prompted angry reaction from separatists and some political parties alleging this was a clear attempt to divide the state on communal lines.
The April 29, 2011 decision of the state government to not grant Dogra certificate to the Dogra youth was hailed by the "mainstream" Kashmiri parties and separatists. PDP president Mehbooba Mufti had said that rescinding of the Dogra certificate order "exposed" the state government's "callous approach" in dealing with issues. "It is unfortunate to see the way the state government is taking so casually the issues which have the potential of vitiating the atmosphere in the state," she had said. Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Langate constituency Abdul Rashid had said that rescinding of the Dogra certificate vindicated his stand. He had said the revocation order exposed the "short-sightedness and lackadaisical" approach by the ruling NC-Congress coalition government. Hurriyat Conference of Geelani had termed the revocation of the Dogra certificate as a "victory" of the people of Kashmir and said it will be a morale booster for Kashmiris. "It (revocation of the order) is the victory of the people of Kashmir, it is the victory of principles," Hurriyat spokesman Ayaz Akbar had said, and added that the revocation of the order proved that nothing is 'unachievable' if 'we stand determined and resolute'". "This is a morale booster for us," he had said. Hurriyat headed by Syed Ali Shah Geelani had threatened to call for protests if the government did not rescind the order to issue Dogra certificates before the end of this month. The Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq had said rescinding the orders on Dogra certificate exposed "how mainstream politicians are using legislative Assembly to 'devise strategies' against the majority population in the state. This (rescinding) is what we wanted. By issuing such orders, the Jammu and Kashmir government wants to divide and sub-divide the state," Mirwaiz had said, adding there was a need to remain vigilant against such orders in the future. "In future, people will have to keep an eye on all these laws and bills because it seems that the mainstream political parties are using Assembly as a platform to devise strategies against the majority population in Jammu and Kashmir," he had also said.
Now that the PDP-BJP coalition is at the helm of affairs in Jammu & Kashmir, it should appreciate the sentiments of the Dogras of Jammu by implementing the order the Revenue Department issued in March 2011. |
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