| For the sake of votes in Jammu province | | Congress, BJP and VDCs | | Rustam
Jammu, Sept 6: Vested interests in Kashmir, including separatists of all hues, intensified their anti-Village Defence Committees (VDCs) campaign after August 9, when Kishtwar witnessed violence, anti-India and pro-Pakistan slogans and organized attacks on the minority community after Eid prayers. The then MoS Home Sajjad Ahmad Kitchloo was present in the town when anti-national elements committed anti-India acts and attacked the unprotected minority community. Some Congress leaders from Kashmir also took the plunge and demanded disbanding of the VDCs. One of the Congress leaders was Abdul Gani Vakil, former Minister and loyalist of Union Health Minister and former J&K Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad. Like the separatists and Valley-based NC leaders, Vakil too condemned the institution of VDCs and leveled serious charges against these panels created in 1995 by the Government of India to fight cross-border terrorism and protect the minority community inhabiting the erstwhile Doda district, Udhampur district and two border districts of Poonch and Rajouri.
The immediate fall-out of anti-VDCs campaign unleashed by the separatists and so-called mainstream Kashmiri leaders was a counter campaign in Jammu unleashed by parties like the BJP. In fact, the BJP attacked those demanding disbanding of the VDCs, condemned them as anti-national and demanded that the VDCs must be further strengthened so that they could play a more effective role in combating militancy and protecting the minority community. Its campaign continues unabated even today with the central BJP leadership giving full support to the local BJP leadership. On August 31, BJP national president Rajnath Singh declared at the convention of party workers at KK Resorts, Jammu, that the BJP, if comes to power in 2014, will further strengthen the VDCs.
The pro-VDCs campaign launched by the BJP and other parties, including JKNPP, had its impact not only in Kishtwar district, but across Jammu province. The under-threat minority community appreciated, and continues to appreciate, their role.
The manner in which the BJP took up the case of the VDCs has rattled and unnerved the Jammu-based Congress leadership. It has come to believe that any move on the Congress party to oppose the VDCs will adversely impact its poll prospects in Jammu province. Congress represents both the Lok Sabha constituencies in the parliament. Significantly, in Jammu province, the community which constitutes a minority in the state, constitutes a majority in Jammu province (almost 70 per cent) and the community that constitutes majority in the state constitutes a minority in Jammu province (less than 30 per cent).
It is the fear of polarization of votes that has reportedly forced the Congress leadership to give instructions to Kashmir-based Congress leaders not to speak against the VDCs. Some Jammu-based Congress leaders have reportedly cautioned that "if Kashmir-based Congress leaders do not refrain from making statements against the VDCs, the BJP would successfully polarize voters before the Lok Sabha elections". "It was only after these apprehensions were raised by some JKPCC executive members that senior leaders intervened and issued strict directions against giving any statement on the VDCs", a report has said.
It needs to be underlined that the VDCs, which consist of members belonging to both the communities, have played a remarkable role in fighting cross-border terrorism and menace of separatism in Jammu province. Since the situation in the state, including Jammu province, continues to be volatile, it is imperative to maintain the VDCs and further strengthen them. |
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