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| Congress's assertion on Wazir Commission report flawed | | Defending the indefensible | | Rustam
JAMMU, Jan 15: Congress party will not learn lessons from its past mistakes and act accordingly to restore the political space it lost over the period in Jammu province by adopting a step-motherly attitude towards the economically neglected and political marginalized people of this region, notwithstanding the fact that Congress has been enjoying state power with their support . How else should one describe the January 13 Srinagar assertion of head of the Cabinet Sub-Committee (CSC) on new administrative units and Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand that Ghulam Nabi Azad-led coalition government implemented the Wazir Commission report to establish more districts in the state?
"Area of Jammu & Kashmir is bigger as compared to most states of India. Topography in Kashmir region is tough if we talk about Leh, Kargil, Kupwara and Baramulla districts. Same is the case with Jammu region, especially the erstwhile Doda district. People travel long distances to get their jobs related to administrative matters done…In areas close to the LoC (read ceasefire line), people have to walk miles to reach Naib Tehsildar or Tehsildar's office. The previous government led by Azad sahib took many decisions to address these issues. First step was taken by Azad sahib. He implemented Wazir Commission report. The Wazir Commission had advocated creation of three districts in Jammu and one in Kashmir. But Azad-led coalition announced the creation of eight new districts, four each in Kashmir and Jammu regions, a move largely appreciated by the people", head of the CSC said.
The assertions of head of the Deputy Chief Minister that Azad implemented the Wazir Commission report and the people of the state appreciated Ghulam Nabi Azad's decision are as highly flawed they ridiculous and provocative. Ghulam Nabi Azad did not implement the Wazir Commission report. He subverted it or threw it into dustbin and perpetrated injustice on the people of Jammu province whose struggle and sacrifices had forced Sheikh Abdullah to constitute Wazir Commission to look into their demands seeking creation of more districts in Jammu province on the ground that its area was two time that of Kashmir and that the bulk of its area is not just difficult and treacherous but also most of its villages were inaccessible. Had Azad implemented the report as it was, Jammu province would have got districts of Reasi, Kishtwar and Samba and Kashmir district of Bandipora. The fact of the matter is that Azad caused more harm to Jammu province than any of his predecessors in his desperate bid to please Kashmir.
Remember, the Wazir Commission report was a comprehensive document prepared after putting in hard labour and the people across Jammu province had appreciated the report for obvious reasons. That's the reason that neither Sheikh Abdullah, nor Farooq Abdullah and nor any other Kashmir-based Chief Minister implemented the report because had it been implemented, Jammu province would got what it deserved -something Kashmiri leadership never appreciated. It was Azad, who claimed that he belonged to Jammu province (wrong assertion), who tore into pieces the Wazir Commission report and issued an executive order that created four additional districts in Kashmir overlooking the fact that there was no demand in Kashmir for more administrative units. Azad negated the entire struggle in Jammu for more districts by treating Kashmir at par with Jammu - an unjustifiable move by any yardstick.
Similarly, the assertion of Deputy Chief Minister, who also hails from Jammu, that the people had appreciated the decision of Azad was quite misleading. Only the Kashmir-based parties and the Congress and the Panthers Party had appreciated Azad's out and out anti-Jammu decision. This is the Stark Reality, but who cares. One thing is clear: The manner in which the Congress leadership has been conducting itself is bound to render it further weak and irrelevant in Jammu province. It's unfortunate that the Congress has contempt for its own constituency. |
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