| NC to suffer in Kashmir, Congress in Jammu | | Administrative units | | Rustam
JAMMU, Feb 5: It was generally believed that the NC-Congress coalition took decision on new administrative units to improve their poll prospects or for political gains. Indeed, there were cogent reasons for political observers and certain political parties to think in those terms. But the kind of reaction the decision of the NC-Congress coalition Government has evoked from Jammu province and Kashmir region shows that the decision has boomeranged and given a powerful issue to its political rivals on a platter.
Ever since February 1, when the NC-Congress coalition Government accepted the recommendations of the Cabinet Sub-Committee on new administrative units, Kashmir has been witnessing protests with the people of the left over areas denouncing the Government and demanding new administrative units for their areas. On February 3, no less than 13 demonstrations took place in Kashmir. The same day, the Hurriyat Conference of Mirwaiz condemned the NC-led Government and dismissed its decision as a conspiracy against Kashmir, as also a conspiracy hatched by the ruling coalition to "weaken the State's Muslim character". Besides, the APHC-M termed the decision as anti-Kashmir and pro-Jammu.
On February 4, the main opposition PDP and parties like the CPI-M and separatist outfits like Hurriyat Geelani came down heavily on the Government. While the PDP and the CPI-M dismissed its decision as irrational and politically motivated and demanded new administrative units for the left over areas, Sayed Ali Shah Geelani accused the authorities of diverting the attention of the people away from the Kashmir issue. Not just this, Kashmir on Tuesday, like Monday, witnessed several anti-NC-Congress Government protests and the demand of the protestors was the same: Create new administrative units for the left over areas. It is clear that the opposition parties, general public and even separatists have rejected the Government decision and they will surely create serious problems for the NC in Kashmir in the upcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.
In Jammu province, the BJP has upped the ante and denounced the Congress in particular for its failure to persuade its alliance partner to endorse the suggestion that five new districts of Akhnoor, RS Pura, Nowshera, Billawar and Basohli be created. It has declared that it would make the rejection of the suggestion on new districts for Jammu province a big poll issue and expose the Congress by giving the people to understand that the "Congress more than the NC is responsible" for the latest example of gross injustice with the people of this province. Not just this, the people of the left over areas in Jammu province, like their counterparts in Kashmir valley, have held demonstrations against the Government and dismissed the decision as highly discriminatory.
The fact of the matter is that the decision of the NC-Congress coalition has, instead of furthering its electoral interests, has only harmed them. The opposition parties in Jammu province and Kashmir valley will leave no stone unturned to exploit the issue and advance their electoral interests. |
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