Neha
JAMMU, June 20: Iraq is on fire. The Arab Sunnis, who constitute nearly 15 to 20 per cent population Iraq are up in arms and a number of dreaded organizations of this minority community have unleashed a reign of terror in that country. Their objective is to capture the whole of Iraq and establish there a particular type of rule. Their grouses are many and one of them is that the Arab Shiites, who constitute around 65 per cent of the country's population and have been at the helm of affairs since long, have no place in their scheme of things for the Arab Sunnis.
Convinced that the Arab Shiite rule in the country will not give them their due share, the Arab Sunnis have launched an armed struggle. A number of terror organizations are involved in this bloody civil war. The ongoing war has not only endangered the very existence of Iraq, but also endangered the life of many foreigners, including Indians. The terrorists have kidnapped more than 40 innocent Indians and the Government of India is trying their best to bring back to the country all the Indians under threat.
The developments in Iraq could also impact the socio-political scene of Jammu & Kashmir. The reason is that we have in Kashmir a section of society belonging to a particular religious sect that has been dominating the state's political scene since October 1947 and depriving all others, including Gujjar and Bakerwal Muslims, the Shiite Muslims, the Dard and Balti Muslims, the Dogras, the Buddhists, the Sikhs, the Jains, the Christians, Kashmiri Hindus, Pathowari-speaking people, both Muslims and Hindus, and so on of their due share in the state's polity and economy. These communities and groups constitute nearly 72 per cent of the state's population, but have little or insignificant representation in the crucial sectors, including the service sector, institutions of higher learning, police and revenue administration, judicial services, to mention only a few.
These neglected communities and social groups have urging the Kashmiri ruling elite to put in place an inclusive framework so that they also obtain their legitimate due share in the polity as part and parcel of the state. It is too well known that there are communities and social groups who have been demanding political reservation as well ST status, trifurcation, Union Territory, separate homeland, citizenship rights and proper representation in the council of ministers, legislature and civil secretariat, but with no result, as the ruling elite is insensitive, arrogant and fundamentally sectarian in its approach and outlook. Significantly, a number of commissions which were set up from time to time by the successive governments in the state to look into the grievances of the people and causes of inter-regional bitterness and animosity have candidly acknowledged that all is not well with the existing framework and recommended measures aimed at undoing the wrongs. Unfortunately, the ruling elite have not taken any action on any of the reports. On the contrary, it has consistently scuttled their genuine moves by taking recourse to undesirable activities.
The ruling elite, which is essentially Valley and one-sect-centric, needs to learn from the unfortunate developments that have been unfolding in Iraq and causing alarm across the globe. It is a must. The existing system cannot go on for long. The sooner the Kashmiri ruling elite appreciate the ground situation the better for it as well as state and nation. |
