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| Why should Jammu, Ladakh suffer for Kashmir troubles? | | Omar Abdullah on elections | | Early Times Report
JAMMU, July 18: NC vice president and former CM Omar Abdullah has again demanded dissolution of the Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly in order to avert the possibility of horse-trading. At the same time, he has said that situation is not conducive in Kashmir for holding any electoral exercise.
Omar Abdullah's point of view as for as the situation in Kashmir is concerned is based on the ground situation and, hence, it cannot be brushed aside. Even former close aide of Ghulam Nabi Azad and former minister Abdul Gani Vakil has expressed identical views on the prevailing situation in Kashmir. In fact, he has gone further and rejected the suggestion idea of holding civic bodies' elections in the state, saying to hold elections in the state in the given situation would be endanger the lives of the people and the candidates seeking elections.
But the question to be asked is: Why should Jammu and Ladakh suffer for the Kashmir trouble? What is their fault? They are not seeking azadi from India. Nor are they fighting for Pakistan, autonomy or self-rule. Both these regions are peaceful. Leave aside a handful of disgruntled elements here and there in the erstwhile Doda district of Jammu province. Jammu and Ladakh constitute over 88 per cent of the state's land area. The people of these two regions constitute more than half of the state's population. It will be a gross injustice to them if elections are not held in these two regions just because electoral exercise could not be undertaken in the disturbed Kashmir. They cannot and must not be denied the right to elect governments of their own choice. The authorities need to devise a new roadmap that recognizes the diversities in the state and enables people of each region to have a popularly-elected regime.
The people of Jammu and Ladakh had suffered between January 19, 1990 and October 9, 1996 for the Kashmir troubles. The state during those almost 7 years remained under the Governor's rule and President's rule. Even in those old days, the people of Jammu and Ladakh had cried that they were denied their fundamental right to elect representatives of their own choice and that New Delhi never considered their aspirations. It would be only desirable if three regional assemblies are created, one each for Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh, so that elections could be held in the regions where such electoral exercises feasible and popularly-elected governments are formed where possible. Obviously, elections in Jammu and Ladakh are possible. |
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