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| Remember Jammuites…united we stand | | | Gareeb Dass
Jammu | Aug 1
The demand for a statehood status for the Jammu region has resurfaced with the upsurge of violence over the withdrawal of an order under which 800 kanals of land had been diverted to the Amarnath Shrine Board for setting up prefabricated tents and toilets at Baltal and Domel for a specific period of two months of pilgrimage.
In fact the demand was first raised somewhere in 1952 when the Praja Parishad movement, for one Nishan, one Pradhan and one Vidhan, was at its peak. At that time the demand lost its verve when the then Prime Minister Sheikh Abdullah casually told a delegation of Praja Parishad leaders that the statehood status could be granted to two and a half Hindu dominated districts of the Jammu region.
The Sheikh seemed to have given a communal colour to the demand for statehood status which was meant for the region and not for a particular community.And if this demand has resurfaced it is the result of growing concern of people of the region over the continued discrimination of the entire region. Those who have been demanding either statehood status for the Jammu region or for trifurcation of the state have not been seeking it for any particular community or ethnic group.Assuming that the demand for either trifurcation of the state or for the statehood status for Jammu was given a thought by powers that be in Delhi or in Srinagar they would again talk in terms of two and a half Hindu dominated districts of Jammu.
Even if they do not do so people living in the muslim majority belts in the Jammu region may not opt for being a part of the proposed state. They would vote for separate councils or direct link with Kashmir. Assuming that powers that be in the centre and in the state think of the demand for trifurcation majority of people in Kargil district may not opt for being a part of Buddhist dominated Ladakh union territory.
Over the years political leaders have sown the seeds of regional and communal divide. Thanks to the people of the Jammu region. They have not been influenced by the machinations of political leaders of various hues. Jammuites have shown to the rest of the country that they have embraced refugees from Pakistan, occupied Kashmir, from the valley and other areas of the state. Again Jammuites have not launched a campaign against nonstate subject labourers working in various parts of the region.
Jammites need not to be criticised for raising the demand for either trifurcation of the state or for statehood status for the region of Jammu.It is but natural when the level of injustice and discrimination reaches saturation point people give vent to feelings that may sound extraneous for others.But those who raise this demand should keep in mind that partition of India which has not solved the basic problem but added many.India's role in securing for people in erstwhile East Pakistan an independent country of Bangladesh has not minimized problems and aches for India. Instead these problems have compounded. What is then the remedy ?Fight for your rights within your house. Do not expect better deal by snapping ties with your brothers and sisters.Maintain the thrust on the Government so that whatever discrimination Jammu has undergone was undone. |
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