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| Ready to snap trade but not financial ties | | | Nirbhay Jammual
Traders in the Kashmir valley have snapped their trade ties with their counterparts in Jammu.The reason is their anger against the so called economic blockade on Kashmir during the two-month long agitation over the land loss.Was this agitation and the consequent economic blockade launched by the Jammu traders ?Certainly not.The traders in Jammu have suffered a loss of over Rs.3500 crores during the two months of turmoil.But the leaders of Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industries and those belonging to the Kashmir traders and manufacturers federation are not ready to accept it.The disruption in the movement of goods was caused by the agitation over the land row.The Amarnath Sangarsh Samiti had given a call for Jammu shutdown and let the traders in Kashmir snap their friendly and neighbourly ties with the Samiti leaders and those who endorsed the call for Bandh.
The traders in Kashmir should know it that whosoever tried to defy the Bandh call faced beating or damage to their vehicles.This is what happened in case of some drivers who had started plying their trucks on the highway.Those agitators who pelted stones on the trucks did not distingush drivers from Srinagar and Jammu.For the information of the Kashmiri traders number of drivers belonging to Jammu too were assaulted by the protesters.Have these traders forgotten how some drivers,carrying pilgrims,were manhandled and the yatris beaten up near Banihal ?
Today it is the turn of Kashmiri traders to snap ties with Jammu traders.And if the Jehlum Valley road is thrown open for trade the Kashmiri traders may not hesitate in snapping trade ties with those in Delhi and other states.They will be quick to offer an alibi saying that import of goods from Delhi was not only a time consuming but also a costly affair.They have said that import of goods direct from Delhi wll inflict heavy losses to them but they are prepared for it because they do not want to maintain trade links with Jammu traders.Trade ties with Jammu traders used to have two benefits for Kashmiri traders.First,they used to get goods without being asked to make cash down payment.In various cases it used to be payment in instalments.It is not part of the agreement with Delhi traders who accept the order only after receiving advance payment.
If after the opening of Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road for trade Kashmiri traders snapped trade ties with their counterparts in Delhi they may not be able to import all the goods they want from Pakistan and occupied Kashmir.If they have to pay extra money,even 50 per cent more,for goods imported by Pakistani traders from the Indian market for exporting them to Kashmir traders in the valley may not feel the pinch.Why ? They have been told that snapping trade ties with India could pave the way for either Azadi or for Kashmir's incorporation with Pakitan.It is an irony of fate.On one side Pakistan and India have been engaged in the programme of enhancing and improving trade ties between the two sides,on the other hand Kashmiris plan to snap trade,if not diplomatic,ties with Jammu.One thing is certain.Peple in Kashmir may opt for snapping all ties with Jammu and with the rest of the country they will not be prepared to snap financial ties with India.Knowing it well that the state's annual plan has 80 per cent budgetary and nonbudgetary support from Delhi they will continue to demand implementation of the 6th Pay Commission report for which also Delhi has to pay several hundred crores of rupees annuallyA joke doing the round in Jammu has it.People in Kashmir may not like Mahatma Gandhi but they will continue to love the currency notes on which is engraved the picture of Ganghiji. |
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