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| In Bhaderwah, almost all VVIPs | | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
BHADERWAH, Oct 22: Bhaderwah is one of the star assembly constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir –other falling in this category are Ganderbal and Pahalgam –and a visit there reveals its VIP status in more than one manner.
Being the electoral constituency of the most recent Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, Bhaderwah has got a lot of attention –young and handsome officers, tourism projects, University campus and, of course, visits of top dignitaries of country beginning President Pratibha Patil, Tourism Minister Ambika Soni and down the line.
A small stroll across this historical town and one feels lost in the rush of cars and jeeps flaunting VIP status. Security escort with every noticeable local is yet another attraction which really makes Bhaderwah a star constituency.
The “VIP movement” in the town makes one to feel as if the Congress was a dominant force to reckon with and it still called shots at all corridors from where power is controlled. However, a chat with locals suggest, that signs of dominance of body politics and power which Congress flaunts are just symbolic. This symbolic dominance and empowerment of the Congress is heartache in the town which has quite and significant and competitive space other parties as well –notable National Conference and the Bhartya Janta Party.
Many in the township enjoy official vehicles and security but the Congress supporters outnumber rest of all put together. “These symbols of Congress have their obvious influences on the public psychology and this is not good during elections”, says local who did not wish to be named. He added, some criteria must apply on allotting vehicles and security to political persons.
Look at this. The President of the Municipal Committee of Bhaderwah has a brand new air-conditioned Ambassador Nova Car and moves around with a security escort –his pride and onlookers’ envy. Nowhere in India anyone finds President of the small township Municipal Committee (a near equivalent of Sarpanch in villages) to move around in an official ambassador car. So what? He is cousin to the former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad.
Pritam Kowal retired from the government earlier this year and subsequently joined the Congress. He moves around in an official Gypsy. Then Mehraj-ud-Din Zargar is a Municipal Councilor. He has been allotted a Gypsy –a rare privilege not available to the members of still higher urban civic bodies like Municipal Corporations of Jammu and Srinagar.
Narinder Kotwal, Bashir Ahmed, Shabir Ahmed Khan, Mushtaq Malik and Gandharb Singh are a few names from the list of Congress workers whose Gypsies and escorts when move around the streets of Bhaderwah catch the eye of an outsider like this writer. |
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